Hi team,
Welcome to the thirty-second installment of Furloughed. Maybe it’s a newsletter about things I’m doing while furloughed, things you can do, or both.
This week, a son was born. To my friend. So that was nice.
And a different friend informed me someone died in the house I’m staying in. And then attempted to get out of the hole they’d dug by saying someone has died in *every* house. Don’t worry though, friend, because I have sage and I will smudge the room. Science. And I still love you.
Also, for the first time in probably ten years, I met a new friend off of Twitter. They were extremely lovely and helped me remember why Twitter is so great, even though sometimes some people are awful there. I will ignore all the awful for the stars that remain. So that was also nice.
I did more thinking about where to live. Oh, and I went on a boat. These things are not in chronological order. I will blame it on being tired because a man died in my bedroom. Probably right next to where my face is at night.
Things to watch
Short things
I was talking about this this week...
Series
Mainstay recommendations are City of Ghosts and Waffles + Mochi. And We Are Lady Parts.
This week I watched old fluffy series’ like Gilmore Girls.
Films
While thinking about my life and about whether just shy of 35 is too young to be having a mid-life crisis, I watched Private Life on Netflix. It was very cathartic.
Things to read
Unstoppable movement: how New Zealand’s Māori are reclaiming land with occupations
The value of land to Māori is more than economic. According to Māori cosmogony, the earth is Papatuanuku, the mother. The relationship to Papatuanuku is what makes Māori tangata whenua, or people of the land.
“The whole idea of that relationship with the Earth mother is not some exotic, spiritual thing – it’s actually a very practical thing,” says Jackson. “Without the land, the phrase tangata whenua becomes a poetic expression rather than a statement of belonging.” — Don Rowe
The rise of period pants: are they the answer to menstrual landfill – and women’s prayers?
And as I said, I was watching some early episodes of Gilmore Girls this week. And Rory mentions Christiane Amanpour in one. I was sorry to hear that she has cancer while searching for this profile of her — one of the most inspiring I’ve read.
Life On The Front Line: Christiane Amanpour Reflects On Her Never-Ending Quest For Truth
“Being a woman in the field has, in many ways, opened doors. In many cultures, men can’t go behind the purdah, or curtain, so to speak. But we can - which meant, wherever we were, be it Afghanistan, Iran or Rwanda, we were able to tell the everyday stories of women and children living in wars and conflicts.” — Christiane Amanpour.
Books
This week, I went to Bristol’s wonderful new bookshop Bookhaus (twice!). I bought many books,including a beautiful cookery book/ memoir, Under The Tamarind Tree, by Sumayya Usmani. I laughed when I read in the introduction that Pakistani food centres around meat, as I like to believe I’m on a journey toward veganism. I learned…
“We celebrate recipes handed down through the generations, and at home everything is cooked by ‘andaza’ (estimation).” — Sumayya Usmani
This is good because I love to throw herbs and spices in things by estimation. The book also notes how to make spice mixes and the importance of having whole spices and a spice grinder. It’s very lovely.
Feel good
Cambo oilfield work postponed until next year after activists stage protest
Life-saving cholesterol jab recommended on NHS
Things to listen to
Podcasts
Mainstay recommendation is this Blindboy podcast with Emma Dabiri. And more Blindboy - How to Solve the Housing Crisis. And a podcast about doughnut economics.
This week, Anna Sale and friends came to the rescue with a podcast episode about decision fatigue. Thanks, Anna!
Music
A very helpful person tuned the radio in the house I’m staying in so I no longer get assualted by Radio 4 when I turn it on. It is now set to Radio 6. I used to listen to Steve Lamacq’s ‘Lamacq Live’ when I was 15. And he’s still cool!
Along with When a fire starts to burn and Beulah Loves Dancing this was one of the tracks featured on Radio 6 this week…
Join a union and find your local mutual aid
You can join a union to help protect yourself and others. And your local Mutual Aid group.
UK government ‘failed to consider gender’ in its response to Covid pandemic
Sustainable Suppression
Avoid the three Cs - Confined. Crowded. Close-contact settings. Mask up.
Here’s Independent Sage’s vaccinations FAQ, if you or people you know have vaccine questions. They have also put out a document about the continuing need for support measures.
A video on how to ventilate a room
After two million deaths, we must have redress for mishandling the pandemic
People to listen to
“Professionally and personally, one thing I’ve learnt is that our only limitations are the ones we put on ourselves.”— Christiane Amanpour
Things to do
Sign this petition: Ban urban and garden pesticides to protect bees, other wildlife and human health
Make a Corsi cube to filter a room/ set up a crowdfund to make them for classrooms
Send me any fun things to do or look at you see so I can include them!