served by sow: a list of april reads, listens, journal excerpts, and more
a list of many lists - dive right in!
Greetings, dear readers!
I am finally doing the thing I have been meaning to do for weeks now - compiling a list of little lists. As someone whose old resume had Making Lists under my Interests section, I would be lying to you if this wasn’t the most fun thing to put together.
In a world of so much content that we maneuver in a life filled with so many emotions and happenings, this idea of making a “highlight reel” in the form of words spoke to me.
I hope these lists leave you with at least one new thing to read, watch, do, or think about, as you head into your weekend.
Enjoy, and let me know what you think in the comments below!
things I read:
Articles:
Woman in Retrograde by Isabel Cristo - This article thoughtfully explores how “girlhood” has been carefully wrapped as a concept, packaged, and served back to women, as a form of escapism from the realities of womanhood. Ever since I read this piece, I’ve been thinking about the question that is posed directly within it: What is it, exactly, that’s so uninviting about being an adult woman?
In Real Life, Not All Interruptions Are Rude by Deborah Tannen - This article introduced to me a concept that was striking: cooperative overlapping, a conversation mechanic practiced in some cultures, in which [talking while another is talking can be a way of showing engagement with what the speaker is saying]. Some perceive little pauses to be uncomfortable silences, and avoid them by virtually making them non-existent, often those from South Asian, Middle Eastern, and Eastern European cultures. How does this nuance translate over to perceptions of immigrants from these cultures in the West?
i think it’s brave: to not choose a personal brand by Meighan Grady - This article explores the pressure that Gen Z-ers find to box themselves into a category or into an “aesthetic”, often exasperated by the needs and asks of college essays or TikTok trends. I found it interesting to think about how this effect persists not just within Gen Z, but really on anyone who exists on social media. When we label a mid-day walk as a “hot girl walk”, do we find ourselves needing to do other “hot girl” things to belong? Drinking night time cherry tart mocktails in curated ceramic sets, taking $30 fitness classes, overanalyzing our hyper-pigmentation and finding ayurvedic fixes commodified into expensive brands you can buy at Sephora? I live for my daily hot girl walks, but I also question whether labeling everything we do or scrolling through videos of several walking mood-boards is just setting ourselves up for doom of either never feeling like we belong, or feeling like we need to constantly be chasing to belong.
Why people are tired of Taylor Swift by Tess GC - I am someone who grew up listening to Taylor’s music, has a portrait of Taylor framed in her room, went to the Eras Tour and cried, and defends her lyricism for how it speaks to the feminine experience. I am also someone who finds a lot of her actions (or lack thereof) to be problematic. Critiquing Taylor without being branded as a hater feels almost impossible. But, why can’t both things be true at once? This article does a perfect job explaining the nuance that exists between the good and the bad, and how we should pull ourselves away from the attention circus that celebrities and the media force us to spectate, to focus on what is. This doesn’t go for just Taylor, I think there’s a much deeper conversation to be had about celebrities and the commodification of the celebrity.
Books:
Savor by Fatima Ali - A memoir told in her last few weeks of life, the book hits you where it hurts - and where you feel. It is the story of a woman at the start of a promising career that was cut short at 29, yet inspiring and whole, rich in adventures, growth, discoveries, and wisdom.
A Strangely Wrapped Gift by Emily Brynes - A poetry collection that is easy to read and fall asleep to at night. I’m not typically a fan of this sort of poetry, but the beautiful way in which she uses metaphors and word play has made this deeply enjoyable.
things I watched:
Challengers, written by Justin Kuritzkes, directed by Luca Guadagnino - Hands down the sexiest movie of the decade. I was surprised but also not surprised to learn that the writer is married to Celine Song, the writer of Past Lives. It’s kind of incredible to see how the two stories write about similar themes of revisiting old flames, but explore it degrees differently. A toxic rollercoaster that has you melting into your chair from stress, this movie was refreshing, silly, and fun.
Baby Reindeer, written by and directed by Richard Gadd - No amount of praise can be given to this show, but I try to do my best in this article I wrote here a few weeks ago!
Monkey Man, written by and directed by Dev Patel - It’s not everyday that we see a South Asian action star in a Hollywood movie that is celebrating rich, Hindu culture, while making an important, political critique. While I have some qualms on the simplicity of the plot and characters, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride, and thought the cinema could not have been made more beautifully.
The Boys, a satirical television series based off of the comics, developed by Eric Kripke - Yes, I know I’m 5 years late. Incredibly fun, but also incredibly preposterous how they got away with so much outlandish, nightmarish, and absolutely out-of-pocket content on streaming.
how glowing up ruined my life, a video essay by Alivia D'Andrea - This video brought me to tears, and I could not recommend it enough. It would not be far-fetched to say that every woman has had to deal with the pressures of “glowing up” to match what society deems as beautiful and enough. Between navigating her own journey battling this war and defining concepts like self-worth vs. self-confidence, Alivia left me with so much to think about, re-calibrate, and even love.
things I listened to (and still listening to tbh):
jazz is for ordinary people by berlioz - my favorite song to play on repeat when I am cooking dinner
SATURDAY SLIDE by RMS - an up-and-coming Indian-American rapper from New Jersey!
A quick 101 overview here for those not familiar, but literally all the diss tracks on repeat - with special shoutouts to Kendrick’s Euphoria and Kanye’s Like That Remix. I am very grateful to finally be aware of the history and the intricacy that surround this alternate universe of rap feuds and beef because it has made for some very exciting nights digging into rabbit holes and watching analysis videos - 10/10, highly recommend.
II Hands II Heaven by Beyoncé, but also all of Cowboy Carter
Training by Zakir Hussain - Dev Patel really did unlock something here - I’ve been doing heavy bag drills to Zakir’s music, and it really does unleash a force within.
DOSE OF DOPENESS by Kid Cudi - He cancelled his tour (that I had tickets for) because he broke his leg, and I’m still sad and mad.
things I consumed:
Truffle Salmon Sushi - I cannot recommend enough the power of the fusion of these two intense flavor profiles
Chocolate Mint Smoothie made with my latest and greatest find of the best protein powder I’ve ever come across
Salt & Straw’s Day-Old Bread Pudding & Chocolate Ganache - It is criminal that such 10/10 seasonal flavors are only available… seasonally.
Petit Sirah v Petit Verdoh - A slender Trader Joe’s find, this bottle accompanied me on a girl’s night where we all did a wine show-and-tell. Each of us brought a bottle that best represented ourselves. With notes of raspberry jam and black pepper and a silly, goofy label that says “Like any good wine, too much and you’re in for a K.O.” this wine spoke to my soul.
Microwaved Poached Eggs - LITERALLY GAME-CHANGER, how did I NOT know it was this easy to make for this long?!
Nana’s Shrimp Kheema layered in between my Mom’s Crispy Dosas
things I journaled:
things I am ending this long week with
A sigh of relief that I finally got this article out the door! Please let me know if you do happen to read/watch/listen to any of the reccs, or have thoughts already. I would love to hear what you think in the comments.
A readiness to sink into my bed - this week has been LONG
But also, a giddy excitement because I am about to host a Brown Girl Book Club for Savor actually. I’m excited to see my girls, but also excited to devour all the food from our potluck.
Have the best weekend, everybody!
Love love love!!!!
Well read, absorber and composer of art queen