PRIORITIES, BAD CHOCOLATE, AND MEETING GISÈLE PELICOT

LIFE OF A BOOKMAN

Bookman: 1. a person who has a love of books and especially of reading. 2. a person who is involved in the writing, publishing, or selling of books. Oh, hi that’s me!!

My One Thing: Last week on a flight from NYC to SF, the wifi was out (typical). So, I binged read The One Thing by Gary Keller. This is a book that I’ve skimmed before, because my dad mailed it to me multiple times. But like a true teenager, I needed to come to the book on my own. And last week I did. I have SO much going on (and so much good stuff going on!!) but I’m feeling reactive, unfocused, and undisciplined. What was lovely about this book is that it reminds you those are all lies, none of it is true, but what is true is that we need to understand what the one thing is that will unlock everything we want. And then strategize around that. It really brought me a ton of clarity, and I’ve been able to talk about it with my parents and one of my galpals who’ve all read it. I highly recommend if you’re trying to move priorities forward but getting in your own way.

What I’ve been writing: I’ve been working on a fun piece about storytelling, and the way that seeing stories in a room can help us connect more deeply, and feel more our selves while we do. It’s based on some really killer events I went to in NYC last week. Stay tuned next week for that one!!

WOMEN’S STUDIES

What gets passed down becomes our history.

Phasing Out Real Chocolate in Candy. To know me is to know that my favorite combination on this planet is Chocolate and Peanut Butter. I live for it. My college girlies still make fun of me for taking spoons of peanut butter and dipping it into M&Ms (yum). So over the years, having any peanut butter chocolate candies has basically led to disappointment across the board: because the chocolate tastes like wax and the peanut butter tastes like dust. Well, this year I got my answers, with reporting on how real ingredients were being phased out of many candies. Ew, but also we have answers, like this one from The Guardian.

The Last Single Woman in the Group Chat. I have tried to write a version of this article by Jodie Taylor so many times, but I could never get it out of drafts. I wasn’t able to find the balance of the beauty of these different phases of life, but also the challenge (for everyone). Mine was titled, why friendship in your 30s can feel really f*king hard. But I’m so happy that I can delete my draft now, because Jodie Taylor perfectly articulated this in a way I couldn’t. It’s so good. Def read.

My one offering for anyone in this szn of life: if you have the chance to move in walking distance to your married best friend and her kids, it will change your life and make at least one core relationship more spontaneous and ease-ful. Huge life hack.

Marissa Mayer is Back with A.I. She Thinks Women Will Love. Someone plz give Marissa Mayer better stories to tell when she’s pitching Dazzle in this article with the NYT, I know she has to have them. Saying the idea came to her bc she asked an agent to help her describe her 10 year old daughter is just not the move. It’s putting her in the box society put her into 12 years ago. The public does NOT like people using ai when effort and attention is the whole point of the exercise.

Instead, tell me the story of a camera roll solving her problem that couldn’t have been solved otherwise.

I actually don’t get the value of the product. Right now the only value to this whole Launch seems to be internet fodder for old tropes on silicone valley women…prepping her with better stories, for the audience she hoping to reach, could have tipped us forwards instead of backwards with this whole thing. Stories matter.

Other stray stories: I said I would not go see You Can See Everything, the documentary on Elizabeth Holmes (Theranos). I even listened to all the spoiler coverage, fully committed to how much I didn’t plan to see it. But it previewed at SCAD film festival, with Nathan Feelder and Lance Oppenheimer (directors) in attendance, and my friend Gale invited me, so fine…I’ll go! And my WORD, you must go see it. There’s no describing what goes on, even with all the spoilers in the world. It’s a true mind f*ck and a great centerpiece for debate and conversation among friends.

PASS IT ON

Stories are heirlooms. Here’s one of mine:

I don’t approach famous people in public. And I absolutely don’t interrupt their coffee. This morning I did both, to tell Gisèle Pelicot thank you. Thank you for your courage. Thank you for your voice. Thank you for forcing shame to switch sides.

If you’re not familiar with her story, she is a french, feminist hero. In 2024 she refused to stay anonymous as the victim to 10+ years of rapes – her husband would drug her and invite other men to come over while she was unconscious. And he filmed all of it. It is truly monstrous what happened to her. Which is why I was overcome seeing her in NYC.

From the booth of her breakfast nook, she radiated peace. That peace remained steady and turned to a smile as me and my semi-French-speaking bestie breezed into her morning with our deep gratitude.

“Did you see her sweater? It said love.”

I did. And love flowed down my face as we walked away.

What happened to her was not love, but what she did with that horror, for all of us…is love eternal.

woman on xx