Weekly Roundup #39: Face transplants and "Crazy Rich Asians"

Reading

I'll Be Gone In the Dark, Michelle McNamara. FINALLY! I've been dying to read this book and my coworker was finally able to bring it in for me. It was even better than I'd hoped. McNamara is a beautifully talented writer, one I can only aspire to have half the talent of.

You Me Everything, Catherine Isaac. This cover reminded me of six other recently published covers...

Don’t Look Obvious, The Cut. Ok, so my newest aspiration is to be the kind of person Karla Welch wants  to dress.

New York Public Library and Mother turn Instagram into digital bookshelf, Design Week. This is cool and adorable wrapped up in one digital, literary package! I love it.

The Story of a Face, National Geographic. My whole day was colored a little darker after reading this piece. I couldn't stop thinking about Katie, her life, the one moment that sent it spiraling on a vastly different trajectory. These are the types of stories that remind you how fragile life is and how one split decision or action can change your whole life, for better or worse. It's terrifying, but it's also a reminder to love every second and to aspire to be your best and live your best life. Katie was a truly inspirational human. I am a pretty optimistic person, but I don't think I could ever find a silver lining in her situation. She's amazing. Warning: If you're sensitive to graphic images, you may not be able to scroll through this article. Around 44,000 people try to commit suicide in the US every year, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. If you are thinking about suicide or are worried about someone you know, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. No one is truly alone and everything passes.

Ladies, This Woman Has Cracked the Code to Workplace Equality, Cools. Microaggressions, yuuupp. Top two tips: know your worth and be able to express it. Also, YES: "Feminism is—and has always been—defined by advocating for women’s rights on the basis of gender equality. Now the question is, what is gender? Embracing trans, non-binary, intersex, gender queer, and more, as those whose rights should be included in feminism, absolutely needs to be part of the equation."

Go To Work With Conditioner In Your Hair, Into the Gloss. I may or may not have been doing this exact thing the day I read this. (Hint: I definitely was.)

Deep Breaths: Urban Decay Is Discontinuing Its Naked Palette, PopSugar. WHY. WHHHHYYY?! (Tip: Get it for 50 percent off before it's gone forever)

What Podcasts Taught Me About Life, A Cup of Jo. I peep a MFM mention! I might be adding Who? Weekly to my list.

My Self-Care Routine Is Following Pugs On Instagram, Buzzfeed. Same, girl. Same. Well, that and beauty companies. Shout out to Milk Makeup, one of my faves!

Kirk the border collie gets extremely hype watching herself win agility championships, SB Nation. Speaking of...I came across this on Facebook. 😍

A Quick Chat With Gab Bois, Art School-Dropout-Turned-Internet Sensation, Cools. I like the switch in the zipper photo, but this doesn't seem to be particularly groundbreaking work...just me?

Cute Couples Were Dominating The 2018 VMAs Red Carpet, Refinery29. Nico Tortorella is basically my be-all, end-all celeb crush, if we go on looks alone. I have to say...I was not expecting that outfit!

Digital Death Clean: How To Wipe Your Ex Out Of Your Life, Nylon. This can also apply to a former friendship.

What Do Boobs Have to Do With Femininity? Cools. You don't think about how connected the two are when living with boobs. They're just another part of your anatomy.

Awkwafina, Actress & Musician, Into the Gloss. I want to be friends with this chick. The ending of this article 😂

Veronica Mars Just Scored A Hulu Revival With Kristen Bell, Refinery29. Y'ALL. This is exciting!

Azealia Banks Shares More Of Grimes’ Text Messages About Elon Musk, Nylon. What is happening.

"No Bra, No Panties": How Thirteen Defined A Generation Of Women, Refinery29. I'm not one to watch movies over and over again, but I watched this particular film so many times when I was younger. As somewhat of a goody-two-shoes in my early teens, Tracy's spiral fascinated me. I didn't know the back story until now and it makes me love it even more.

No healthy level of alcohol consumption, says major study, The Guardian. Welp...I may not smoke, but looks like my love of a good craft beer or sparkling wine may still lead to cancer.

Debby Ryan on "Insatiable," Mental Health, and the Pressure of Hollywood, Teen Vogue. This is the show I talked about last week. I definitely don't think they hit the mark on making fun of the makeover montage, in fact, I'd say they fell right in line with it. And yes, yes, yes, this: "At NPR, Linda Holmes took to task the show’s 'other tropes and types best avoided: an awkward and unsexy Asian-American boy, a magical sassy godmother who is fat and black and a lesbian who exists only to educate thin white girls on how to live their best lives, and so forth.' " I do like Ryan's bit about liking "girls with a little bit of fire in them" because, yes, agreed. I personally can't imagine growing up in the entertainment industry, particularly Disney because you're then stuck with this good girl, pink zebra print-wearing image. I don't know where the pink zebra print came from, but I feel like Disney stars now dress like Bratz dolls.

Roxane Gay: Insatiable Is "Lazy, Insulting" From Start To Finish, Refinery29. Roxane Gay's, author of Bad Feminist, take on the Netflix original. "I suppose, in the end, this show’s failures leave us desperately insatiable, too, and in that, the show’s name is rather apt."

Asia Argento, a #MeToo Leader, Made a Deal With Her Own Accuser, The New York Times. This is important, people. Unfortunately, this shows even those with good intentions, at least, in public, can fuck up. In really shitty ways. This is extremely detrimental to the #MeToo movement and Argento should remove herself from the cause immediately. She can no longer consider herself a champion of women's rights when she is guilty of the same things we're fighting against. In a letter, Carrie Goldberg, Argento's lawyer, acknowledged the assault and the trauma so, here we are. How horrifically disappointing. I'm looking forward to Argento's response. Update: She's now saying Bourdain paid Bennett off to stop harassment. Unfortunately, no one can ask Bourdain.

Box Office: ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ Dazzles With $35 Million Five-Day Opening, Variety. Take notice, Hollywood. More representation, more culture, more diversity.

'Crazy Rich Asians' Sequel Moves Forward With Director Jon M. Chu (Exclusive), The Hollywood Reporter. I still need to read the sequel, but, considering the success of the first movie, I'd say people will be thrilled about this. 

‘The Big Bang Theory’ to End With Season 12, Variety. *single tear* (which Sheldon wouldn't understand)

Christian Covington's Ego Takes A Hit As The New Madden Has Him Looking Like A Gelatinous Thumb, Deadspin. Hahahahaha, poor guy.

Kanye West Wore Tiny Yeezy Slides to 2 Chainz’s Wedding, Esquire. Ahhahaha, I can't. He is a douche to the nth degree.

Winona Ryder might have married Keanu Reeves for real on the set of Dracula, Entertainment Weekly. Lol.

Goats Take Subway Tracks (to Work?) in Brooklyn, NBC. Well, this would've made my miserable commute a little better, despite still holding up traffic.

Sorry, Pal, I Don’t Want to Talk: The Other Reason People Wear AirPods, Wall Street Journal. I remember a professor talking about how they never saw anyone talking to each other between classes anymore because everyone had headphones in and was purposely isolating themselves without realizing the consequences. I've never been able to look at groups of people, like on the train or subway, the same again. I refuse to get on my phone if anyone else in a group I'm with is because I don't want to encourage the lack of communication.

Lyft to Offer Free and Discounted Rides to Voters on Election Day, Fortune. I love this, because the following is so true: "Nonvoters are usually less affluent than voters, according to a study by Pew Research Center, which likely makes transportation less accessible to them."

Gun control, teacher groups threaten legal action against DeVos over possible firearms funding, NBC. Hey there, Betsy...are you out of your MOTHERFUCKING MIND?!?

Top UNC leaders condemn Confederate statue toppling, AP. I mean, I have to agree. I don't agree with what the statue stood for, but angrily taking it down by force was not the way to go about it.

America’s prisoners are going on strike in at least 17 states, Vox. I remember first realizing prisoners were actually paid after watching "Orange Is the New Black." I never even heard about the prison riot though, which I think is weird. Why is that not being talked about? I think prisoners are incarcerated for a reason, to be punished, but there's a limit. I feel those who choose should still be able to live some kind of life inside, especially if it's working toward rehabilitation and a future outside. Particularly for non-violent offenders. It's sick that prisoners are basically seen as modern slaves. We abolished slavery and calling it "involuntary servitude" doesn't change that.

HUD Hits Facebook For Allowing Housing Discrimination, NPR. It is just not Facebook's year.

EPA Is Set to Roll Back Restrictions on Coal-Burning Power Plants, The Wall Street Journal. I. Hate. Everyone. The EPA is an actual joke. And looky here, "And yet plummeting costs of cleaner fuels including natural gas, wind and solar in recent years have driven consumers and power companies away from coal so dramatically, they may blunt the proposal’s ultimate effect." Must they be reminded that coal is one of the leading causes of harmful greenhouses gases, which are blamed for climate change, oh, and mercury. So, ya know. STOP KILLING THE PLANET (and its inhabitants)!

National Enquirer hid damaging Trump stories in a safe, AP. And this is why no one trusts The National Enquirer.

Everyone Who’s Been Charged as a Result of the Mueller Investigation, The New York Times. More than 100 criminal counts.

Cohen implicated Trump in court. And how he did it could be revealing. NBC. Basically, because he used a specific description (a "candidate for federal office"), prosecutors must have gotten "approval from the U.S. attorney and the appropriate assistant attorney general." Becaauuse, Cohen's hearing is public, so he wouldn't be allowed to use such a description unless the mentioned third-party had been "officially charged with the misconduct at issue." I don't believe Trump has been charged with anything at this point, but it's very interesting they allowed Cohen to point specifically to him.  

Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen pleads guilty, admits to making illegal payments at direction of candidate to influence election, CNBC. "In addition to the counts related to Cohen's hush money payments, Cohen also pleaded guilty to concealing more than $4 million from the IRS and making false statements to a financial institution in connection with a $500,000 home equity loan." Sentencing is scheduled for December 12. I wonder what else will be revealed in an effort to reduce his sentencing?

Giuliani: ‘Truth isn’t truth,’ Politico. Who is continuing to let him do interviews? I feel like the Trump administration would want to muzzle him at this point.

Trump Is Tweeting About White Farmers in South Africa. What to Know About the Deeply Racial Issue, Fortune. Because, god knows, he's the most racially-sensitive man alive. Stay out of it, Drumpf! But, if you insist on commenting, do your research so you are aware of the facts. A very ambiguous term to you, I know, but the real, truthful, straight facts.

Colorado man hears murder charges as victim's dad weeps, Reuters. He 👏🏼 is 👏🏼 a monster 👏🏼

Reality Winner sentenced for leaking top secret U.S. report, Reuters. I'm just so distracted by that name...

In a first, Saudi Arabia seeks death penalty for female rights activist, group says, CBS. This is concerning because people did not face execution for nonviolent political offenses in the past, so the future is worrisome.

Malaysia accused of 'state-sponsored homophobia' after LGBT crackdown, The Guardian. There are multiple government officials publicly condemning the LGBT+ community. This hateful campaign is disgusting and horrific.

Venezuelans jittery ahead of sudden economic reforms, AP. Raising the minimum wage by more than 3,000 percent would guarantee workers the equivalent of about $30 a month...Venezuela is basically in an apocalyptic scenario. Store owners don't know what price to set for their products, citizens can't even afford basics like bread and toilet paper. What a nightmare. I don't think adding a new currency will help...also, raising the minimum wage is great in theory, but not if employers can't pay it. Oh, and even better, Maduro wants to wages, prices, etc. to a cryptocurrency that hasn't even started circulating. So there's that.

800,000 displaced in flooding in southern Indian state, AP. And over 350 people have died. What a nightmare.

Australian prime minister abandons greenhouse gas target, AP. Oh, come on, people. How does everyone not realize how important this is??

Listening

Breathe, Mako. I’m really into this song, but I’m also super into the album cover.

i don’t know where i’m going, but i’m on my way, ROZES. She has always been on of my faves and her EP officially dropped Friday.

When I See You, Mokita.

By the way, I put up music I’m listening to or just discovering on my Instagram Stories fairly often, and I have a highlight dedicated solely to this. So if you like this section, you might be interested in checking that out as well! 

Watching

Blindspot, NBC. I started watching this on Hulu a few weeks ago and I'm very into it as a mindless "watch while you do chores or while hungover" show. I love the puzzle behind the tattoos and it's enough mystery to keep me invested. However, Sullivan Stapleton's acting leaves much to be desired, particularly when he gets angry. So if bad acting won't totally turn you off, I suggest giving this show a try.

Loving

Amuse Bouche Liquified Lipstick in Stir, Bite Beauty. This is a go-to for me, but, for some reason, it was lost in the 64-color Crayon box that is my lipstick drawer for most of the summer. I pulled it out last Friday and was reminded all over again how obsessed I am with this product. This lippy goes on glossy and dries mostly matte, it stays on so. well. and the color is so fun and bright (much brighter than it looks online, mind you). My goal is to eventually collect every color in this line. Only 15 more to go...