Last week was a short work week. Now that I work for a financial institution, I get paid time off for banking holidays for the first time in my career. I took advantage of the long weekend by getting my Moderna booster shot. I sure know how to party. Next week is another short work week, with Thanksgiving and all. Speaking of, I saw this link for Unlearning Thanksgiving 101. It’s an indigenous-curated set of resources to help guide conversations / unlearning around the myth of thankstaking.
In alarming news, COVID cases have been skyrocketing in Minnesota. I’ll admit, I have been more social in recent weeks. I’ve eaten dinner inside restaurants once or twice. I attended a packed Patton Oswalt show (patrons were required to show proof of vaccination and wear masks inside but still). In public spaces, I keep my KN95 on. But I’ve been to a friend’s home a few times for small gatherings. It’s a tough balancing act between physical health and mental health. I an introverted extrovert. I feel better, overall, after spending time with the sort of people who fill my cup (I don’t miss mixing with folks who drained me). But the risk of breakthrough cases is a clear and present danger.
More mixed bag news:
- As someone who desperately wanted to move to Denmark, a dream killed by COVID, this piece resonated with me. “You Don’t Want Hygge. You Want Social Democracy. Hygge has exploded as a cozy, comforting interior design trend. But the security and intimacy it evokes can’t be achieved by scented candles alone — that requires social democracy.”
- Unsurprising but disappointing. Once again, profits prioritized over public safety: Astroworld Security Firm Scrutinized for ‘Super-Rushed’ Hiring: ‘It Felt Like They Just Needed Bodies’
- Mona Chalabi is amazing. I’m a longtime fan. But her recent “Am I Normal?” podcast episode struck a chord. Entitled “Which box do I check?” the episode hit me hard as a nonbinary Arab-American. Give it a listen, along with the rest of the series.
- My favorite energy vampire, Colin Robinson from What We Do in the Shadows, was sucking energy from folks years before the show. Check out Painful interview with “yo-yo pro” Kenny Strasser.
- Mary Lattimore: Has Harp, Must Travel - “As a child, she learned she could play her instrument almost anywhere. As an adult, her bittersweet music depends on doing exactly that.” I’m very excited to see her play in Minneapolis next month. And yes, I’ll be wearing my KN95 mask.
Snow just started flying in Minnesota. We should be in better shape this winter than last, thanks to vaccines and boosters, but there is still so much uncertainty. Recommended reading: The Pandemic’s Next Turn Hinges on Three Unknowns: A potential winter surge is up to vaccines, variants, and us. I’ll just be over here, in the corner, with my anxiety.
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