This weekend I repotted an orchid that I bought on a whim a year ago at Trader Joe’s, before I had any idea what the coming months and months and months would bring.
The orchid’s doing well, but I don’t know how to un-jumble all the jumble in my brain lately. I have been listening to Valerie June on constant repeat, interspersed with Roberta Flack and Linda Ronstadt. This is helping, a bit, as did phone calls from loved ones. I also read this article about aloneliness. Ready for my vaccination! Not so ready to go back out into the world.
As I mentioned - Valerie June. Gosh I love the music she makes, and she has a new album out!! It is a transcendent work. I have no idea where you all listen to music online (would you please TELL ME NOW) therefore I am going to share this concert from YouTube.1
Here is a cool aggregator/site you can check out - I really wanted to write for ScienceSeeker, but I don’t have a science degree. Which means the people who do write for ScienceSeeker have got the facts DOWN. Neato.
WINE. I hear a couple of you are into Red Blends like me! Here is a great selection curated by Chasity Cooper, wine queen. I have previously tried Pessimist and Snoop Dogg’s 19 Crimes Cali Red (thanks Heather!) and thumbs up on both! This week however, I opened the Scoria 2018 Malbec from my Fork subscription and YOU GUYS. Freaking delish. I might have to do a subscription directly from Scoria next. I guess Idaho is getting one thing right.
This week I watched The Nightingale and it’s possibly the most brutal film I’ve ever seen. I do not regret watching it. I should not be surprised the film is a masterpiece of cinema, as it’s from Jennifer Kent, who also made The Babadook, one of the best horror movies. The Nightingale is not a horror movie. But yes - it kind of is. This interview with Kent is excellent, and I’m looking forward to her project about James Tiptree Jr.
Did you do your taxes yet? I’ve been following some of the journalism about Intuit and Turbotax lately, and if you are wanting to know how you can file your taxes for free, here’s an article, with links, from ProPublica. And hey - Tax Day for individuals has been extended to May 17 this year.
Have you wondered where I find the header photographs for each of my newsletters? Well, I invite you to check out this Unsplash collection where I catalog them - there are some really fine photographers showing their work on Unsplash, and I’m grateful.
I wanted to share this Substack post from Notes From Erin - she has provided a list of resources to help support the Asian-American community right now.
Carrie This!
Originally I posted a live version of Valerie June performing “You and I” but I discovered on 9/15/22 that the video had been taken down, so here is her KEXP concert - whoop! 💕