Weekend Reads #313

Welcome back! It was nice to take some time off of work; it gets me pumped to start creating again. I am not one for a bunch of resolutions, but my daughter and I were discussing goals in general and we're saying 2025 is a year to be strong and scheduled.

Scheduled means owning our time, not scheduling a bunch of things. If we set our alarm, we won't hit snooze. If we say we will be somewhere at a certain time, we will be there at that time. We will carve out times for things that matter to us so things less important don't steal our moments. We will schedule times for the tasks we don't love, so we don't put them off, have them take longer than necessary, and have an end point to look forward to.

Strong means physically but also mentally. Strong enough to say no, to know we don't need some form of entertainment 24/7 as a crutch, strong in our beliefs and our commitments. Physically, we both want to gain strength and feel more badass in our bodies.

My friend Gretchen is a yoga instructor. Last January, she hosted a class where she invited us each to find a word for our year. The word that kept coming to me was “open.” I even wanted a different word, but my mind said open. So open it was, and I believe I was pretty open in 2024 in a “come what may” manner. I didn't have a lot of control over the year, but I didn't fight against it, I relaxed and opened and worked with what I had.

It was the first year I did something like that and returned to it month after month. A word, or in the case of me and E, a pair of words, it can be like a mantra. As you scroll, as you feel your temperature rise, as you reach for your credit card, as you brush your teeth, it's there and it's malleable and can fit that day or moment or mood. And it's easy to remember for those like me who seem to have perma-brain fog.

Do you have any resolutions or goals for 2025? Have you heard of and tried the concept of a word for your year? What word is yours?

Weekend Reads

If you are in the Los Angeles area, please comment below letting me know how you are doing and the best ways to help. I know I am not the only one in the Wardrobe Oxygen community who is devastated about the fires and want to know the best way to get help directly to those affected.

Mutual Aid and direct relief fundraisers can get funds directly to those who need it. I highly recommend going that way instead of donating to big organizations that also need those funds for payroll, marketing, etc.

• Mutual Aid Los Angeles Network (MALAN) is accepting donations at this link. For those in the L.A. area, this spreadsheet from MALAN shares resources for those affected by the fires/winds, as well as current volunteer and supply needs.
• GoFundMe Wildfire Relief Fund 2025: This fund was created to provide direct relief to people in Southern California in need after a wildfire. Organized by GoFundMe, as of Thursday, the fund already distributed 50 emergency relief grants.
• Direct Relief provides N-95 masks, medicine, and other resources to healthcare agencies and first responders in wildfire-affected communities across California.

Another way to help directly is to donate to the first responders so they can replenish resources and buy the equipment needed to fight these fires and care for those affected.

• The Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation provides vital equipment and funds critical programs to help the LAFD save lives and protect communities.
• California Fire Foundation uses donations to directly supports victims of wildfires and disasters throughout California.   
• Pasadena Humane Society is hosting a distribution site for human and pet donations and caring for animals injured by the fires.
• Los Angeles Regional Food Bank provides food and hygiene essentials across Los Angeles County.

The California wildfires just revealed this very grim truth. (Slate)

Falsehoods around the L.A. fires are proliferating on the right. (Washington Post – gift link)

California overhauled its insurance system. Then Los Angeles caught fire. (Vox)

Here are 12 well-known companies that went bankrupt in 2024. (CNN)

My home is messy, and I don't feel bad about it. (New York Times – gift link)

Jimmy Carter, on death. (New York Times – gift link)

Hey, maybe it's time to delete some old chat histories. (Wired)

I've been admiring these earrings since the summer and got them over the holidays. Sooo cute.

“Babygirl” Starts a Conversation Every Gen X Woman Needs to Have. (Jenny Magazine)

Middle age is sexy now. (New York Times – gift link)

How multitasking drains your brain. (The MIT Press Reader)

How exercise may be the ‘most potent medical intervention ever known.’ (PBS News)

I bought into the weighted vest hype and it's a great way to get in load-bearing activity great for us grown-ass women. Even wearing it while cooking and doing housework makes an impact. I got this one because it's big-boob friendly and is also a woman-owned company. Here's the company site; the official shop is on Amazon.

You just lived through the hottest year on record. Again. (Washington Post – gift link)

12 trends that will be everywhere in 2025, according to fashion creators. (Refinery 29)

Does renting clothes really have a positive environmental impact? (The Fashion Law)

See/Hear/Read

Over New Year's, as my family and I dealt with norovirus (yep, we caught it), a lot of TV and streaming was consumed.

• I never planned to watch Squid Game (Netflix), but both seasons were watched, sometimes while I was in the room. I have to say, Season 1 was a really interesting concept, super creative, and I get the hype. Doesn't mean you have to see it, but it wasn't as violent just for violence sake that I felt it was. Second season didn't do it for me, but I saw less of that so that may be coloring my view.
• We saw It Ends With Us (Netflix). My daughter and I had read the book and were aware of all the drama between the stars off-screen. My husband was not. My daughter and I found the movie Meh, Lively's acting wooden, and were annoyed with the dust-collecting properties of her flower shop. My husband thought it was a great film, making him think about DA differently. I'm glad he saw it. We, as women, hear the stories, know those affected, and know the stats, but men don't always get the same news stories. I'm glad I saw it to have him see it.
• I'm back on my Elin Hilderbrand kick. I DNFed The Matchmaker because my husband's mother died from pancreatic cancer (spoiler alert). I'm now on 28 Summers, and I have read some book that comes after it with the same characters, so I know a bit about the future, but I am still enjoying it. One of the most enjoyable parts is how each year begins with, “What are we talking about in the year…” it's through the 90s, and I recall all these news stories, celebrities, movies, and songs.

This section would be more elaborate, but either norovirus came back to our house or my husband got the stomach flu. He has been bed- and bathroom-ridden since Tuesday night, quarantined to the en suite, and Wednesday was our daughter's 16th birthday with her party Saturday and a family brunch Sunday, so I am a bit behind with work. I'll be back next week as usual!

For Your Entertainment

If you're on social media, there's a good chance you've heard a soundbite from this song. Jaylah Ji'mya Hickmon, known professionally as Doechii, is a 28-year-old artist who gained fame thanks to social media (TikTok to be specific). Expect to hear Doechii's name quite a lot in 2025; Doechii received nominations for three Grammy Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards, a BET Award, and two Soul Train Music Awards.