Just Good Shit: 12.05.21

Hello there! It’s been a cozy one over here; we got our Christmas tree yesterday, and spent the weekend knitting, drinking the best hot chocolate, and watching Christmas movies. (Decorating is TK, as earlier tonight I took out all of the Christmas stuff and discovered I…got rid of all of our Christmas lights at the end of last year? And seemingly totally forgot about this????) I’ve also learned to plunk out (with my fingers on the correct keys, but plunking nonetheless!!) “Jingle Bells” and “O Come All Ye Faithful” on the piano, which I’m quite proud of, as I’ve only had three lessons so far.

Speaking of Christmas things: please check out @transanta and consider donating gifts to trans youths in need!

Here’s what else I had going on this week…

Reading

This Is How Roe Ends, NY Mag.

Cognitive Rehab: One Patient’s Painstaking Path Through Long Covid Therapy, NYT.
This is just…devastating.

Omicron’s Best- and Worst-Case Scenarios, The Atlantic.

Omicron Won’t Ruin Your Booster, The Atlantic.

Anti-vaxx Chronicles: This story was tough the first time we saw it, turns out it's even more brutal, Daily Kos.

“I had a Very Bad experience with @Hertz over Thanksgiving.”
Wild.

The End of Gendering Wine, Punch.

Here's Why Movie Dialogue Has Gotten More Difficult To Understand (And Three Ways To Fix It), Slash Film.

An Attempt to Make Sense of This Year’s Netflix Christmas Movies, Vulture.

Watching & listening to

I’m really enjoying the new podcast Like a Virgin. I’ve also watched a bunch of queer holiday romance movies for an upcoming episode of the podcast, as well as The Bitch Who Stole Christmas, which is so stupid in the best way.

Have a good night! 🌰

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Just Good Shit: 11.28.21

Happy Sunday night! My Thanksgiving week was great. The Baskin-Robbins turkey-shaped ice cream cake (which I ordered as a surprise for my gf) was a huge hit, and the rest of the food turned out really well. And the rest of the weekend was relaxing and cozy. Here’s what else I had going on…

My shit

• Good gift ideas for the person who is always tending to some little project

• Good gift ideas for the person whose taste is Herman Miller by day and Spencer’s Gifts by night

I was also a guest on the This Is Good For You podcast, talking about puzzles!

Reading

It's Time to Fear the Fungi, Wired.

Did Trans Activists Doxx J.K. Rowling?, Michael Hobbes.

Inside Felicia Sonmez’s Lawsuit Against the Washington Post, NY Mag.

Can You Take a Hint?, Texas Monthly.
Absolutely obsessed with every line of this old profile of Heloise.

The limitations of the 'sapphic anthem', NPR.

They Found a New Bird!, Slate.

What does an actor lose when their prosthetics become the star?, Vulture.

Inside Hidden Hills, Shangri-La to the Kanye Set, Vanity Fair.
Ended up on this 2017 article while watching Selling Sunset Season 4.

The determined thief, the cranberry usurper, and other work potlucks gone wrong, Ask a Manager.

Have a good one! 🌲

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Just Good Shit: 11.21.21

Image: Kiyana Salkeld / Just Good Shit

Hi, peeps! I had a great first week at Vox and I’m newly boosted, so I’m feeling pretty good at this exact moment! Here’s what else I had going on this week…

My shit

• Great Gift Ideas That Aren't From Big Box Retailers

Reading

You Should Get a Booster Now, The Atlantic.

Dave Chappelle's "Some Of My Best Friends Are Trans" Story Doesn't Hold Up, Michael Hobbes.

Marilyn Manson: The Monster Hiding in Plain Sight, Rolling Stone.

Can a Boxer Return to the Ring After Killing?, The Atlantic.

How Exxon duped “The Daily”, Heated.

Inside the Turmoil at Jezebel, Gawker.

Brittany Luse and Eric Eddings of ‘For Colored Nerds’ Play for Keeps, NYT.

Animal Crossing Happy Home Paradise does what all DLC should: make a great game even better, Polygon.

24 Quotes on Giving Thanks, Justice, and Radical Gratitude, Sojourners.

Revolt of the Goldman Juniors, NY Mag.

Eating

We tried NYT’s Roasted Tomato and White Bean Stew this week and loved it; it came together very easily and the leftovers were great. I also made a recipe I saw on TikTok and it was fantastic — really easy and so delicious.

Have a good week! 💉

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Just Good Shit: 11.14.21

Image: Kiyana Salkeld / Just Good Shit

Hello, hello! First, some exciting news: Monday was my last day at VICE, and I start a new job at Vox tomorrow. (Details here!) Here’s what else I had going on this week…

My shit

• Just a bunch of good Thanksgiving shit

• The best shows to watch with parents, in-laws, and other family members

Reading

The rich injustice of COP26, Heated.

America Has Lost the Plot on COVID, The Atlantic.

St. Jude Hoards Billions While Many of Its Families Drain Their Savings, ProPublica.

Four Measures That Are Helping Germany Beat COVID, The Atlantic.

Thinking Hard About Their Hair, NYT. (gift link)

TikTok #CouplePranks and the Disappointments of Heterosexuality, Jezebel.

Bumble BFF has an MLM problem, Input.

Why They Left New York, New York Magazine Union.

Updating The Verge’s background policy, The Verge.

Have a good one! ✨

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Just Good Shit: 11.07.21

Hi I spent this past week with my gf at a very cute Airbnb in the Catskills. We did a lot of sitting by the fire and playing Wingspan (this is the article that made me want to buy the game BTW) and also ventured out for a hike to Kaaterskill Falls. Before we drove back to the city, we stopped at Phoenicia Diner for a really lovely outdoor brunch. Overall, the foliage was excellent, the driving was easy, and it was just a lovely and relaxing week! And we were back in time for the NYC Marathon, one of my favorite days of the year.

Here’s what else I had going on...

My shit

• BYO Steak Night ft. Britni de la Cretaz

• We Want Your (Non-Chain-Store) Gift Recommendations!   

Reading

Inside Amazon’s Worst Human Resources Problem, NYT. (gift link)

The SEPTA Rape Case Shows Americans Eagerly Believe the Worst About Cities, VICE.

Why Five of Kyrsten Sinema’s Advisers Just Quit, Slate. 

Zuckerberg Announces Fantasy World Where Facebook Is Not a Horrible Company, VICE.

“I’m an old, out and proud lesbian. Am I transphobic if I don’t want to have sex with trans women?”, Xtra.

Primp Your Ride, NYT. 

I Just Turned 60, but I Still Feel 22, NYT. 

Watching & listening to

So many podcasts! My friend Amy Rose is hosting the new season of POWER, focusing on Hugh Hefner and Playboy. And we listened to the entire 30 for 30 Heavy Medals series as well as “The Spy Who Signed Me.” Also, our Airbnb had cable, where I discovered Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team, which just...plays in an endless loop on CMT??? 

Have a great week! 🏃

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Just Good Shit: 10.24.21

Hello and happy Sunday! Today is my and my girlfriend’s three-year anniversary. To celebrate, we’re taking a little trip to the Catskills in a week, but we also spent the day doing nice fall things, including making hot apple cider in the Crock Pot and continuing our tradition of making homemade soft pretzels and beef stew. Here’s what else I got up to this week...

My shit

There’s a new episode of the podcast out! This was our one-year anniversary episode, and we talked about a bunch of things we really love (that we’ve never discussed before).

Reading

The Murders Down the Hall, NY Mag.
Just a devastating story about police and city incompetence.

“Your Case is Closed, Don’t Call Here Any More”: Most Rapes in New York City Went Unsolved in 2020, Gothamist.

The last days inside Trailer 83, Washington Post.
And if you read this and are wondering if there’s a GoFundMe, there is.

‘Rust’ crew describes on-set gun safety issues and misfires days before fatal shooting, LA Times.
I also highly recommend this thread from a film armorer about how gun safety on sets should work.

Fear on Cape Cod as Sharks Hunt Again, NYT Magazine.

Thousands of People Are Trying to Leave QAnon, but Getting Out Is Almost Impossible, Cosmo.

They Just Moved Into an Austin Neighborhood. Now They Want to End One of Its Traditions., Texas Monthly.

I Couldn’t Afford Hearing Aids Until I Got a Six-Figure Book Deal, Slate.

The Necessary Will of Lesbian Mothers, The Cut.

Self-love is an egg sandwich with hot sauce, The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

Oh Dear, I've Gone Numb, ¡Hola Papi!

Watching & listening to

Some personal news: I have somehow, without even trying, become a fan of professional basketball and am actively watching (and enjoying!!!) the new NBA season. No one is more shocked about this than I am. The TL;DR is that I’ve gotten really into sports documentaries and podcasts in the past year or so, and that somehow...made me want to watch actual games? This NY Mag post is really what pushed me over the edge, and I keep referring back to this Defector post about the upcoming season, which feels like it was written for me personally. 

Anyway, I have a couple of additional sports recs outside of the actual season: the 30 for 30 podcast five-part miniseries about Donald Sterling and the 30 for 30 documentary Reggie Miller vs. The NY Knicks (which you can also watch on Amazon). 

NYC

Early voting is underway! Find your poll location here. And if you’d like insight into how to vote on the different ballot measures, check out this guide from Soft Power.

Have a great week! 👻

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Just Good Shit: 10.17.21

HI! This week, I got a helix piercing (from my beloved So Gold Studios in Brooklyn), carved a pumpkin, baked Abigail Koffler’s fantastic pumpkin bread, watched Death Becomes Her and Mean Girls (two Halloween movies imo), and finished a knitting project. Also, it’s pumpkin butterscotch cookie season!

Here’s what else I had going on...

Reading

Lab-grown meat is supposed to be inevitable. The science tells a different story., The Counter.
Really fantastic longread.

Netflix's CEO made his priority clear — and it's not trans lives, Mic.

Also, if you want to know exactly how bad the special is but don’t want to give it views, you can read the flatly disgusting transcript.

The Mississippi Abortion Case Threatens the Right to Use Birth Control, Marry, and Even Make Choices About Sex, Slate.

The Controversy Behind the Scenes of Dallas Buyers Club, Vanity Fair.

Slackers of the World, Unite!, The Atlantic.

Have a good one! 🎃

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Just Good Shit: 10.10.21

Hello! I’m back after a wonderful week spent in Maine at Acadia National Park. (Full rundown on everything we did to come!) It’s currently not as autumnal outside in Brooklyn as I’d like it to be, but I’m still glad it’s October. I’ve been knitting a bunch, reading books, and getting excited for gift guide season. Here’s what else I’ve had going on...

My shit

• What to Do When a Friend's Insecurity Is Ruining Your Vibe

• Bags within bags!

And there are two new eps of the podcast: How to Be, Like, 75% Organized and A Solid Alternative to Googling Your Symptoms ft. Casey Gueren.

Reading

On the Internet, We’re Always Famous, The New Yorker.

The Joe Manchin climate doctrine, Heated.

Do I Still Need a Pulse Oximeter?, NYT. (gift link)

Notes for a Queer Homemaker: Polishing Silver and Panoptical Perches, Autostraddle.

What's Up With "Gender Critical" Gay Guys?, Gawker.

$5 jewelry and an MLM conference gone wrong, Vox.

‘America’s Oldest Park Ranger’ Is Only Her Latest Chapter, NYT. (gift link)

Bringing Black History to Life in the Great Outdoors, NYT. (gift link)

Why TikTok Is So Obsessed With Labeling Everything a Trauma Response, Slate.

Watching & listening to

Lots of Maintenance Phase and You’re Wrong About. 5 Things Tidying Method (h/t Captain Awkward). Everything JoJo Siwa’s doing on Dancing With the Stars and also this clip from Dance Moms, which was my introduction to the show and is one of the wildest and high camp things I’ve seen in a while. (How...was this...a television show????) And this fantastic episode of the podcast ICYMI, in which the hosts interview a “true crime” TikToker about the content she made in the days following Gabby Petito’s disappearance.

Have a nice week! 🍂

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Just Good Shit: 09.19.21

Image: Kiyana Salkeld / Just Good Shit

Hi! Just a quick one from me tonight as it has been A DAY. Also, I’ll be offline for the next two Sundays, so you won’t hear from me for a couple of weeks. Until then, here’s what I’ve got for you…

Reading

A Boy Went to a COVID-Swamped ER. He Waited for Hours. Then His Appendix Burst., ProPublica.

The Culture War Over ‘Pregnant People’, The Atlantic.

A Brandon woman, 92, fought her guardianship. Things escalated quickly., Tampa Bay Times.

The Prescient Power of The Rosie O’Donnell Show, Vulture.

What Matters in a Name Sign?, NYT. (gift link)

The one-sided John Mulaney Twitter debate, Embedded.
This is old now but I forgot to include it at the time, and I think the overall takeaway is pretty evergreen.

Finally, if you’ve watched LuLa Rich on Amazon (which is very good!) and are still thinking about how wild it all is, you might like this article I wrote in 2017 about LuLaRoe.

Have a good one! 🌝

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Just Good Shit: 09.12.21

Image: Kiyana Salkeld / Just Good Shit

Hello! I’m coming off a nice few days that included knitting, hanging with friends on our roof, knitting on the roof, eating soup, and watching Keeping Up with the Kardashians for the first time ever. (It’s now my favorite show.)

Here’s what else I had going on this week…

My shit

• Just a Bunch of Easy Ways to Make Vaxxed Hangouts Safer in the Delta Era

• 8 Easy, Genius Hosting Tips that Expert Entertainer Dorinda Medley Swears By

• How to Throw a Better Party—During the Pandemic, or Whenever

Reading

9/11 Survivors Are Still Getting Sick Decades Later: ‘Am I Next?’, NYT. (gift link)

The NYT stopped shilling for cigarettes. Why won't it stop shilling for fossil fuels?, Heated.

The Plan to Stop Every Respiratory Virus at Once, The Atlantic.

Just Say It: The Health Care System Has Collapsed, Slate.

When Orlando theme parks self-report ride injuries, details can be left out, Orlando Sentinel.

Erika Jayne and the Runaway Narrative, Vulture.

Oddkin, A Working Letter.

The intern who set up a cot and other stories of internships gone wrong, Ask a Manager.

Have a good one! 🧶

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