Weekend Reads #309
Weekend Reads #309
My father was in the Navy, and his ashes are at Arlington National Cemetary. When he passed in 1998, it only took a month for his internment to be scheduled. In 2023, however, the wait was up to 18 months. It's an example of how many servicepeople and their spouses have died in the past few years. COVID, veterans from Vietnam and the Cold War, and all the deaths from the War on Terror.
It's weird how folks associate Democrats with being against the military. My father was in the Navy, and so was my husband. We are staunch supporters of the military. We donate monthly and yearly to organizations such as Fisher House and Homes for Our Troops, and my husband has donated his services as a yoga instructor to local veterans. Whether we like it or not, the military is necessary to protect our country and defend our allies.
This week, my mom's ashes joined my dad's at Arlington in the Columbarium. It is an honor to rest at Arlington, and as the chaplain shared in the service, this honor cannot be bought; it is only earned. The experience was powerful and reminded me of how much more support our veterans need and deserve.
If you wish to do something for our country this weekend after Veterans Day or for upcoming Giving Tuesday, consider donating money or time to an organization that offers physical and mental support for those returning from war. A country shows its strength by caring for its citizens, especially those who sacrificed themselves for our freedom. Some suggestions:
Fisher House:
With a 100% score on Charity Navigator, Fisher House is best known for its network of more than 99 comfort homes where military and veteran families can stay at no cost while a loved one receives medical treatment.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness:
This non-partisan organization is dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness in the United States. The number of veterans experiencing homelessness has only increased; NAEH specifically works to support our veterans and receives a 98% score from Charity Navigator.
Homes for Our Troops:
HFOT builds and donates specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans to enable them to rebuild their lives. Homes for Our Troops gets a 97% on Charity Navigator.
The Mission Continues:
With a 100% score on Charity Navigator, The Mission Continues connects veterans with under-resourced communities to improve educational resources, tackle food insecurity, and foster neighborhood identity while empowering those who served our country.
Hire Heroes USA:
Hire Heroes USA provides free job search assistance to U.S. military members, veterans, and their spouses and helps companies connect with opportunities to hire them. It earns a 98% from Charity Navigator.
Weekend Reads
The teens whose lives are being disrupted by climate change. (New York Times – gift link)
My Project 2025. (Werk in Progress)
Perimenopausal women are ‘enraged’ — and no longer keeping quiet. (Washington Post – gift link)
The sacred pause between the election and what comes next. (Shannon Watts)
How the Ivy League broke America. (The Atlantic – gift link)
United’s in-flight publication goes digital—and marks the end of an era. (Columbia Journalism Review)
My friend and Wardrobe Oxygen community member Gretchen shared with me the app and website, Goods Unite Us. Corporations earn profits off of your everyday purchases. Some of those profits are then donated to politicians and causes you might not agree with. Goods Unite Us, which is nonpartisan, lets you search for any corporation and see its political donation history.
The power of not giving up. (Today's Edition)
Seem like peanut allergies were once rare and now everyone has them? (The Harvard Gazette)
The unspoken grief of never becoming a grandparent. (New York Times – gift link)
In praise of post-divorce sex. (Gloria)
The importance of information. (Civil Discourse with Joyce Vance)
Australian breakdancer Raygun is retiring from the sport after her Olympics backlash. (NPR)
Want to quit X? Here's your guide to the alternatives. (Popular Information)
See/Hear/Read
Continuing my quest for ways to decompress and ignore useless news to gather strength for 2025, we looked through what movies were free through the services I am subscribed to and decided to check out the film The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (Hulu and Disney+ and for a small fee at Prime and AppleTV).
I vaguely heard about this film, but what I knew most about it was the meme above, which seems to be all over the place. Well, in a Being John Malkovich sort of way, this film is Nicolas Cage playing himself, though it's a fictionalized version of himself.
Cage is struggling. He no longer gets good roles in films, he has messed up his relationships with his daughter and ex-wife, and his conscience (“Nicky,” who looks like an aged version of Cage's role in Valley Girl) has bad ideas. Desperate for money, he takes a gig to perform at the birthday party of billionaire Javi Gutiérrez, played by Pedro Pascal. Hijinks ensue, and everything is tied up with a happily-ever-after bow.
If you like Pedro Pascal, you will love him after watching the film. Cage is a good sport and quite entertaining. The story is complicated, and wacky, and fun, and the supporting characters are awesome and performed by awesome actors (Sharon Horgan, Tiffany Haddish, and Neil Patrick Harris, to name a few). Don't be surprised if you want to see Paddington 2 after watching it.
For Your Entertainment
I know I am not the only one who has been desiring some angry music to drive, clean, power walk, lift, and punch pillows to. Even better if it's an angry woman singer. May I introduce to you Amyl and the Sniffers? I can't recall if I have shared this Australian Punk Rock band before but gosh their latest album has been on repeat in the Gary house.
The band takes its name from the Australian slang for amyl nitrite, also known as poppers. In a BBC interview, lead singer Amy Taylor compared their music to the drug: “In Australia, we call poppers Amyl. So you sniff it, it lasts for 30 seconds, and then you have a headache – and that's what we're like!”
It's not my favorite video by the band, but the song has been an earworm for a while; enjoy “Chewing Gum.”
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My husband and I volunteer with an adaptive recreation organization which, among other participants, provides fabulous learning and supportive opportunities (skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, cycling, paddling, etc.) to disabled veterans. It’s very rewarding helping our veterans have a great day in an inclusive environment where we can help them achieve their goals.
Shannon Watts’ article about the “sacred pause” is so very helpful to me right now. I’m struggling how to navigate post-election and how to associate with friends/family who supported Trump. Thank you, Alison for sharing this article!
My pleasure, I too found it helpful
Thanks for all the links this weekend! I am finding since last week that my attention span is very limited when it comes to reading anything, so I’m slowly working my way through the articles. I did read through Shannon Watts’ substack and it was just what I needed—thank you (I also signed up to follow her so thanks for that too). I usually read 3-4 books each month and have not been able to finish 1 this month. It’s just hard.
Also since last week, I’ve not watched any cable news and have greatly reduced what podcasts I’m listening to. While I have several news podcasts that I love and usually follow daily, I can’t handle too much right now. So, I’m watching lots and lots of streaming shows and have started watching General Hospital again in the evenings. It’s like comfort food for me right now.
I saw your Instagram posts last week from Arlington. Thank you for sharing that. It must have been incredibly special for you and your family.
Thank you Michelle, it was. And oh General Hospital… that is like comfort food. That and Days of Our Lives were childhood, high school, college, and any days I was off work in my early 20s!
You and my husband seem to share similar music taste and I always suggest he listen to your recommendation but he blows me off—only the beloved Spotify algorithm matters, I guess. He *loves* Amyl & the Sniffers, though, so maybe that’ll give me some cred, LOL.
We watched that Nic Cage movie tonight and it was a hoot! I had no awareness of it before this post so thanks!
LOL glad to offer some cred! And right, it’s not discussed much but that movie is so fun!
Thanks for including links to info on resisting and small things we can do going forward. I’m just feeling defeated now but hope to be able to take action going forward!
I feel the same, and I just figure we can use the remainder of the year to get back our strength and start 2025 strong!
Question for you: why are so many sweaters now sold with extremely long sleeves? This seems to be especially a problem with more expensive brands. often the sweaters are pictured with the sleeves so long that they cover the hands almost to the fingertips on very tall models. This makes those sleeves nearly 6 inches too long for an average height women. AllSaints https://www.allsaints.com/women/knitwear/jumpers and the UK brand NavyGrey are both culprits for this. I have never yet found an alterations person who will shorten knitted sweater sleeves, so the super long sleeves mean the item irrevocably does not fit me. Any idea why companies are making these crazy long sleeves, and what those of us without gorilla arms should do?
100% agree! And the looong sleeves often have big bell sleeve openings too, making it even more difficult to roll up and keep them rolled up.
What I found really irritating is the combination of crop sweater/top and long sleeves — looks even more ridiculous. I hate having to roll up my sleeves constantly, even just to work on a laptop.
I despise them as well, especially since I am short with short arms! However, my teen finds appropriate length sleeves dorky. I have to recall how it was when I was her age, where the way your jeans were cuffed (if cuffed at all) determined coolness. Good think impractical trends rarely stick around for long. Go thrifting; the younger generations aren’t looking for the same things we are and we have the experience to know that A) practical trends always come back in fashion and, B) We’ve lost the fucks for sacrificing comfort or function for the latest fad (;
Five years ago I was a huge thrift enthusiast, but fast fashion has become so dominant in the UK that the charity shops are now crammed full of badly made polyester items from Boohoo, Shein, Primark etc. I haven’t seen a 100% wool item at a thrift shop in London for years. I can search for wool used online, but then the items are rarely returnable so there is a good chance I end up with something that still has sleeves far too long for me. Even when the seller provides sleeve lengths it doesn’t account for the way the shoulder fits, which can make the sleeves sit far lower.