It’s Labor Day Weekend here in the U.S.! One of our sons is getting married tomorrow (in a backyard, family-only ceremony), and we’re all very excited. But in case you aren’t having a fun party tomorrow, here are five things I love to cheer you up. (I don’t get compensated to promote anything; this is all just for fun.)
1) I’ve been subscribing to Bite toothpaste bits for a while now, and I love them. With your first order, you get a full glass bottle. After that, the bits come in a well-cushioned sealed paper bag to minimize waste. They help restore enamel, leave my mouth feeling fresh, and are both eco- and travel-friendly.
2) One of my amazing grad school advisors, Martha Brockenbrough, had a picture book come out this week! It’s called This Old Dog, and it’s the most heart-melting story ever. Just writing about it brings a lump to my throat. Do yourself a favor and order it from your local independent bookstore. But don’t blame me if you can’t quite get through reading it aloud without misting up.
3) Sriracha is so 2015. What you want now is some gochujang. It gives sweet, spicy, umami depth to whatever you’re eating—grilled chicken or pork, a bowl of ramen, and my favorite: bibimbap. A little goes a long way! Like salsa, it comes in grades of spiciness. We’ve tried a few brands, and my favorite is the Mother in Law’s brand, which I get at my local HMart. But if you haven’t gotten your pandemic-artisanal ya-yas out by baking sourdough bread, you can also make your own.
4) Last week for Date Night, Patrick and I streamed the 2019 film Mr. Jones. Based on a true story, it follows Welsh reporter Gareth Jones to Moscow and then Ukraine in the early 1930’s. There he discovers the truth about the holodomor, Stalin’s intentional famine, which the rest of the foreign press denied and covered up.
It’s beautifully crafted, suspenseful, and devastating. Make sure to check Common Sense Media or Kids in Mind in case it’s not your speed. But we loved it. Pay attention to veteran director Agnieszka Holland’s use of color and reflections throughout and let me know what you think she’s trying to communicate.
5) Do you know The Gloaming? They’re one of my favorite folk ensembles, and they excel at evoking saudade, my favorite mood. Check out their album covers, and you’ll see what I mean. I’ve been writing a Gothic novel in recent months, and my writing soundtrack for that project is basically just a shuffle of The Gloaming with a little Donnie Darko thrown in. To bid you farewell until Monday, here’s one of their most haunting songs.
I'm impressed by the breadth of subjects that you covered in this posting.