Here come my ten recommendations for the week. I’ve gotten a little long-winded here, so skip as much as you want. You are your own dragon.
This is now a series on Amazon Prime that will inevitably be compared (probably unfavorably; even though FOR THE RECORD, “Paper Girls” came first) to “Stranger Things.” But watching it has reminded me of how much I looooooved the serial graphic novel version. It’s been a while since I’ve felt like I had the time to sit and read a comic book, but earlier today I was pushing my daughter T on the swing and saw a preteen sitting in the park with a comic book and I remembered that that was, not long ago, my absolute favorite activity. I haven’t been able to do it in such a long time, but I can’t think of a more perfect way to spend a day.
Comics are my favorite medium because they feel like such a gift to the reader. They take so long to make, and such a small amount of time to consume. As you read them, your brain gets to wobble between the visual and the verbal in a way that is only paralleled (and only slightly) by reading subtitles on a film recorded in a language you don’t speak. But comics are better, because you get to stop. Your mind makes things up in between the panels. The story moves as fast or as slowly as you want it to. I was scared off by them as a kid, because BOYS LIKED COMICS, and if you know anything about me, you know I am a high-femme individual and always have been. It took years for me to finally read “Blankets” by Craig Thompson (I am not sure how well it has aged), but when I did, I saw the potential in comics and I was IN LOVE WITH THEM. “Paper Girls” is a real treat, and you can probably check it out at the library. It is kind of scary, but way less scary when you’re reading it and there’s no spooky-antsy music in the background to manipulate you.
On the TV show, I will note, Ali Wong is SENSATIONAL, and does sort of carry it, making it also worth your time.
I have to tell you this long story, even though my last thing was also kind of long. But I have to tell you.
A few weeks ago, when T first got sick, I took her around Evanston, into and out of different gift shops looking for birthday presents for my girlfriend Kat. There was a bright yellow shop on Chicago Ave that I almost didn’t go into because I misread the sign: I thought it said, “Nice Lenses,” and was a glasses shop. But then, there was a picture-mug of Timothée Chalamet in the window, and that wasn’t glasses-related, so I turned around and ducked in.
The store, Nice Lena and Friends, was cuter than its competitors, and had better, slightly queerer stuff. And then also, Lena (I assumed it was Lena) was behind the counter, and started talking to me immediately. She talked to me about T, and she said, “I bet everyone is telling you how it is all going to go so fast.” Everyone HAS BEEN telling me that! I even wrote a whole newsletter about it! Lena also had unicorn hair that looked magical, and eventually shared that she had two children who were 15 and 19 — which shocked me, because Lena herself did not look much older than 15 or 19. I bought a few things, followed Lena on Instagram, and decided that I would make it a mission for the next year to slowly worm my way into her life and become her friend. I had a definite crush.
A week or so later, my friend Zo was traveling through Chicago (on tour with Ani Difranco!? ZO IS AMAZING. Here is their Instagram where you can find their music. You’re welcome.), and needed a place to stay. I offered my house, and Zo came over. In the morning, they told me that they were actually going to quickly meet up with another friend, and that the friend was driving to my house. I lamented that we lived so far away from everything; Zo said the friend actually was only a seven minute drive. And was named Lena. And I had some trouble thinking this could possibly be the same Lena, BUT IT WAS.
And then, 15 minutes later, there was Lena, with her unicorn hair and sparkly smile sitting on my own front steps. Like, the universe had gone, “Hey. Let me help you with this.” And now we have each other’s phone numbers, and Lena has recommended a brand of hair dye to me (it is literally called “Unicorn Dye”), and we have a hangout in the works.
And here’s the thing: Nice Lena and Friends IS GREAT! And you can order her beautiful jewelry and other very cute merchandise online. So you should! I didn’t even mention how she spearheaded the Fairy-Doors-in-Evanston Project, which you can read about and cry happy tears that you are on the same earth at the same time as Lena.
3. Doing whatever tf you want to do with your hair
As stated, Lena recommended this hair dye to me, and after our coincidental meeting, I went ahead and bought two tubs of it (peach and pink). And I was tired of my hair being the length that it was (shoulder length just sort of bothers me on my head; it makes me go, “DECIDE ON A LENGTH!”), and so I sat outside with a hand mirror and cut my hair off and then I put the dye in, and I cut my bangs too short and uneven but like, I feel great about it! As Hilary Duff liked to say, “Why not”? (She actually liked to say, “Why not take a crazy chance?”, but we’re trying to be more conscious about our use of the word “crazy” these days, so Hilary Duff has been censored here.)*
4. Getting your glasses prescription updated via app
I wanted new glasses, but my prescription expired. Last time this happened, I used the Vision Test app to get a new prescription (this is made by Warby Parker, where I get my glasses, like it’s still 2008), and it was a major pain, but it worked. I did it again this time, and the difference was, IT WAS NOT A MAJOR PAIN. It’s gotten much faster and better. It literally took me five minutes, and it cost me $15. I ordered two new pairs of glasses, and they are cute.
5. The following salad
Slivered purple cabbage, shredded carrots, halved snap peas, cilantro, chopped bell peppers, cooked cooled quinoa, peanuts, peanut sauce (2/3 cup PB + 2 TB soy sauce + 1 TB maple syrup + 1 TB apple cider vinegar + 3 TB warm water, mixed thoroughly).
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