Weekend Reads #266

Weekend Reads for October 21

Don't panic about the study suggesting an increased risk of dementia with MHT. (Dr. Jen Gunter's The Vajenda)

Is this good enough? (Medium)

Getting the news has never been more complicated. (Dame)

A mysterious 4,000-year-old slab may be a treasure map that could point the way to long-lost Bronze Age riches. (Insider)

I don't have to post about my outrage. Neither do you. (New York Times – gift article)

I love the look of these square toe ballet flats. Great range of colors, and great reviews for comfort and quality. A square toe is much more versatile and can be worn with wider legged trousers than round toes.

Outraged at Scholastic’s option to opt in—or out—of receiving diverse books, librarians seek book fair alternatives. (School Library Journal)

Inside the complex world of white paint. (Washington Post – gift article)

I was perusing Target and saw this sparkly strap to add to your existing handbag and found it genius! What a budget-friendly (only $5) way to elevate an existing bag for the holidays.

If it’s happening in Miami, locals find out about it through Only in Dade, previously a hub for alligator sightings and nightclub antics. Is this the future of local journalism? (Washington Post – gift article)

Is ‘Gen X Soft Club’ the next aesthetic trend to re-emerge? (Centennial)

I've had an Albany Park sofa in my office for a couple of years and love it. Super easy to put together, gorgeous looking, sturdy, and from a US-based Black-owned business that has furniture in stock, not sent to you weeks or months from now. I own the classic “Albany” sofa, but the company just launched the “Barton” sofa and the “Lido” sofa both in stylish textile options. Use code ALISON10 for 10% off!

Is it balance or me just setting boundaries? (Kaleidoscope of Thoughts)

Catching the cat. (Oldster)

Hear/See/Read

I do not like horror, or the macabre, or anything gross or shocking. I did in high school though. I read everything from Stephen King and Edgar Allen Poe, saw all the latest horror movies in the theater, had movie-a-thons of Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, and Halloween at my friends' houses. But now? No thank you. Adulthood is scary enough.

My husband began watching The Fall of the House of Usher, a limited series on Netflix and five minutes into the second episode he said he was so invested, so intrigued, he thought I may wish to join him in watching it. So I watched Episode 1 to catch up, he restarted Episode 2 with me, and at the time of watching this we have seen five of the eight episodes.

Loosely based on Poe's short story of the same name with a heckuva lot of references to his other works, The Fall of the House of Usher is a modern-day fantastical story about the CEO of a pharmaceutical company whose adult children begin dying in very mysterious ways. I know, that is super vague but if you have read Poe's short story, you know the general idea of a man, his sister, a visitor, and the demise of a house. And this is kind of the same story, but merged with HBO's Succession.

Each episode, at least so far, is more intense and more macabre. Even knowing all of Roderick Usher's kids die, it's still shocking when you see how. This show is gorgeously filmed, moody and dramatic. The Poe-inspired Easter eggs are fun for those even slightly familiar with his works. A lot of the actors will look familiar (including Henry Thomas, AKA Elliott from E.T., Carla Gugino, and Mark Hamill) and are very well cast. This is not a show to watch while multitasking, even to Google the Poe references or the actors.

Do I recommend this? Only if you have the heart, the mind, and the stomach for such shows. But if you do, it is really well done and offers plenty of post-show discussion. And it makes me want to whip out the copy of Poe's works that I stole from my high school library. And I look forward (looking through my hands) to the next episode.

For Your Entertainment

Naked 59-year-old Lenny Kravitz. Need I say more? Oh, the song is also quite catchy. This video is NOT safe for work.

Star Wars fans will recognize TK-421, which is a type of stormtrooper. Okay I'll stop writing so you can watch.