In Case You Missed It #6
My monthly curation of all the excellent things!
Hello and welcome to the opposite of doom scrolling :)
Hello to all newcomers! Each month I send out an eclectic collection of the brilliant things I have chanced upon in the last month that I loved so much I think you might too. I keep the list (relatively) concise but I’d never assume you didn’t get there before me, hence the In Case You Missed It of it all. The archive of past editions of this series can be found here and in the comments you are always warmly invited to share all the wonderful things you’ve stumbled across yourselves.
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ICYMI on Still Space
I sent out my Winter Digital Detox Guide to support anyone with a growing need to declutter their tech.
I shared a favoured super simple ritual and said farewell to 2023 with my piece The Sense of an Ending.
Last week I shared A Slow Start reminding myself and anyone else who might need it that Winter is here to let us all off the hook.
Later this week I will be sending out my new post 111 Drafts exploring my creative process and how to finish what we start, exclusively for paid subscribers — if you’re not one of those yet, come join us below. Gift subscriptions are also available as well as further discounts if you purchase more than two!
*If you have any trouble reaching the end of this email, click ‘view entire message’, apparently that should sort it :) or read the entire thing on Substack*
Now, onto the main event…
ON SUBSTACK
with 18 incredible creative retreats
Little appeals to me more than a writing getaway. At least the idea of one. I mean, is there anything more romantic? It makes me think of Chekovian Summers and Victorian picnics and Call Me By Your Name. But if you’re going to treat yourself to this type of glorious indulgence, Emma Gannon has put together her wish-list of gorgeous retreats from all over the world that support creativity in all its forms. Emma is someone who knows precisely when to whisk herself off to knuckle down to the page, so I really trust her instincts on everywhere she’s highlighted here.
on How to slow down the passing of time
Little known fact, Leyla and I are actually the same person so if you like what I have on offer, you’re gonna like her stuff even better. Leyla is taking the big swings with a courage I could only ever aim for. Where I can be found barely dipping my toe just outside of the spiritual closet and mixing my metaphors to prove it, Leyla is getting on and doing it. She’s baring her full vulnerable inner mystic for all of Substack to see and I’m big time here for it.
Her Substack offers wonderful insights into whatever she’s intuitively feeling that week as opposed to the food and travel related fayre you might know her for — and it’s a smorgasbord of delight. Pun intended. I recommend hopping on over to check out all of it but first up I’m going to point you towards this epically gorgeous piece. Firstly because it was Leyla’s debut Substack post giving you an awesome introduction to her writing style and writing subjects; secondly, she’s just opened up the paywall on it so get in there if you’re not already fully subscribed; thirdly, she wrote this last June and she’s talking about the fluidity and weirdness of our relationship to time which feels perfectly meta whilst in the heavy throes of Winter which leads me to fourthly; there are the weirdest (but somehow, not weird at all, we are the same person) parallels between this and my recent New Year’s post The Sense of an Ending and I think they make for great companion pieces.
on her break-up with Instagram
With the New Year has brought some social media reflective reflexes with a raft of people severing their ties with the platform (I’m amongst them) and this piece absolutely NAILS everything I would ever want to articulate about a once delightfully innocent space for sharing pictures turned narcissistic billboard/ law unto itself trigger warning horror show. If you’re on the fence may this piece dare you into submission to take the leap of faith and say farewell to IG, for good.
is also saying Goodbye, Instagram
Another excellent piece on more of the same but what is significant here is that it’s Emma Gannon saying it, e.g. EG. Emma leads by example and is the most blindingly self-assured Queen of Firsts, particularly when it comes to internet trends. I wrote about this at length last year so if you need further incentive, it’s probably best described below:
“I feel giddy around Emma. I am constantly inspired by her... She is someone I pay attention to, we all should, because she is always ahead of the curve — whether it’s interrogating the Internet, podcasting, or now, Substack, she was there early. She is always one of the first. And you know what I love the most about that? She’s doesn’t do any of it because she’s trying to be the first, she does it because it feels good. If it doesn’t, she changes direction. And wherever Emma goes, I want to follow.”
on can obligation scale?
Loved this simple, elegant piece on the limitations of Substack (and how many publications you can realistically be subscribed to at any one time) which examines how this relates to friendship and thus how Substack’s very clearly defined working parameters are what will ultimately make it work for you — deliver what your audience wants with consistency and they will show up for you, consistently.
with her 2024 Beauty Predictions
The insanity of beauty culture has become so far-fetched in recent years that it’s now somehow weirder for you to not want to permanently manipulate and alter your god-given face the second you start looking like you’ve lived a day longer than a baby. Thank goodness for Jess DeFino’s quiet reasoned stance (the most nourishing balm any of our skins could wish for) which can sometimes be hard to hear amongst the clamour of implausible skincare coming for our shelves and fears. In this post Jess predicts what she thinks will be introduced as some of the terrifying new normals of this billion dollar industry during the course of 2024. This piece reads like a dystopian sci-fi novella to ensure we don’t drink the Kool-Aid when it comes so soak it all up.
on (honestly absolutely anything, but in this case) being in snowy Finland trying not to get a UTI
Where’s Claire? If she’s still in Finland I hope she ran into Jess Pan because between this post and Jess’s last I swear weeks passed and I physically yearned for more of her writing. I even went scavenging on her page to make sure I hadn’t missed any wanton snacks. Meanwhile, having laid claim to being the cheapest Substack around it turns out Jess has opted for the same price point as me so go get it — she’s honestly my favourite writer on Substack. This piece is just as hilarious and charming and effortless to read like all of her work. A JOY.
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LISTENING
Office Ladies Podcast
Scott’s Tots with B.J. Novak
Inevitably as I make my way through the back catalogue of episodes of Office Ladies I keep stumbling upon absolute GOLD I tell you, so I’m going to keep sharing them because they’re just too good not to but I’m going to spread them out rather than bombard you all at once — kindly consider me your personal curator of the absolute cream of the crop from their library of over 300 episodes and counting.
This one focuses on an infamous episode of The Office (US) Scott’s Tots - Season 6, Episode 9 - which is repeatedly listed on TV round-ups as the most cringey episode of the entire series (because of Michael Scott’s failings not because anything within the show is remotely falling short) and in this interview, hosts Jenna and Angela call on the episode’s director B.J. Novak (who also stars in and wrote for the show) to answer for its outrageous levels of discomfort. B.J. is refreshingly candid here and I found everything he had to share about directing and how he came to learn everything he knows, absolutely fascinating.
WATCHING
Taskmaster New Year’s Treat
Taskmaster fans, rejoice! It would be remiss of me not to give a mention to this one-off special that comes only once a year to give us a Taskmaster festive fix although the episode itself is festive in name and media assets only — just in case that time feels past now and puts you off. This special captures all the fun of the fair of the regular show but as it’s only one episode weirdly the stakes feel even higher than normal. Throw in a super eclectic collective of guest stars and we have ourselves a winner! For anyone who’d like to know more on what this sublimely ridiculous show is about (nutshell: unapologetically unadulterated silliness) I dedicated an entire post to my love for it last year. For anyone in the UK you can watch it on Channel 4/ All 4, outside of the UK, all episodes are available to watch on YouTube. They’ve also just announced the air date for the latest Champion of Champions extravaganza, oh yes, January 14th, 9pm!
MAESTRO dir. Bradley Cooper
Bradley Cooper takes on Leonard Bernstein? I went into this one more than a little trepidatious so much so I almost cannot believe that I am writing this now but I was swept up in this movie within seconds, fully transported and utterly enraptured from first moment to last. The storytelling is so powerfully tender and sympathetic. The filmmaking feels visionary. The performances by everyone, but particularly Carey Mulligan and Bradley Cooper are out-of-this-world and I found the whole thing magical, magical. I sobbed and laughed and was delighted by it, more so for going in with such low expectations — so maybe ignore everything I’ve just said (and everyone else chipping in on this one for that matter) and go in as sceptical as you can muster. You can find it on Netflix but this is one worthy of a big screen day out.
REWATCHING
James Acaster: REPERTOIRE
James Acaster is easily my favourite stand-up comedian though he sadly doesn’t do so much stand-up anymore. All the more reason to check out his four-part special on Netflix REPERTOIRE. I’ve watched this countless times and even when I know what’s coming it never fails to surprise me. This was airing on regular British television over Christmas and went from a casual I’ll just watch ten minutes to a rapidly turned full early evening binge. I find James Acaster so disarmingly funny and clever and weird, and his ability to weave a narrative thread through his stand-up sets let alone four hours worth, is something I haven’t seen done with such deft precision since Stewart Lee. Netflix hosts a ton of these types of specials but as far as I’m aware, only James Acaster’s has more than one episode. So if you like stand-up or consider yourself to have an eccentric sense of humour, this is unmissable.
Pride & Prejudice (1995)
Boy they don’t make ‘em like this anymore. Or rather, I don’t know that any Austen-esque drama has ever come close to the heights of the BBC’s 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, which I also rewatched over the Christmas break quite by chance and joyously found it totally stood up to my rosey gazed memory of it. In fairness I’ve never watched the more recent movie adaptation which I know lots of people really love but I’m not sure I ever will because this heavenly six-parter truly is the gold standard. I just don’t think it could be made now either, it belongs to a different time of pre-internet innocence. I heartily recommend a revisit for those who are already familiar but an even more enthusiastic this is an absolute must-watch classic for anyone that’s never seen it before, especially if you love a bit of period drama.
ELSEWHERE ON THE INTERNET
Marina Hyde for The Guardian on The Language of War
This is actually a piece from April 2020 so it directly relates of course to the beginnings of that which must not be named, but I revisited it recently because it resonated with me so distinctly at the time and wow, it somehow feels even more pertinent now. Marina Hyde taps into something here which speaks to me profoundly about our relationship to the language of war and its flagrant and loathesome usage which has spread virulently to all aspects of our culture. A truly thought provoking read on the power of our chosen vocabulary.
Allison Vallin Kostovick of Finch + Folly
I first discovered Allison Vallin Kostovick’s gorgeous patch of wildlife on Instagram and have since become a regular to her gorgeous website brimming with brilliant gardening tips, recipes, crafting ideas, homemade remedies and all round wholesome nourishing content. This is a gorgeous spot to have amongst your treasured bookmarks for homestead and gardening inspiration, or whilst the soils of the northern hemisphere lay dormant if you would simply delight in looking at pictures of lots of luscious green right now.
Any of these pieces really speaking to you? Anything you’d love to recommend to the community? What’s caught your eye recently?
Every time ICYMI lands in my inbox I immediately feel a sense of joy. It always delivers a wonderful curation of excellent things to delve into ✨
Jess Pan = genius 🧡 (love the mention of Claire 😉)
I was on the fence about Maestro too, but you’ve nudged me to put it on my watch list.
A tv show I would like to put into the mix and recommend is The Newsreader, its engrossing, engaging and Anna Torv is amazing. 📺📰
Oh I JUST LOVE YOU (obvs) thank you my gal! xoxox