hello! i’m back to the good things grindstone.
before we get into it, i want to share a piece i worked on this summer for the podcast criminal. the episode is about one of the biggest heists in american history. it happened in the 1970s in providence, rhode island, when two best friends snuck into a secret vault that belonged to the mob and stole millions. and they were pretty sure they’d get away with it. listen to find out what happened:
here are the good things this week:
1. same as it ever was by claire lombardo
before my trip i asked several people whom i love and trust what i should read. i didn’t listen to any of them and instead downloaded this book on my kindle after seeing one tweet from a random stranger about how good it is. i’m so glad i did!!!! for whatever reason, i spent about half of the 500 pages of this book silently sobbing. it’s not that sad!! just so beautiful! the novel follows julia ames and her family through decades of emotional turbulence, fierce love, and the perils of being alive. this is a book about the choice to build a life with someone and what follows. read it!!!
2. this song
the book takes its title from this classic talking heads song and i can’t stop listening to it. i was looking up the lyrics and came across a reddit thread where people were talking about what the song means to them. i liked this comment:
“Doing things at my own pace. I don't want to rush into plans I'm not fully convinced of and find myself in a shotgun shack. One particular lyric which resonates with me is "time isn't holding up, time isn't after us". There's no reason to live my life on the same schedule as everyone else - it reminds me that time isn't my enemy but passes regardless.” (lauren_eats_games on reddit)
3. sitting outside with one glass of muscadet, three oysters, and my book
this place called walter’s right near me has a great happy hour and outdoor patio situation. i experienced peak unemployment euphoria last thursday when i arrived there promptly at 4 pm and got an amazing corner table with all the things listed above.
4. DÌDI
saw this at BAM the other day and i liked it! it’s a coming of age story set in san francisco in 2008. you follow the main character, chris wang, through the trials of being a teen. i was particularly dying at the scene where he is sending AIM messages to his crush, gets embarrassed, and then just blocks her. honestly helped me understand boys a lot better! i also loved to see that harassing smarterchild was a universal experience.
5. “What the 9/11 Museum Remembers, and What it Forgets” (The New Yorker)
i went to the 9/11 museum on monday and spent three hours there, sort of in a trance. the exhibits are moving and the audio tour is well done, but when i left, i felt unsure of what to take away from the experience. i’m still working through my thoughts and trying to read about the museum’s inception and some of its criticism. i thought this new yorker piece was enlightening. this line stuck out to me:
“…she told me that one challenge with the 9/11 Museum was that it was built and designed before the event had passed from memory to history—a moment it is reaching only now, she said.”
6. kicking rocks
how come when we want someone to fuck off, we tell them to go “kick rocks”? kicking rocks is awesome. the other day in the park, i kicked a rock for like a quarter of a mile and really enjoyed myself.
7. birthday shoes
every year for my birthday, i get myself1 a new pair of shoes. usually boots, since my birthday is in the fall. i’m on the hunt for this year’s pair and i welcome your suggestions. am i ready to embrace the knee high boot trend?? i think might be too short. please advise!
♡good thing from a good person♡
TWO short and sweet good things submissions today! what a treat!
the first is from amy gaines mcquade, who you might remember from my rec a few weeks ago. she’s the host of the newest miniseason of deep cover about george santos. go listen if you haven’t yet! she’s the greatest!! here’s amy’s good thing:
the sopranos doc from alex gibney! made me want to re-watch the whole show again. also a good excuse to crack open a bottle of red wine in the middle of the week (as if i needed permission!)
and our second good thing is from my brother martin sullivan (aka shope), whose controversial previous submission about dogs really got people talking. here’s shope’s good thing:
cucumbers 🥒. Absolutely incredible and underrated. Good on sandwiches, with hummus, and I saw some reel while doomscrolling where some lady made an amazing looking cuc salad
that’s all this week! i’m watching the mormon mom show on hulu (a nightmare), reading project hail mary by andy weir (i understand 15% of the words used), and trying to go to the MET today.
see you next time! xo
sometimes this is funded in whole or in part by my parents. shoutout to my benefactors!
Bit the bullet and bought the Vince Camuto knee high boots…worth every penny
this same as it ever was review made me lol