Inspired by in April 2025
Thinking About:
Shit in the news. And I can’t even.
You know who really ignites Sadie, my reactive self, big time? Rachel Maddow.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rachel-maddow-show/id294055449
I’ve been listening to her coverage of Trump’s first hundred days, and her informed rage is deeply, deeply satisfying. I like that she comes with stories, history, connections, and receipts. I hate hearing about the things she reports on; they wreck me, but I need to hear. As of today, she’s returning to just Mondays, and I will miss her.
Reading:
My reading group picked The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald this month. It’s the 100th Anniversary of its publication.
I do not love The Great Gatsby. It’s overwritten, and the characters are empty and vapid. I haven’t finished it yet, but I’m close enough to the end to think it will not redeem itself. This is the Great American Novel? Pth.
In order to finish Gatsby in time, I had to shelve Martha Beck’s book, Beyond Anxiety, and I’m looking forward to getting back to it.
I was also re-reading Twyla Tharp’s book Keep It Moving, and I want to continue.
Eating and Drinking
Topo Chico season has begun for me. G drinks it year-round, but my dosha can’t handle cold and fizzy in the winter. Cold and fizzy is for summer only. It’s not summer yet, but there have been intimations.
https://www.coca-cola.com/us/en/brands/topo-chico/products/mineral-water.
In the eating category, I crave Matza, rice cakes, or any food with the mouthfeel of cardboard or styrofoam.
This is to accompany the fizzy water with the chewy minerals.
Technology
Voicenotes
https://voicenotes.com/#features
This is a paid app. 12.99/mo. I am a big user of Voice Memos to record ideas as I’m walking (where I get my best ideas.)
This app takes Voice Memos and adds AI capability to my notes. It records my memo, of course. It also titles it for me based on the content.
Then, if I want to turn the note into a to-do list, it can do that. It can also summarize my thoughts. It can turn the memo into a blog post. I tried this feature once, and it was laughably horrible. It can also turn my voice memo into an email if I want.
It remembers all my voice notes, so I can ask it questions about things I talked about in the past that I’ve forgotten.
It’s amazing. I love this app. I use it every day.
Health and Beauty
I am now using a line of skin products called One Skin
It’s expensive, but it contains peptides. It claims to improve skin tone and reduce crepeyness. I am giving it a month. I’ve used it for less than a week, but I think my skin looks a little better already.
Body
The gym where I go just got a StairMaster.
I love new toys! I tried it for the first time last week and it was HARD!. I watched a college student on it, and it looked pretty easy. But when I got on, it felt scary. I was up high and the tread on the stairs didn’t accommodate my whole foot, just the front. You can’t clomp up the stairs flat footed. You have to sort of prance up. I had to watch my footing so I wouldn’t fall. My form must have looked horrible. I lasted a little over a minute. It kicked my ass.
I went back the next day for more. I got to 2 minutes and 13 floors. Yeah, the machine tells you how many floors you climb, which is cool. I will be in Montmartre in two weeks, and everything there is uphill. I’m hoping this StairMaster will get me in shape for that.
Today is May first, and I am not even close to being ready for my trip to Paris in two weeks. Cleaning the house for the house sitters is my priority this week, then figuring out my packing.
I hope you are enjoying the spring weather. I’ll see you next week!
Love, Kath
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