I Who Have Never Known Men, The Studio, and the Sephora sale.
Week 228.
I don’t know what happened here but this post published on the website yesterday like normal, but the email didn’t go out? So. I’m trying again. Happy Sunday!
Hello hello! I’m back after accidentally taking last week off. I had a very chaotic March but I plan to have a much calmer April. Here’s a recap of the last two weeks:
Things I Read
Books
If you’re looking for a book to read, try this list of contemporary romance recs, this list of other fiction recs, or this list of non-fiction recs. I also track everything I read on Goodreads.
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman: This is one of the more random books I’ve seen go viral online recently— a feminist science fiction novel originally published in 1995 in French. I felt like everyone I follow online was talking about this and most of them loved it, so I was very curious to read. Basic plot: 40 women are trapped in a bunker, they don’t know where they are or why, and the narrator is a child, the only kid in the bunker. This is under 200 pages and I read it super fast, and I really can’t decide what I think about it. I found it quite immersive and I was really eager to figure out what was going on. But, as is usually my biggest issue with science fiction, so many of my questions went unanswered. I got to the end and was kinda like…that’s it?? What’s the POINT. I have thought about this a lot and have also been seeking out so many reviews to see what other people have to say about it, so it’s good in that way. But I think ultimately I left it feeling a bit unsatisfied. So. Do with that what you will.
The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson #2) by Rick Riordan: Last year I got VERY into The Hunger Games audiobooks and then decided I would also listen to this series. I don’t know why, but I only ever read the first one when I was a kid. So I don’t have the nostalgia associated with this that most people do, but I had fun! I’m gonna keep going.
Articles
The Feminist Law Professor Who Wants to Stop Arresting People for Domestic Violence: I had never heard of Leigh Goodmark before reading this article, but now I’m kind of obsessed with her. She spent the first part of her legal career as a practicing attorney, advocating for women who experienced domestic violence. She then became a law professor, researched this issue for decades, and has come to the conclusion that domestic violence should be decriminalized. To that, I say: hell yeah. Yes. I am not saying, no one is saying, that domestic violence is not a real problem. What we are saying is that the criminal legal system is not offering a helpful solution. People in these situations want so many things— a stable income, housing, substance abuse treatment for their partner, help figuring out how to co-parent safely, health care, child care, etc., etc., etc. The system offers exactly none of those things. It offers prosecution and forced complete separation. This does not help anyone. I have worked on so many cases where someone calling the police in the midst of a fight in their home has led to a cascading effect of worse and worse problems. If two people get in a fight at home and the cops get called, the cops just show up and use their best judgement to figure out who is the “main aggressor.” In many places they are required to make an arrest. They have to pick someone, they are not allowed to just help deescalate and then leave. I don’t know about you but I do not have faith in the cops to make good judgement calls. This is because I see them fail to do so everyday. Often, people who call the police and report abuse also end up in a custody battle, having to convince CPS and/or a judge that they should get to keep their kids. Because their partner hit them. And I cannot tell you how many times a case proceeds through the system despite the alleged victim begging anyone who will listen to drop it. The criminal legal system is not trying to help anyone. It is trying to punish people. It is telling how many people who work in it for years or decades come to the conclusion that it does not fix anything. It is hard to move the needle on this issue because the bad stories are so bad, and the idea of incarceration as punishment is what we are taught from a very young age. I really love the way Goodmark talks about decriminalization and abolition in this article. She is very clear that she is not advocating for decriminalization until we have built up the alternatives she is suggesting. This a point that people often miss in talking about this stuff. I also loved this point: “if we let ourselves make policy based on tragic cases without considering data, we will make bad policy.” It is imperative that we look outside of policing and incarceration for solutions to our society’s problems. Those things are not working.
Things I Watched
TV
If you’re looking for a show to watch, try this list.
The Studio (AppleTV+): This got RAVE reviews, like some of the best reviews I’ve ever seen for a tv show, so I was excited to watch. Three episodes are out so far and I’ve seen two of them. It is as good as everyone said. Seth Rogan plays the head of a movie studio who wants to make art but *needs* to make his company millions of dollars. This has one of the most insane casts I’ve ever seen in a television show. Ike Barinholtz and Kathryn Hahn also play people who work for the studio, as does Catherine O’Hara. There are cameos every five minutes— Charlize Theron plays herself, Nick Stoller plays himself, MARTIN SCORSESE PLAYS HIMSELF. All kind of poking fun at the absurdities of the movie industry, and themselves in the process. This show is so chaotic, extremely frantic pace that is emphasized by the way it’s shot and soundtracked. It’s so funny, and feels like a real look into what the industry is actually like. It is fascinating. I can’t wait to see where it goes. AppleTV+ has the best original content of any streaming service and it’s not close (WATCH PACHINKO!!!! she screams into the void).
Movies
Booksmart (rented): This is one of my favorite movies. I saw this in theaters in 2019 and LOVED it, and every so often I am reminded of it and have to watch it again. Usually it’s because I see someone in this movie in something else, but this time it’s because I went to a murder mystery party and remembered that there is a murder mystery party in this movie. This is just the best. The soundtrack is so good I bought it on vinyl. Olivia Wilde directed this and I fear she peaked here. One of the best high school movies ever, an all timer.
Things I Bought
You can read about my full skincare routine and favorite products here. If you need a sunscreen recommendation, try this list.
Sephora Sale season!! Open now if you’re Rouge, 4/8 for everyone. Here’s five things I love right now:
Hanni Splash Salve: I am obsessed with this stuff. You apply in the shower and it is so moisturizing and smells SO good. I want to try other things from this brand because I love this so much.
Eadam Lip Balm: This is my current favorite lip product. It’s SO moisturizing. I have one of the berry shades and it is shockingly pigmented for a lip balm like this. I want to get another one in the clear shade so I can wear it everyday.
Anything from Necessaire: my favorites are the Body Wash, the Body Lotion, the Hand Cream, and the Body Serum. I would trust anything from this brand EXCEPT the sunscreen.
Laneige Cream Skin toner: This is the first milky toner I ever tried and remains a favorite.
Make-up by Mario Skin Enhancer: My favorite makeup product! I love this so much.
One Last Thing…
Haim finally putting out new music has me revisiting their 2021 album, Women in Music Pt. III. This is one of the best albums of the last decade. Just so, so good. I’m so excited for their new one!
That’s it for me! This week I am going to go to the movie theater and also be distraught at the season finale of The Pitt. I hope you all have a good week.
TTYL,
Emily