Monthly Sanity Roundup: Comfort Watches and Cultural Tangents
Watch, read, and listen with me—audiobooks, comedy shows, and a brief detour through Will & Grace.
I have three pairs of AirPods for different reasons. The Pros for the gym are that I need noise-canceling so I don’t have to hear Kenny Rogers’ “Islands in the Stream,” then I have AirPods 2 for around-the-house use and neighborhood walks. Leaving my old AirPods as a backup because apparently I can’t bear to be without them for the 72 hours it takes Costco to send a new pair.
My obsession with always having something to listen to started in 2020. At first, to tune out the noise of my husband’s Zoom work calls or to find some peace from everyone being around me all of the time. Later, I became addicted to audiobooks and podcasts. Tell me all the things all at once!
My brain was starved for knowledge. This is when I became obsessed with history and government (I know, makes you really want to grab a coffee with me, doesn’t it?)
But last year, after drowning in the unyielding chaos of this administration, I began to pull back and seek balance. I called it my analog reset (if you missed it, you can read it here). Drastically limit social media, try sudoku, and read actual books during the day at a coffee shop, even if people stare in wonder.
Recently, I was forced to find another way to disconnect… my beloved AirPods were starting to get to me. If I wore them too long, I had trouble hearing once I took them out (my volume isn’t high). I think my ears need a minute or two to adjust to ambient noise because, unless someone is seriously in my personal space, they sound a little muffled.
I also felt like the headphones were a barrier. Which, to be fair, is what I want them to be at times. But when my teen is wandering around the living room and not barricaded in his room, I want to be available. Approachable. So I started using a small Bluetooth speaker, carrying it from room to room like a mini boombox.
It’s the strangest thing, but it’s making a difference. Going pseudo-old-school feels good. I feel present and that’s so important for this stage of my mom-life. I want to be grounded and intentional. Who knew a dusty 8-year-old Target speaker would do the trick?
And that brings me to my monthly roundup of what’s keeping me sane or making me laugh.
The evening unwind:
We finished the first season of HBO’s The Pitt and are wrapping up the second season. I still highly recommend it, especially if you want to disengage from the world. It’s so fast-paced that your brain doesn’t get a chance to wander. Reminder: each episode is a real-time hour of a single shift at a Pittsburgh emergency room. I’m fully prepared to rewatch it once we’re done—it’s that good!
We’re also working our way through a Ted Lasso rewatch, gearing up for the 4th season coming in August. This is my third time watching this show, and I’m always amazed by the storytelling. If you haven’t seen it, it’s worth the Apple TV subscription. The most striking thing is that they showcase positive masculinity while highlighting strong female characters—without beating us over the head with it.
For years, I’ve been saying this is one of the biggest problems we face. Shows, commercials, and movies seem to feel the need to highlight their diversity or differences. I don’t know if it’s virtue signaling or merely a marketing tactic, but it always winds up feeling forced, if not completely inauthentic.
Malcolm Gladwell explained that one of the contributing reasons gay marriage became legal in 2015 was a social shift in acceptance. The main factor for the shift? Will & Grace.
Forgive this tangent, but I’m fascinated!
Before Will, gay men on TV were generally shown as very flamboyant and often as a humorous sidekick. Hollywood didn’t have gay main characters or ones with any depth. Will & Grace depicted a gay man as someone you might know or work with. This is where people’s perception began to change… without them realizing it.
This is how culture can quietly reshape what we consider “normal,” which Ted Lasso does beautifully.
What’s entertaining me while I fold laundry:
Libby is still my most-used app. Since my last monthly round-up, I’ve finished the Anthony Horowitz Hawthorne series, and they’re an excellent escape. Last time I mentioned the narrator, Rory Kinnear, and how talented he is. Once I start listening, it’s hard for me to stop. He truly makes the characters come to life.
I’ve been on a podcast kick, too. Currently hooked on anything Kara Swisher. Her Pivot podcast with Scott Galloway makes me feel seen (there’s a lot of tech billionaire calling out, and I’m here for that), but her On podcast is where I spend a lot of time. Recently, she interviewed investigative reporter Jodi Kantor about how college graduates can get jobs in this AI-driven world. Excellent conversation, and yes, I ordered Jodi’s new book, How to Start, for my daughter. If her name sounds familiar, she’s one of the women who broke the Harvey Weinstein story for The New York Times.
Reading experiment continues:
I haven’t had luck with my books this time around, but I’m proud of myself for putting them back on the shelf if it’s not clicking for me.
Their Eyes Are Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston was incredibly hard for me to get into. All of the conversations are written as spoken, and for some reason, I have to sound out every word instead of glancing and getting the gist.
“What dat ole forty year ole ‘oman doin’ wid her hair swingin’.”
I was concentrating so hard on getting the words right that it began to feel like work. So back on the bookshelf it went. I’ll try again later.
One book I won’t be retrying is Raymond Chandler’s The Big Sleep. A detective noir that is written exactly like every gumshoe movie I’ve ever seen. I couldn’t see beyond it. A quiet tough guy outsmarts the crooks while smacking a dame. No, thank you. I literally don’t need more machismo in my life.
How I’m laughing:
We’re headed down to LA to see one of my favorite comedians, Daniel Sloss, at Netflix Is A Joke. I started following him on Instagram in 2020, and we got to see him live last year at a smallish venue—I feel victorious when my husband becomes a fan of someone I found.
Comedy done well isn’t about avoiding certain topics. It’s about understanding them and empathizing. It’s not being an ass and trashing people (lookin’ at you, Matt Rife).
If you want another comedian to follow, Iliza Shlesinger never disappoints. We’ve seen her twice live, and she’s got a few Netflix specials. Her comedy is intelligent, relatable, and often times deep.
If you have anything that’s making you laugh or helping you feel grounded, please let me know in the Substack comments or just reply to this email.
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