Hi Critters,
It’s been a while and I owe you some updates (and you owe me some too, but we can save that for later). Most importantly, I hope you’re enjoying summer because I know I sure am. I feel like a new person, blooming like the roses!
Critical Thought
Fucking PFOS or PFOA or FOREVER CHEMICALS. That’s what’s been on my mind. And in my blood. And like 97% of Americans, with the only exception being the Amish. Last December while visiting my mom for Christmas, we watched The Devil We Know and it changed my life by reaffirming that this country is evil as hell. The TLDR is that companies making nonstick cookware and waterproof materials created a chemical to achieve this. The chemical is hazardous but they got away with diluting it to an acceptable standard for the FDA or whatever government entity, who probably have zero respectability when $$$ is involved. The manufacturing plants dumped their toxic waste into the Ohio River and other river valleys in West Virginia and others, eventually causing a string of diseases, defects, and cancers to affect the entire population who lived near the waters. And when the citizens finally did something about it and sued, the companies stopped using the specific chemicals only to create another one that’s just as bad. So these companies, Teflon and Dupont (to name a couple), are still out here pumping their toxic shit into our world and giving people cancer. This is my breeze over and I highly recommend watching the doc, but it will make you sick to think about. This country operates on a “prove it kills people” rather than a “prove it doesn’t kill people” logic which is beyond stupid and leads to a terrible, deadly standard of living in the country. It disgusts me that the drive for profits openly comes at the expense of normal people trying to live a happy life. Even a company’s “care” for its customers or employees is a sham compared to their real care for profits. Those companies sacrificed entire towns and their entire employee base (except for the C-Suite no doubt) just to make more and more money. I’ll be keeping an eye on the lawsuit against the companies infusing forever chemicals into our bloodstream which is supposed to outdo lawsuits about big tobacco. Paying a settlement won’t be enough, they have decades of blood on their hands.
Critiques
Books
Let Me Tell You What I Mean by Joan Didion: My second Joan Didion essay book! The reviews on this one aren’t as good as others, and I can see why, but I thought it was still good. She spoke more about the craft of writing in this series of essays, which I dutifully read. I wish I could relate to Didion more, and sometimes I really do, but largely she’s from a totally different world and her pretension comes from a different place than mine. Lol. Anytime she talks about Sacramento, I understand her completely, and anytime she’s going in on some cultural reference, I eat it up. But once in a while, she writes something that feels more contrived than it needs to be. I also relate to this, I think, but that’s all the more reason to dislike it.
“Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne. Photo by Dominique Nabokov.” sourced from Literary Hub. Her apartment was on my mind after it sold for $5.75 million. Heir of Fire by SJM: Book 4 of ToG and I’m still hooked. I liked the characters in this one more and the growth from all of them is welcome. (Not a direct spoiler but maybe don’t read if you want to preserve a pure, untouched ToG mind) I don’t like Chaol. Sorry, I’ve never liked him, but I also don’t have it in me to ship any characters like I used to when I was 15, so they have to work a lot harder for me to ship them now. Rowan though…. And Dorian, especially with Sorscha. Absolutely yes.
Digital Media
Our Flag Means Death: I’d heard that this show was good and wow it does not disappoint. If you aren’t familiar, it’s about pirates, but they’re gay. It’s adorable. I love it. It’s gnarly when it needs to be and unicorns and rainbows any other time. I really hope it doesn’t get canceled. Dammit, I jinxed it, didn’t I?
“gay pirate” per AI Bridgerton Season 3 Pt 1: Self-explanatory. I don’t like Colin yet. Like I just don’t? But I do love Francesca and Violet’s upcoming stories. And I hope Cressida and Eloise are lesbian lovers, but if not, their friendship is heartwarming at least. I want an excuse and the bank account to commission a personal, one-of-a-kind, perfectly fitted regency (or any period piece) gown.
Foods
Kung Pao Tofu: Super solid, but I put way too much chili and peppercorns in it. Next time, I’ll get it right.
No more takeout: Scott and I have agreed to not order takeout again until August 1. Either we will lose 15 pounds and have such a big glow-up that people on the street will ask for our workout routine, or we will perish of starvation. We can still go out to eat at restaurants, but no paying delivery fees! We must get up and out.
Other crap
Creative Nonfiction Class: My first official creative writing class at a university! I’ll be sitting on Zoom every Wednesday Night until August 15th, chatting with my fellow students and writing my little heart out. As much as I’m looking forward to it, I’m also a little stressed that I’ll be a shitty writer and everyone will hate my work. Kidding, mainly. But I am a little stressed because I’m using this as a pilot and launching pad for grad school applications. Truthfully, I’m excited to be learning again and giddy at the prospect of growing as a writer.
Beatrix Potter Exhibit: I recently had the immense pleasure of seeing the Beatrix Potter: Drawn to Nature exhibit at the Morgan Library and Museum. I honestly don’t know what to say other than that it was perfect. I’m so inspired by her creativity and talent. Cottage-core icon and Crit queen. Not pictured: my Peter Rabbit oven mitts (Williams Sonoma, 2020) and my Tom Kitten children’s dining set (Pottery Barn, 2023).
Crit Pic
When Scott and I tuck ourselves into bed at night, I pull out my phone and we scroll on Instagram together, pointing and tapping on pics and reels that make us smile. Once in a while, I encounter an image that makes me stop scrolling, immediately screenshot, and throw it in the Crit Pic folder. The two first photos of a pudu were one of those times.
Okay, that’s all I’ve got for this week’s Crit Corner! If you made it to the bottom, you have my sincere gratitude. Like, subscribe, leave a comment, whatever else YouTubers say. I hope you enjoyed the ride.
