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Have you seen Killing Eve? Sandra Oh plays a spy chasing an international assassin. It has twisty plots, plenty of action and cliffhangers galore. Best of all, both the lead and the villain are women — fascinating, flawed and likable as can be. The series was created by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, of Fleabag fame. “There was a [casting] meeting at one point where someone actually said, ‘We can’t have too many women,’ meaning it will look unbelievable,” says Waller-Bridge. “I was like, ‘What the f— are you talking about?’ Not if it’s written well and shot well.” (Disclaimer: The first episode is a little slow while they set the stage, but once you get into it, it really picks up.)
My current read, The Girl Who Never Read Noam Chomsky, feels slightly reminiscent of a young Lorrie Moore (which, to me, is the highest possible praise). The book follows Leda, whom we meet as a college student in Boston, as she chases her dream of being a writer, dates inappropriate people, and ultimately, becomes a wife and mother. Over multiple decades, Leda grapples with friendship, dating, heartbreak, parenthood and loss, and her observations are consistently funny and sharp.
Here’s a tip from perennial genius Brené Brown: “Calm people are breathers. They breathe and ask questions.” She then demonstrates how, upon hearing news, she trained herself to stop and inhale. Then, she listens to all the information and asks follow-up questions to determine whether the situation is actually worth freaking out over. Noted.
So, lately, I’ve taken to carrying around this bluish-greenish stone. It’s a Chrysocolla, and if you believe in meanings behind crystals, it’s revered as a healing stone, used for clearing negative thought patterns. Apparently, it’s also a motivator to turn your ambitions into reality. I KNOW HOW THIS SOUNDS, BUT BEAR WITH ME. Who among us couldn’t use a reminder to follow our truth? Who couldn’t use some gentle encouragement… even if it’s coming from a rock? I leave you with this: the placebo effect is real. And sometimes, having a reminder is just as good as magic.
P.S. The best new podcast of 2018, and five words that changed everything.
(Fox photo by Roeselien Raimond.)
