Friday Roundup: Carrie Bradshaw’s wedding dress, SAVE Act & the perfect banana bread
3 small things you can do, 5 stories you should read & some things to make your life better
Happy Friday everyone - I hope you are doing okay! A lot of people, myself included, have been hit with *ailments* this winter. Life is hard enough without norovirus or pneumonia. Sending you an UGH! if you are team unwell.
We are doing the 2nd edition of the Friday Roundup today - people liked it!! If you are a paid subscriber, please join us in the comments for a bit of community to discuss - especially if you have any advice for starting a bookclub or civic pod!
Plan to attend a local community meeting, such as a town hall or school board meeting, to engage with local issues and leaders. Sometimes just looking up the schedule for something near you and making a plan can feel empowering.
Ask 2 friends to do a book club with you. Then ask each of them to bring 1 person. Getting a lot of people together and then convincing them to read the same book can feel daunting. But adding a regular cadence to your community building will bring you joy!
Check out this website to see how your community will be impacted by Trump budget cuts.
The Christian Nationalist Plot to Disenfranchise Women Voters (TNR)
The SAVE Act, which purports to fend off the phantasmal threat of voter fraud, would throw millions of women off the voting rolls.
The Task Ahead: Pull In The Dissatisfied Trump Voters (Jill Filipovic)
Via
- Is there a coming public backlash as Americans witness consequences like rising prices, harsh immigration enforcement, and declining government services affecting everything from Social Security to education and emergency response?Abortion Pill Maker Enters Legal Fight Over F.D.A. Rules (NYT Gift Link)
GenBioPro, a leading manufacturer of abortion medication, is preparing to go to battle with the Trump administration.
Your Bosses Are Probably Tracking You (WSJ Gift Link)
Elon Musk’s email to federal employees prompted angst, but lots of employers use technology for continuous feedback on worker performance.
DOGE Gains Access to Confidential Records on Housing Discrimination, Medical Details — Even Domestic Violence (ProPublica)
While some agencies have resisted efforts by Elon Musk’s team to access confidential records, HUD has opened the door. The potential harm to privacy could be significant.
Break up better. The Atlantic has curated a reading list for "The Art of Splitting Up" that offers a compassionate exploration of divorce as it has evolved from requiring blame to becoming a more nuanced life choice. Read more here.
Do you need a microretirement? This might just be the best fix for career burnout. Click here.
Maybe we can actually counteract the impact of microplastics. Antioxidants in fruits and flowers seem to counteract harmful effects of microplastics, study shows. Anthocyanins in nuts, fruits and vegetables seem to lessen harmful effects of microplastics on reproductive systems. Find out more here.
The wisdom of pulling back from the news. Krista Tippett (the host of the On Being podcast) is a national treasure and you should absolutely follow her Substack. This reflection on stepping back from the news has really stuck with me. Read more here.
“Fear Melters” might actually help right now. Right now, fear and anxiety are not only palpable, we’re soaking in them—and same with rage. Even if we’re working hard not to feed any of this, it still feels like we’re drowning in it. Elise Loehnen explores the somatic moves that might just help us release some of that fear, anxiety and anger. Find out how.
Monica Lewinsky launched her new chat show Reclaiming this month and she is a great interviewer. This one with Kara Swisher will make you think about AI's gender problem and the men at the heart of it.
Natasha Rothwell’s spa manager Belinda is one of my favorite White Lotus characters. She reflects on the series on Fresh Air this week.
tackles dad culture in this week’s Culture Study podcast.
The cast of White Lotus met viral pygmy hippo Moo Deng.
This song will be stuck in your head all day.
Deb Perelman’s Banana Bread will make your house smell delicious and will be gone in 20 minutes. Get the recipe here.
Carrie Bradshaw’s wedding dress was bought at a thrift store for $19 and the buyer is reselling it to finance her divorce! Read more here.
Also a delicious pastina recipe.
Good morning! I read Democracy in Retrograde and I've been building local community as a result...I'm also going to speak at a local rally soon. I'm scared of public speaking, but that video from Iowa pushed me to use my voice while I can 💪🏼 any encouragement is appreciated!
Hello! After reading Democracy in Retrograde I started a Civic Pod we call Bake and Bitch. Once a month, everyone brings a baked good, we vent (bitch) for the first 15 minutes together, then move on to what each person is doing to take action, what they want others to be aware of coming up, or sharing resources. So far several members have gotten involved in their neighborhood boards or gone to town halls, we’ve all called representatives and senators, donated to mutual aid and legal funds, signed up for volunteer work in our community, etc! We are holding each other accountable each month and have compiled tons of resources about a huge range of issues. And we of course have been sharing all our delicious baking recipes :)