Linkapalooza

Hopping back into a newsletter with vibes

Author

Courtney E. Smith
August 20, 2023

My New Year’s resolution to send out a newsletter hasn’t been going great. I’m trying a reset where I commit to at least sending out a weekly picks list to share what I’m loving in the world. I hope it will bring you some joy and me some discipline without requiring either of us to over-commit.

Good Reads

If you got caught up in the decor about Shein going public or the influencer factory tour in China, or just think about fast fashion and its lack of sustainability a lot, this read shines a much-needed light on the waste of returns - especially at places like Walmart with no questioned asked return policies.

Been on any hot girl walks this summer? Eaten girl dinner? Barbiefied your life? This argument that it’s all just the commodification of women for money and social status is smart. I’ve been thinking about this conversation since my book, which is titled Record Collecting for Girls, came out in 2011. It was a tongue-in-cheek title because obviously collecting records isn’t different for the female of the species but wow had men treated it as such up to that point in my experience — but the emotional experience we have with music just might be. Anyway, the joke did not land and it was labeled, among other things, not Chick Factor approved. The discourse continued with the series Girls in 2013, and it seems we’ve circled back around. I don’t completely agree with this take, but I think it’s a great articulation of a moment.

My co-worker Jaya interviews Anya von Bremzen about her research into the matriarchal culture of tortilla making and the physical damage it does to women, along with the relationship between home cooking, unacknowledged labor, and the idea of a “national dish.”

If you daydream of leaving the rat race, puttering around in a garden, and living a more slow-paced life, this article on a woman who bought a remote island with a house and no running water for an amazing price will make you reconsider that dream. Probably. Or maybe it’s just me.

Remember when a million followers on Instagram was a landmark moment for influencers? This article articulates how the algorithm on TikTok means racking up followers doesn’t yield the same results, necessarily.

Am I overly invested in both Naomis? Undoubtedly. Watching Wolf spin out during COVID was wild, but this excerpt from Klein’s forthcoming book dives into the idea of social doppelgängers and exploring the shadow side of yourself with her trademark gorgeous writing.

A fascinating read. Just trust me.

What Really Happened Between Kesha and Dr. Luke (LA Times) Paywall / content warning for sexual abuse survivors

This is a terrible headline because we can’t know what really happened, but this look at the court documents from the long history of lawsuits between the two does its best. Even though Kesha tells the court she’s not entirely sure what happened. I don’t like how it leads the reader to draw conclusions at certain points based on who the lawyers are and text messages submitted to the court. It’s also an example of regressive reporting with regard to survivors. It documents episodes of forgetfulness on Kesha’s part without explaining to the reader if any of this is expected from trauma/assault survivors. All of that said, I’d you found it difficult to follow this sorry piecemeal as it came out because it was spread over many years and many court jurisdictions with a lot of players, this is a complete report.

Good Stuff

Welcome to Midland (Deep Vellum Publishing)

I picked up this book of poetry by Dallas-based writer Logen Cure. It’s a collection that takes the reader through a guided tour of her experiences growing up queer in West Texas. It’s heartbreaking at times, euphoric at others, and full of the stillness of being in the middle of nowhere at others.

I don’t know about you but I was really into the original Justified series. I’m thrilled to see this return to the Justified universe and more Timothy Olyphant in my life.

Ladies and gentlemen, the song of my summer part 1.

Stuff I Made

Songs My Ex Ruined with Sadie Dupuis

Yeah, I’m still doing this podcast with Melissa. If you haven’t been listening, check out this recent episode with Sadie from Speedy Ortiz. She talks about ruining the entire Matador Records catalog from the ‘90s for an ex. Now that’s ambition.

This is a collaborative piece of work with Kathy Tran on a photo essay of five dishes at a hotly anticipated restaurant that opened in Dallas. We’ve been working together to evolve our style into something more journalistic. This manages to be elegant and move things a little closer to the goal.

If you want to be transported to the idea of Texas that lives in my mind (absolutely not the hot hell hole we’re in now, nor the political dungeon), enjoy this brief playlist.

Stay gold, Pony Boy.