My family and I have been battling some sort of cold for what feels to be all winter long. It hit me Friday. I woke up all congested and achy but thanks to some motivating texts from my sister I got dressed and ready for the gym. But when I went downstairs I started getting woozy and getting myself going only made myself feel even more achy and miserable. Our daughter that night had a nightmare and came into our bed (THIS is why we upgraded to a king-sized bed) and I went back upstairs, changed back into my pajamas and joined her and my husband who was still asleep. They got up with the alarm, I slept right through it until around 9:30 when I forced myself up to get work done. With my day job, I could call out sick, use some PTO, crash on the couch watching Russian Doll (OMG I started the series this week with K and it's awesome), occasionally checking email to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. But now, the show must go on. I have deliverables and contracts signed and due dates and I can't hack away behind my keyboard but glam it up and look happy and healthy for the camera. Thank goodness for Cicapair which when put on under foundation makes my skin look flawless and Becca's undereye brightener that does wonders for dark circles. That and some red lipstick and I'm ready for the camera! Annie Spratt
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Weekend Reads
I hate to start Weekend Reads on a really depressing note, but this piece from Gizmodo is a must read. How Google, Microsoft, and Big Tech are automating the climate crisis.
If you've been around a kid between the ages of 4 and 14 there's a good chance you've seen them do a quick little dance when excited or hearing their favorite song. Maybe it's the "Floss" or the "Orange Justice." Those dances came from the video game Fortnite but even if that kid has never played the game the dances have become famous across American playgrounds. My daughter does the dances and didn't know until recently they were from the game. An interesting dive into where those Fortnite dances originated from and a trip down memory lane with gybergoths dancing to Thomas the Tank Engine. (Intelligencer)
A powerful piece by my friend Val, If Gucci and Prada Are Serious About Creating an Intentional Pathway for Black Children in America, Fashion Scholarships and Diversity Trainings Won't Cut It. Here is Why.
Oh dang, this piece is my must read of the week. There are so many quotable parts I've pasted, deleted, and pasted again in this space 4 different times. Discussing race and restaurants from a black woman food critic. Seriously, please read this, especially if you are not black nor ever going to eat a $1,000 meal in a restaurant. (Eater)
Anthropologie has let us know this spring they will launch plus sizes. A former plus-sized Anthro manager shares her experience with the brand and what she wishes the new collection will include. (Rosey Beeme)
As a small-potatoes influencer and one who believes in transparency, I am LOVING the new Hulu campaign. Celebs get paid for their endorsements; Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello aren't chatting about the streaming service on a plane for the heck of it. And we bloggers are paid but often try to hide the fact because sponsored content receives less engagement and more eyerolls from all of you. But if it's a smart partnership, if it's done well, I don't see the problem. No one is rolling their eyes at Sofia and Joe laughing on a plane even though with that ad they're laughing their way to the bank. And to be honest, wouldn't you prefer to know when something is an ad versus being disguised as yet another "so obsessed my favorite" item? More on this subject via the Wall Street Journal. I'd love to read your thoughts on the subject!
"Don't compare your life to what happened before. Every day has to be different. Don't compare. Don't compete. Don't think it was better before, because it was better before only if you think it was."When I was a kid, I dreamed of owning a Harley. I wanted to be a badass riding down Route 66, pulling off my helmet and my highlighted tresses blowing in the breeze, skin weathered from the sun, strutting into some honky tonk and ordering a beer with my ride or die (it always varied between a best friend and a boyfriend). Now I am the age and financial stability where I could fit a Harley into my life and have no desire (nor a desire for skin damage or drinking draft beer). This piece discusses how Harley Davidson as a brand is struggling and what they're doing to try to get the attention of millenials. (Quartz)
This week Karl Lagerfeld passed away. He was an asshole, he was terrible to the plus community, he was a racist, and a bigot. I am not here to celebrate the man, and I don't believe in excusing bad behavior for good art. But Lagerfeld did change the fashion game and what it means to be a fashion designer. Again, I link to Robin Givhan for The Washington Post who writes about Lagerfeld better than I ever could. And in the piece Givhan shares a quote by Lagerfeld that is a good reminder to all of us, whether it's for fashion, for relationships, for politics, or for life in general:
For Your Entertainment
I love Robyn, have loved her from back when she sang "Show Me Love" (and I swear she performed it at the Peach Pit After Dark but cannot find video proof anywhere). I saw her in concert a couple years ago and she is such a phenomenal performer we all enjoyed watching her bounce on an exercize ball for almost an entire song (way better than it sounds). Her music can make you rock out, want to punch something, want to make love, make you want to run a marathon, and sometimes her songs are perfect for making a cup of coffee and scrolling through Twitter or reading a magazine or as I did earlier, edit photos for a blog post. Enjoy.
