This week would probably be best measured in hours of Law & Order SVU reruns I’ve watched. How many hours are in a week? Let’s just ballpark that 40% of those hours involved Olivia Benson. I don’t want to do the math, I just want to be loosely honest with you.
It’s too soon to complain about the heat. Also, no one wants to hear it.
I’m working on some meal prep for myself today. It’s to keep me from eating a box of Hot Tamales as a meal. Here’s what I think I’m going to make: Vegetarian Swedish Meatballs(JtB), something with sweet potatoes (?), this Summer Minestrone Soup (NYT), and more cookies from the Sweet Laurel Bakery Cookbook (Amazon). And just maybe these Raspberry Gin Slushies (JtB)for kicks.
I hope you’ve been happy and well this week.
Here’s some reading for the week! Take whatcha need:
• Just across the border, the city of Tijuana is a City of Exiles. Some perspective. We always need it. (The California Sunday Magazine)
• Why Do Americans Refuse To Give Up Tampons? Listen… let me just do what I need to do, ok? Those cups are not for the faint of heart – and I’m not saying I have a faint heart – it’s just all very intense. (The New Republic)
• Here’s the long-read I’m reading through this weekend. It’s true crime and you know I like to SSDGM: Blood Will Tell. “The murder of Mickey Bryan, a quiet fourth-grade teacher, stunned her small Texas town. Then her husband, a beloved high school principal, was charged with killing her. Did he do it, or had there been a terrible mistake?” Part II is here when you’re ready for it. (ProPublica)
• I fell down the internet this week and landed in this place where my heart ached: My husband passed away suddenly. (The Everygirl)
• Let’s think about our summer bods with the podcast Call Your Girlfriend!
• Let’s make these fishtail friendship bracelets. I know… I’m obsessed. I just need to make the time to braid. (Heywanderblog)
• Treat yourself to something breezy! These linen summer dresses ethically made in California by Pyne and Smith.
• One of my very favorite New Orleans makers: Smoke Perfume.
• Here’s what to listen to this week: the Ologies podcast with Alie Ward. The latest episode on Cynology (we’re talking dogs!) is heart warming, heart breaking, super informative, and funny… very funny!
• Ok so Vermont will pay you $10,000 to move there and work remotely. Let’s fire up Zillow and start daydreaming! (Quartz)
• The Interview, featuring me, Joy. (Leave It To Leonor)
• This is where I talk for a moment about Real Housewives of New York City. It’s about Carole. We’re quickly approaching her Last Great Summer. We’re in the deep cut here. It’s more normal if you don’t have any idea what I’m talking about. OK but if you DO know what I’m talking about: here’s the shirt you need. (TeePublic)
Enjoy this day! What a gift, ya know?
xo Joy
Hannah
Like others, I found the Joe Bryan article horrifying and sad. In the comments on the article page, someone mentioned that Joe’s address is clearly legible in a picture of letters sent to Mr. Smith. I checked in an online database and this appears to be the correct address for Joe Bryan:
Joe D. Bryan 419509
Huntsville Unit
815 12th St.
Huntsville, TX 77348
I plan on writing to him, even though there’s nothing I can do! Maybe my pretty stationary and kind words will lift him up a little bit.
Jenna White
Cup for sure! There’s a learning curve but it’s so worth it. So much better for my body (pulling out a dry tampon because I wasn’t sure if my period was slowing down or over is such a horrible feeling) and the environment. So easy to always have the supplies I need. I have heavy periods so I was used to bring hands-on with blood to begin with (and it’s easier to manage heavy periods with a cup!). Try easing into it with applicator-free tampons if you don’t already.
valentina
“On her best days she is Vicki Gunvalson on vacation in Mexico pre Brooks”
You are TRULY my hero
Sarah
Dude! You and Drake on Cake totally got a shout out on this week’s Oligies ep! I just recently started listening, too and absolutely love it.
Briel K.
– haha I love your moms “birds & bees” talk. Keeping it real! :)
– I have always been a user of pads, not tampons (unless it couldn’t be avoided), but menstrual cups are something I’ve contemplated. Might be time to look into it!
– I’ve been really emotional tonight and crying at EVERYTHING and could not finish that Everygirl article. So sad. :(
Abbi
Today, I just want to yell about all the injustices. I think I’ll have a good car-yell on my way home this afternoon.
Jen
I switched to the Thinx panties a few years ago and will never go back to tampons. So much more comfortable and no waste. Besides, after cleaning up dirty diapers from a newborn, washing out a little blood is no big thing.
Carissa Nelson
So with you — you can’t go from lamenting an Easter egg hunt in the snow to saying it’s too hot like six weeks later. But I’m not saying I wouldn’t mind something in between! I love SVU, but I get a little too noir with life if I watch too many, lol. I have to keep it to one or two!
Emily
Oh jeez on the mentrual cup. I tried it about a year ago and figured the inserting part would be the difficult part and so skipped reading the removal part of the instructions. It was one of my more painful experiences—I basically scraped part of my insides out while trying to remove it in a slight panic. I hurt for about two days after. So…I switched to cardboard applicators figuring that was better than plastic, but I really don’t have a desire to try the cup again.
:-)
Yes to the reusable cup! I tried it on a whim, actually, after having heard whispers for a couple of years – just happened to spot it in the pharmacy and thought I’d give it a go. It was under $20, I must have been using it a year and haven’t needed to buy any other products at all since. I feel great that I’m not contributing to landfill, that I’m not paying taxes (we pay sales tax on tampons in the UK), I’ve had no leaks, AND the bestest part is that I didn’t realise that tampons were actually hurting me. Sex used to be a bit sore in the couple of days after my period like the tampon had irritated me or something, but now it’s completely fine! Like everyone, there was a learning curve, and it’s a bit fiddly sometimes but overall, I wouldn’t go back to tampons. Cups for the win!
Gina
Omg. Did you notice this too, Joy? First I read the article about the husband dying suddenly and then I read your enjoyable interview. I kept reading interviews on the tumblr and a few down is an interview of Anjali from the article who lost her husband. Coincidence. And heartbreaking.
Cori
I recommened the cup as well. MUCH more comfortbale (once yorue used to it) and easier to use. Cheap (duh) and honestly not that gross at all. Really suggest you try it. I use those and the absorbable underwear (thinx is the brand I beleive) and my periods are so much easier to manage. I don’t dread them as much every couple of weeks.
Emily
Long time mentrual cup user here. I’ve also been a fan of cloth pads in the past. I think the biggest surprise for me is that I have less cramping since I stopped using tampons.
Erica
I love Pyne & Smith! They are so beautiful and the breezy linen has been a godsend in this crazy Texas heat no one wants to hear about.
Raychel
I have been using a Diva Cup for a little over a year and I never want to have a period without it. I truly forget I’m on my period when I use it (that is, once my cramps subside). I only have to buy liners at this point and I’m about to ditch those too cause I just got a pair of Thinx undies. I’m legit excited for my next period to use the cup and undies together! The only downside is that when my friends come over, I don’t have tampons for them to use if they need one :-/
Leah
I’ve been using the Diva Cup for the last 6 years or so. I can’t understand why more people don’t use them. I used to always forget to buy more tampons in time for my next period, but now it’s never a problem.
Rasheeda
Oh my gosh, I’ve seen the Blood Will Tell link on the NYT, but I was avoiding it because these stories always leave me so heartbroken. For the families, the innocent behind bars and the lives that should have been. I straight up want to send Joe the most giant care package of life right now.
Catherine
I am so here to celebrate Carole’s last great summer too…a deep cut, indeed! As always it’s a pleasure spending some time, on a Sunday, reading some really interesting things. Cheers to the week ahead, Joy!
Blu
I just want to say I was over here being lazy trying to figure out what mess I would eat and I’ve decided to make a healthy chicken salad. Sticking to my food goals :)
Blu
http://www.liveloveblu.com – wellness & healthy living
Janabelle
Ologies…. Yaaaaaassss! Weird Aunt Alie Dadward is hilarious. Loved the episode on dogs. The episode on hair was awesome, too.
Sarah
I have been using a menstrual cup for many years now and I can’t recommend it enough. Forget the environmental benefits, the personal benefits are the real reason to do it. Once you get the hang of it, it is so much easier. You will also feel a lot more connected to your body and cycle which is very empowering. I could go on and on, but seriously switching to a menstrual cup was the exact opposite of a sacrifice.
Taste of France
Very similar to minestrone is the Provençal soupe au pistou, which has a pesto-type basil mash stirred in before serving.
The “Blood Will Tell” series is a shocking wakeup call about bad science and the impulsion to put somebody, anybody behind bars when a crime has been committed.
Ellen
Thanks for linking to the tampon article! My husband and I have been slowly trying to reduce our use of plastics and unnecessarily disposable items, but period products never occurred to me! Very interesting read.
Robin
I too got totally drawn into Blood Will Tell! Thanks for alerting me to part two. I was left a little
verklempt at the sudden ending. Happy Sunday :)
Chrissy Barua
Oh, man. SVU. Did you watch the season finale? I’m not sure I breathed the whole two hours! Also the idea of gazing at fall foliage for a solid three months each year is enough to make me almost move to Vermont. And, the maple of course.
Paula
Ugh Carole is the worst this season! I am all about Bethenny and Dorinda this season plus a little LuAnn thrown in. Next week’s episode is going to be crazy!!
Natasha
I totally disagree. #teamcarole
Kathleen
Real lady moment here (since you brought it up)– I switched to a cup (Lunette) a couple of years ago for environmental reasons, but an unexpected side effect has been how freaking empowering it is not to be part of the period-industrial complex. I ordered super cute, flannel, reusable backup pads on Etsy (just in case) and they are magical. There’s a learning curve and it’s not a switch I could have made in my teens–but in my thirties? Hell yeah.
Kelly-Anne
I totally agree with you Kathleen! There was a bit of a learning curve with me as well but after a couple periods I got the hang of it and I wouldn’t go back to tampons. I feel so much more free with the cup! I have been using it for about 2 years now and I wish I had started using the cup sooner.
Mary B
Agreed! I actually tried the cup (Diva) for a couple of cycles about 10 years ago and couldn’t quite get used to it. But I decided to try again 6 years ago and that time it clicked and I’ve never looked back! After I got my IUD I actually tried going back to tampons for a couple of months because I was freaked out about using them together, but I couldn’t do it. So much easier for traveling, so much better for my lady parts (no drying out!), so much less waste, and way less money. (Also I agree on the etsy flannel pantiliners!)
Julie
I made the switch three years ago, and it was the best decision ever. I’ve saved so much money and waste. It’s really not that gross, once you get used to it, after the second or third period!
Caitlin
The cup is life changing. I had to watch MANY youtube videos with different descriptions on how to insert and remove, as the instructions that came with the cup did not work for me. Keep trying – it is well worth it!!!
Andrea
I haven’t made the switch to a cup yet, but was pleasantly surprised (and impressed!) to learn that several of the teenage girls I volunteer with use cups for environmental reasons.
Tawni
I switched to a cup (Diva) 6 months ago, and there are moments I really love it, and other moments where I just want to throw it across the room with a slew of profanities. It leaks like 50% of the time and I can’t figure out why. Other than that, I agree that it is empowering and I’ve gotten to know my body much better.
Elizabeth
My experience regarding leakage-consider a different brand/shape/size. Divacups are easily available, but they don’t suit everyone. I found LadyCups and have had excellent performance results since! Even through yoga, triathlons, and all sorts of outdoor activities. Their site’s a little clunky due to the English translation, but it’s a good product.
Darla
I love your Mother’s sage advice! (Or is it a warning??)
Jeanny
Just love your sunday list of fabulous reads <3 Thanks!
Maggie
It’s way early this morning but I do think Carole’s a little bonkers. I don’t get it, princess.
Rena
I think a summer minestrone is a great idea!
xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
http://www.dressedwithsoul.com