Dua Lipa obviously approves of this message.
I just made this up, but hear me out:
R - Reading
E - Eating
W - Watching
L - Listening
REWL! Pronounced like “rule.”
I was thinking about this pretty deeply (as I tend to do with everything), and I came to the conclusion that all of the things we talk about outside of our jobs and actual adult responsibilities/complaints are about at least ONE of these things. We discuss TV shows, movies, music, and books. It’s the one thing that most people in any room can find some common ground on (that they actually enjoy talking about).
When you meet someone new, the “what do you do for a living?" question inevitably comes up within the first few minutes. We all groan on the inside and give the 30 second elevator pitch and wait for the just-as-predictable reply of “oh, nice!” or “oh, cool! I know someone who worked there!” And after that we discuss how much we either love or hate our jobs, and move on to even more riveting topics, such as where we live.
Don’t get me wrong, these are all relatively important questions that you’ll want to ask when you meet someone. But how about asking something that sparks their interest instead? Or at the very least, a single fucking thought? Maybe even a playful debate?
If someone were to ask me what I’m watching right now, I’d say “I’m watching Perfect Match on Netflix and I kinda hate myself for enjoying it, so I balanced it out by watching Sharper on Apple TV and that was really great. Have you seen it?” And if they haven’t, ask what they’re watching and see if there’s any commonality. Chances are, there will be eventually.
I don’t need to walk you through how to have a conversation with someone at a party or on a date, I’m just pointing out that these are generally interesting topics and things that we can learn from one another. It also shows you a different side of that person that you probably wouldn’t learn within the first few minutes if you stuck to the normal, boring shit.
As I spend more and more of my time on social media for work, I find myself looking for outlets that make my brain work differently and provoke thoughts, but ultimately, spark some joy as well. Can’t really get enough serotonin these days, I tell ya. Everyone around me seems to be in a funk, dating is disgusting, and in my case, one of the few things that’s helped is diving into entertainment or education.
So with all that said, here’s a bit of what I’ve been REWLing lately. I really hope that catches on and I get some credit for it because I think it’s fucking catchy.
Reading: I like to read multiple books at once because I have ADD, so…
It Ends With Us by Coleen Hoover - It was great but definitely a fictional chick-lit book in case you can’t tell. If you’re into tragic love stories, this one’s for you - you can buy here. She also wrote Verity, which is NOT THE SAME AND FUCKED ME UP MAN. Enter at your own risk. Also excellent, just in a twisted thriller kinda way. I think about that book regularly.
The Courage to be Disliked - complete opposite end of the spectrum, but it’s actually kind of perfect for the ADD brain because the chapters are short. A business coach of mine had given it to me and I read about half of it back then, stopped (ADD), and picked it up again. It follows a conversation between a philosopher and a young man. TL;DR, it’s about learning how to accept yourself while also changing the things you want to change, free of what other people think/the past. File under: shit I’m still working on. More about it out here.
Eating:
Cleveland Kraut - kind of obsessed with this shit. I make rice bowls for lunch a lot with a black bean veggie burger, and I top it off with some of this stuff and hot sauce. I don’t even think it tastes like sauerkraut, I think it tastes like pickles. And it’s really good for the gut, which never hurts. Buy here on FreshDirect.
Siete Hint of Lime Grain Free Tortilla Chips - I’m not GF but I eat some GF foods because it’s just easier on the stomach. And I happen to really like these. They’re super thin and crispy, perfect with salsa for a little snacky snack.
Breads Bakery Hamantaschen - the OG’s just slaying the Jewish holiday foods. These are cookies for Purim and they’re filled with apricot, poppyseeds, apple, or chocolate. AND THEY EVEN MAKE PIZZA ONES. Try them, you won’t regret it.
Dinner at Andante Ramen - tiny, tiny spot in Williamsburg but they have a little outdoor setup too - the pork sio ramen was delicious. Great broth, perfectly seasoned and not too oily. Definitely recommend. I hear the shrimp gyoza are awesome too, but they were out of them :(
Watching:
Cocaine Bear at Nitehawk Cinema - First off, LOVE Nitehawk in Williamsburg. It’s one of the OG’s in the “food and drink service while you watch a movie” game and their tots w cheese sauce are really good. Not to mention it’s a more intimate theater with a retro vibe (my fave) with VHS tapes and old movie posters on the walls. But I digress.
I thought Cocaine Bear was pretty entertaining, considering how much I typically hate gory films. I went in with low expectations (have you read the title?) but it was very comical, so the gore didn’t feel as intense. I still had to look away at certain parts because I’m a pussy, but overall I enjoyed it and thought the writing was funny. Elizabeth Banks directed it (didn’t see that coming) and it’s based on a true story. My one main takeaway? Ray Liotta’s last piece of work probably shouldn’t have been this lol. RIP.
Sharper on Apple TV - really good psychological thriller by the A24 folks and great casting (raise your hand if you stan for Sebastian Stan). I won’t say much other than just watch and see how it unfolds. It’s a bit of a slow burn in the beginning but it’s very interesting. Lots of shit to keep you on your toes.
Perfect Match on Netflix - we love a good trash reality show around here, and this one is full of good drama. It’s a bunch of the popular cast members from different love-centric reality shows (Love is Blind, Too Hot to Handle, The Circle etc), put in one house to find their Perfect Match. And obviously new people can be brought in to help stir the shit even more. It’s addictive.
SNL - I watch mainly for the special host or the musical guest, but in this case, it was both. Woody Harrelson and Jack White. High praise all around.
Listening:
Happy Days by Gabrielle Bernstein on Audible - recommended by a friend, it’s all about healing old wounds and childhood trauma, something I’m certainly no stranger to. Learning your triggers and how to better react to them is something I’m forever working on. She’s also got a pleasing voice, so I feel instantly calmer when I listen to it. Except for one chapter where she sort of screams and it’s awkward for everyone. But I love that she does the audio on her own, I’ve found a lot of audio books have someone else narrate it. Check it out here.
My Nextels & Glowsticks playlist on Spotify - again, complete opposite end of the spectrum, but #iykyk. When you’re a reformed basshead, you never really lose the love for the fistpump. You can take the girl out of Queens but you can’t take the Queens out of the girl. I’ve been a little down lately and this stuff just kinda makes me happy. All those good memories of dancing or driving around with friends, not a care in the world. Follow it here, and if you’ve spent any amount of time at Exit, Sound Factory, Tunnel, Bridgeview, Level V, or Twilo…you’ll get it.
That’s all for now. TOOTLES SEE YA IN AZ SOON IF THE WEATHER DOESN’T STOP ME.