Thursday, January 4, 2018

Stuff I Like: Doing, Watching, Listening, BOOK CLUB, Y'ALL.

Hello! Happy New Year! Like many folks on the east coast I'm currently snowed in and like an idiot I left my fancy work laptop at work. So, because I am a super-dedicated blogger person I dusted off (literally) my old brick of a not-fancy laptop and now I'm hoping is stays alive long enough to write this entry. Tally ho.


This Yoga Thing That Sounds Like a Bad Idea But is Awesome.
I am SO COLD y'all. It's been so cold and I'm a shivery poodle all the time. I mean, I freaking ordered those shearling Birkenstocks because how could I not? So, when my friend at work suggested we try hot yoga over the Xmas break I was like, sure. I have no money for such fancy things but have I mentioned how cold I am? So we signed up for a three week intro (that's how they get you) and oh my god I am like a lizard with a shiny new hot rock. I LOVE IT. If you've ever been tempted, try it. It's very hard and you sweat a lot and you question your sanity while you're doing it but then on the way home when you're steaming up the car you're already thinking about your next class, all dreamy-eyed. PS. This is just regular hot yoga, not Bikram yoga. Bikram is a creeper

Related: For my first class I borrowed one of their super-fancy Manduka yoga mats and man, it makes my bargain basement Gaiam mat seem pretty lame. Do I need the fancy mat? I don't, right? 



We all watched The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, right? The Palladinos, man. I cannot get enough of their thing. The story is good and the acting is also good and Midge is really likeable despite being so annoyingly CHARMED in life but oh, the style! Her clothes and the apartments are just amazing. I can't wait for the second season. 



This Podcast That I Also Can't Get Enough Of
Okay, so I know I've talked about the Penguin Podcast before but in case you missed it I thought I'd mention it again. They interview writers and it's almost always very interesting and charming. My favorites are Kate Atkinson, Jo Nesbo and Neil Gaiman but more recently they interviewed guitarist Johnny Marr, who wrote a book. He's fascinating and quite unexpectedly humble. I recommend, even if you weren't a Smiths fan.  


LOOKS GOOD BOOK CLUB, Y'ALL
Marianne bought me a copy of We are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby and also bought herself a copy because she read this quote:

"I was trying to fill this gaping hole inside me with “stuff I couldn’t have when I was a little kid,” and I assumed that one day, when I had finally bought enough magazines and name- brand snack foods to feel caught up, the feeling would go away. But it hasn’t. And because I know the value of a dollar, when I get one, I want to buy the nicest thing I can with it. I’m still buying hardcover books and department-store mascara, still daydreaming about what I’m going to spend my 401(k) on when I withdraw that shit early,”
― Samantha Irby, We are Never Meeting in Real Life.

and was like wait did I write a book. And I was all WHOA and she was all RIGHT and then she was like BLOG BOOK CLUB which seemed like a brilliant idea. So here's how it works: get a copy and start reading it. The book is a series of essays so we'll post up discussions on our Facebook page to discuss the various essays as we read. If you're not on Facebook that's okay, we'll also be posting a few of our text convos about it and you can post in the comments. Who's in? 

13 comments:

  1. Blog book club sounds awesome I'm in

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  2. I've been doing hot yoga (non-bikram) for a few years and love it. I get bargain mats at Marshalls etc. I do get the Gaiam towel for class. It's mat sized and has rubber on one side. It absorbs the sweat and keeps the mat from getting slippery - bonus is you wash the towel (air dry) and the mat doesn't get funky.

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    1. I have two hot yoga mat towels already and I have to say, my bargain Gaiam mat has been doing just fine. It's just so insubstantial feeling compared to the Manduka...

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  3. Wow, that quote really hits home. Count me in for book club!

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  4. A version of that growing-up-poor chapter appeared in the NY Times and and then she posted (on FB, I think) some people's "helpful" responses and it was pretty funny.

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  5. I love Samantha Irby!!! There's a private group on FB called Bitches Gotta Read -- very funny people, lots of great book discussions, etc. Join us!! Her blog, Bitches Gotta Eat, is awesome.

    As for Manduka mats, they really are worth having if you plan to continue practicing. It might be worth looking on Craigslist for a Manduka --- you'll need to disinfect the hell out of it, but it's really not different than using a studio mat for class.

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    1. I've found some online on sale in weird colors but not quite ready to commit yet. We'll see.

      And thanks for the tip re. the FB group!

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  6. book club! I'm in!

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  7. Hey -- did you know that David Bowie's son (Duncan Jones) is leading a book club that features his dad's favorite books? Check out the details on his twitter account @ManMadeMoon!First up: Hawksmoor by Peter Ackroyd.

    (btw, my name is Pam, but I didn't have any of the applicable accounts to publish other than "anonymous")

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    1. Oh, I do! The problem is he picked a book that's out of print and it's impossible to find. He promised the next one would be easier to get.

      (And I have comments set so anyone can post without signing in. I don't know why it does that!)

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    2. Well you could use that extra $899.99 you have to get a used copy (or$200+, but somebody probably wrote in it)? Or get the Kindle version IN GERMAN for just $9.99? Too bad -- it looks like an interesting book! And, overall, what a cool idea to honor and remember his dad. Hope you have time for a Bowie dance party today!

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    3. I know! I love the idea and will definitely jump in on the next book. Duncan is the best. This is a tough week for Bowie fans :(

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  8. I have already read this book but I loved it! So I am following the FB page to follow along.

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