4 minute read

If I were a betting woman (which I can be when the mood strikes)…

I'd have the following wager for you all: in 50 years time, you will look back on today's version of you, the you reading this very caption right now, and realize just how beautiful you were. Exactly as you are at this present moment. No modifications. No face filters. No editing tricks. Pores, "flaws," "imperfections" and all — that version of you. And that older version of you will also wonder in that same moment, why you, the younger you, spent so much time worrying about it all.

And I say this is just as much for you as I do for myself. The veneer of perfection is heavy — and 10 times out of 10, impossible to achieve.

Working in this industry, I know first hand just how easy it is to succumb to a never ending list of beauty products, wellness hacks and skincare regimes that promise glass-like skin. And while all that is well and good to a certain degree, the truth of the matter is that I think it perpetuates this transitory idea of self-worth that too often gets conflated with self-image. We stop seeing ourselves as beautiful in the moment because there's always one more thing to "improve." We tell ourselves, "once this is addressed, then I'll feel better." At 34 years old, I'm still guilty of those feelings, but it's something I'm actively aware of and try to keep in check as best I can.

So in case no one has told you today, in the midst of your scrolling through skincare ads, workout routines and cleanses, I just wanted to let you know, an older version of you is ready to shake you gently by the shoulders and say, "Sweetie, relax. You really are fucking beautiful. Just as you are."

ONE // Cicely Tyson, a legendary actress who shattered stereotypes, dies at 96

"I think when you begin to think of yourself as having achieved something, then there's nothing left for you to work towards. I want to believe that there is a mountain so high that I will spend my entire life striving to reach the top of it." ~ Cicely Tyson

We'll be watching some of her movies this weekend, including Sounder and The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.

TWO // Confused by the GameStop situation? Watch this.

I knew it was only a matter of time before someone spoofed this scene from The Big Short. And I'm glad it was Trevor -- his Aussie accent is also pretty spot on!

THREE // Holding space -- a personal essay from LaTonya 

A day of reflection after Inauguration, penned by LaTonya, and as always, her words ring so resoundingly:

"Racism remains. The work remains. But for a day and evening, my bones stood still. I imagined that space grew larger. A space in which the beds of many quieted for a night, as their shaky and tired bones found their way home again. And I stood still in it. I wept in it."

FOUR // If I Tell You the Truth

After reading Hitha's review of this book, I added it to my list immediately.

FIVE // Fran Lebowitz's One-Star Amazon reviews

A welcome mat, a Rubik's cube and a portable cement mixer -- all reviewed by Fran. All comedic gold.

SIX // We Shall Not Die Now

In honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, I watched this relatively new documentary that not only follows the timeline of WWII and the Holocaust (a thorough history refresher!) but also features numerous interviews with survivors. It's not an easy watch -- but it's a necessary one.

SEVEN // Biden's first week in office

I love the spirit of accountability here and this post succinctly breaks down all the measures, executive orders and progress the Biden/Harris administration has set forth in their first week in office. I also discovered this account that updates daily on the 150 promises Biden made, all fact checked, with sources listed.

EIGHT // 3 things making me smile

First look at Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana. // Denzel is back -- and in a role that first made him famous -- a good old fashioned, detective thriller. My favorite! // Calling all Renaissance horse girls -- aka ME -- the new Dior couture collection is giving all the magical, mystical vibes.

Photos by me