Just Realized I Have Four Pieces Of Moose Decor In My Living Room, Which Seems A Little Too On The Nose, Don’t You Think?
Fabulous humans, thank you all for your kind notes and stories you’ve shared over the last few days, the response to my Monday essay was unexpected and oh so heartwarming. Unsurprisingly, many of you—across all genders—consider yourself “too much” and sent me anecdotes, stories and links to other stories on that very topic. Thank you for sending them. In particular, I wanted to share a beautiful piece that Friend of the Missive Alex Wilhelm “On being too much”, where he describes being told to slow down, to stay in the lines, to “be less” to better fit in. As Alex points out in the piece, part of the reason we are close is that ours is a friendship where all of those rough and loud and big traits are not just accepted, they are encouraged and nurtured.
So let it be known, dear readers, that you shall never be shushed in this house - here at Chez Missive we encourage big feelings. And for all the newbies who signed up over the last couple of days, be forewarned: this daily(ish) newsletter is messy, inconsistent, but has a whole lot of heart. Welcome, take your shoes off, wrap yourself in a blanket burrito, and face the day with steely reserve and healthy optimism.
Also, to kick your morning off right, here’s a groomer photo of my puppy wherein she looks like she’s sitting for her Grade 1 portraits.
To the internet!
Here at the Missive, we are massive fans of the WSJ’s technology columnist Christopher Mims, and we are also massive fans of solving the unseen logistical problems that plague our metropolitan areas with cool new technology (humans are messy, y’all.) Which is why I’m basically obsessed with this piece, Robots vs. Fatbergs: High-Tech Approaches to America’s Sewer Problem (WSJ), and you should be too. Also “Robots vs. Fatbergs” seems like a perfect Mystery Science 3000 flick, don’t you think?
You love to see it: Investment group purchases Trump hotel in DC and is expected to remove Trump name (CNN). Schadenfreude isn’t the healthiest of feelings to keep in your heart, but my goodness it feels good to know that the DC hotel property that served as a royal court for the Trump administration actually “lost $70 million while he was in office.” Also, as an historic hotel nerd, I am so excited to get to stay at a place like that without reservation (well, I’ll need a reservation of course HA HA, THAT’S A HOTEL JOKE, oy I need my coffee).
Speaking of awful humans, Trump allies pressed Defense Department to help overturn election, new book says (ABC News). Insert “This Is Fine” meme while I find a bag to hyperventilate into.
This is from May, but I think we all need to read it: Why do we buy into the 'cult' of overwork? (BBC). For instance, “But millions of us overwork because somehow we think it’s exciting – a status symbol that puts us on the path to success, whether we define that by wealth or an Instagram post that makes it seem like we're living a dream life with a dream job.” Jeez, BBC, didn’t you read above that I haven’t had my coffee yet? The gall of coming at us like that…
And finally, Mum of the Missive sent this history of the song to me on Monday after reading my essay: Taylor Swift’s ‘All Too Well’ and the Weaponization of Memory (NYT). I especially appreciate looking at the tune through the lens of the last ten years, both from a personal perspective (“…a young woman’s attempt to find retroactive equilibrium in a relationship that was based on a power imbalance that she was not at first able to perceive”) and a societal one (the song representing “the emotional work that many women have been privately undertaking in the wake of the #MeToo movement.”)
You’re all fabulous. Thank you for your friendly notes, and for giving me some of your time in the morning. So don’t forget to drink some water, get outside for a bit if you can, and be kind to yourself, ok?
Xoxo Amy