Someone asked for a rebound trampoline a couple of weeks ago but they all had terrible Fakespot ratings. I looked a couple of times and couldn’t find anything. The set of 10 essential oils from Pura D’or arrived for a reader without the peppermint oil! It was packaged well and looked nice but was missing one. However the seller said they will send her a replacement. Let me know if there’s anything you want me to find on Amazon. I was in search of decent slippers, ordered three different pair which didn’t fit right and then just gave up and bought some at Walmart. (That’s the only option in my town.) Sometimes you have to try things on. Here are some more things I’m interested in from Amazon.

A C-shaped pregnancy pillow that’s great for side sleepers too

I got a noodle pillow when I was pregnant eons ago and it helped so much, especially in the last few months when I was so uncomfortable. I saw one of these pillows on Buzzfeed and now I really want one. I’ve been having neck and back issues and keep looking for better pillows. This pregnancy pillow by Insen has over 8,300 ratings, 4.6 stars and a B on Fakespot. It comes in six colors and in jersey and velvet fabrics. Both pregnant women and side sleeping non-pregnant people say this pillow is comfortable and helps them sleep better and wake up refreshed. They write “I sleep on my side, but have to have back support, also. I used to line the bed with pillows. Since this arrived, I literally have done away with my mass of pillows, as this provides me with the support I need, everywhere. One of my favorite purchases, and I only regret not buying one sooner!” “This pillow is so insanely comfortable, I’ve slept through my alarms twice this week. I’m not a pregnant woman, so I can’t attest to how the pillow works under that circumstance, but I will say that it has been very supportive with my back and for use between my knees.”

A 10% niacinamide serum with 1% zinc for clearer, smoother skin

I’ve ordered this Cos de Baha niacinamide twice and the last time I ran out it was no longer in stock. It seemed to really make a difference. I’m out of the replacement brand I ordered and am happy to see that it’s back. This niacinamide is under $10 for an ounce. This has 2,500 ratings, 4.4 stars and a B on Fakespot. It works to both clear skin and smooth fine lines and wrinkles. Reviewers write “This product really works wonders for trouble skin. I tried it hoping it would even out my skin tone from scarring and it did. It also clears up any active blemishes that I had when I started.” “It actually works better than the more expensive lines.” “My pores are clear, no breakouts and it pairs easily with all my other skincare products.”

A rechargeable portable massage gun to aid muscle recovery

I’m trying to stretch and use my foam roller but I’m still getting knots in my muscles. It occurred to me to get a massage gun after Paula Abdul mentioned it in an interview. This six speed percussive portable massage gun has 764 ratings, 4.3 stars and an A on Fakespot. It comes with four different massage heads and is about half the cost of comparable models at under $50. It also has a $3 off coupon you can check. People say it it’s quiet and that it’s just as good as the massage guns at the gym. “Surprisingly powerful for being a cordless rechargeable device. Feels amazing and is a wonderful quarantine replacement for a professional spa massage.” “This massager is amazing. I love that it has different speeds and massage heads to use for different muscles. The case makes it extremely easy to store and keep all the parts & charger together. It competes with higher-priced massagers that we have had in the past.”

A creamy highlighter that’s so versatile

Butter highlighter by Physician’s Formula comes in six colors for all different skin tones. It has 4.6 stars, over 4,400 ratings and a B on Fakespot. Women say it works great as eyeshadow and highlighter and some use it as bronzer and blush. It’s also said to work well on older skin unlike other brands. “I love this highlighter. I use it for multiple uses, cheekbones, eye shadow and for my brows. I have extremely fair skin so this product works well for me.” “ It creates a flawless sheen that is visible without being obviously heavy and cakey. Oh, and it smells like a very light fresh coconut, which makes me so happy!”

A pizza stone and wooden paddle for crispier pizza in the oven or on the grill

This 12” by 15” pizza stone by Augusta is $40 and comes with a wooden pizza peel, which I think you can also use as a server. A typical large pizza is about 12 inches, so if you’re cooking a frozen pizza this would work great. It would also be great for homemade pizza and it works well to bake bread too. This has almost 800 ratings, 4.4 stars and an A on Fakespot. Reviewers really like it and say it works with all types of crusts. “This is an excellent value and product. I have used it in my BBQ with a metal woodstove thermometer to bake pizza. I’ve given these as gifts and everyone appreciates the pizza peel.” “When heated to 500 degrees F, the pizza stone can double as a tandoor oven. I made great garlic naans.”

A comfy two piece tracksuit that you’ll want to wear every day

This two piece tracksuit comes in 31 different colors, some with tie dye and others with the saying “be kind.” It has 4.1 stars, over 6,700 ratings and a B on Fakespot, which is much better than the other tracksuits I looked up. It comes in sizes small to 3x and is said to run small in the arms so you may want to size up. Women say it’s comfortable, stretchy and flattering. “I’ve bought seven of these two piece sets. I wear them out and about to a casual restaurant, to the gym, shopping and walking dogs. The material is soft and also great for lounging in.” “ Perfect for working remote, running errands or just lounging around. Love the fit of the pants. Just an easy way to be comfy but pulled together.”

A butane torch for fancy desserts and easy broiling

I keep seeing recipes that call for broiling and whenever I try to do it in the oven I end up leaving it in too long. A butane torch can have the same effect with less time and effort. Here’s more on how to use a torch. You can brown toppings, roast peppers, make a tuna melt, broil fish and meats and of course make creme brulee and brown meringues. Plus you can use it for household repairs. It sounds pretty easy to use, as long as you point it away from the food until the flame is blue and then use a sweeping motion. This torch is under $15. It has 4.5 stars, almost 3,000 ratings and a B on Fakespot. You will need to get the butane separately and you have to attach it to the canister to use it. Many people like this better than the kind you have to refill and say it’s easier to use with peace of mind. “It’s an easy twist-on to the gas, pull the trigger, and a twist knob to turn up the intensity of the gas. I’ve read so many reviews of other products leaking after refilling or forgetting to put the safety on and worrying. When I’m done, I twist the torch off and put it away, in a separate drawer than the gas. No worries, no hassle.”

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The subtext and context of every story about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex over the past 14 months has been “the Windsors and the royal press cannot control them.” That’s such a huge part of ALL of this. When the Windsors want to take one of their own to task, they do it through the press, through a leak, through a comment from an “unnamed source” to a friendly journalist. When the press wants something from the Windsors, they use their coverage to manipulate them. Harry and Meghan said “f–k you very much” to all of that. They aren’t playing that game at all. Which begs the question: why can’t those same royal commentators take Harry and Meghan’s names out of their damn mouths? At this point, it’s clear Harry and Meghan are going to be America for a while. What they do here in America doesn’t concern Salty White Folk Isle at all. But that won’t stop Ingrid Seward from pretending she has some kind of big dumb scoop about the Montecito Baby.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry ‘already know the sex of their baby’ and are likely to ditch standard royal names in favour of a more symbolic, Victorian-style moniker, an expert has claimed. Royal biographer Ingrid Seward told FEMAIL she believes Meghan, 39, and Harry, 36, already know the gender of their baby because ‘that is the LA way’ – and suggested they may opt for a more off-the-wall name now they’re free of royal constraints.

‘I’m certain that neither of them will feel obliged to use any of the standard royal names,’ she explained. ‘I’m sure they will already know the sex of the baby, as that is the LA way. I imagine they might go for the Victorian style names which are all symbolic of colours. For a boy, they may choose Red, which is Redmond, Blue or Grey. Whereas for the girl choices, I can see them turning to the flowers – Daisy, Primrose, Violet or Ivy. I certainly don’t think they’ll be following Gwyneth Paltrow’s steps by looking to fruit.’

Ingrid added that she wouldn’t be surprised if they choose Diana if it’s a girl – one of the current bookies’ favourites – as a tribute to Harry’s mother. Ladbrokes has Alfie and Alexandra as frontrunners, both with odds of 4-1, and the betting on the baby’s sex has seen both a boy and girl priced at 10-11.

When Meghan was pregnant with Archie, she caused a furore with her lavish $500,000 New York baby shower held in the penthouse of the Mark Hotel, which reportedly left senior courtiers ‘spitting out their morning tea’ when pictures of the luxurious affair emerged. Ingrid said she has ‘no doubt’ the duchess’ glamorous LA lifestyle will play a part in her second pre-birth celebration, and suggested new neighbour Oprah Winfrey may be first in line to plan it.

‘I think Meg’s girlfriends will be fighting for the privilege of giving her a baby shower this time around,’ Ingrid observed. ‘Perhaps Oprah might step up to the role as she is a neighbour now? Saying that, though it’s tradition that friends throw the shower, her nearest and dearest may host it at Meghan’s house – it will no doubt still be very elaborate compared to how we Brits do it. If her last shower is anything to go off, expect harpists and a boujee banquet.’

[From The Daily Mail]

“They will already know the sex of the baby, as that is the LA way.” Literally every modern OBGYN asks the couple if they would like to know the sex of the baby, because the imaging technology has gotten that good. Doctors can tell the sex at like four or five months or something without even needing bloodwork or an amnio. My point is that it’s not “the LA way.” It’s just… the way, and it’s a choice every parent makes about whether or not they’ll find out the sex! And her guesses for the name are just asinine, as is all of the name conversation. I didn’t think “Archie Harrison” was even that “royal.” They obviously didn’t want Archie to sound like a Victorian ghost but beyond that, the name isn’t really modern OR royal. And the bitching about the baby shower… for goodness sake, shut up. You don’t own them. You can’t control them. Take their names out of your g–damn mouth.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.

Skeet Ulrich and Lucy Hale met while filming Riverdale, although she left Riverdale for her own spinoff show, Katy Keene. He’s 51, she’s 31. She was about seven years old when Skeet entered pop culture with performances in the 1996 movies Scream and The Craft. And now they’re apparently dating??

Skeet Ulrich appears to have a “pretty little” girlfriend: Lucy Hale. The “Scream” star, 51, and the former “Pretty Little Liars” actress, 31, were photographed on a PDA-heavy lunch date in Los Angeles on Sunday — and the May-December pair appeared to be completely smitten with one another.

In one of the photos, Hale and Ulrich are seen sharing a kiss as they wait for their food at the Sweet Butter Cafe. In another, the actors playfully hold on to each other’s hands. In addition to lunch, the stars were photographed going for a touchy-feeling stroll through Los Angeles, where they were pictured wearing face masks, blue jeans and sunglasses.

Page Six has reached out to reps for Hale and Ulrich for comment. It’s possible the pair met through their involvement in the CW series “Riverdale” and “Katy Keene.” Ulrich played Forsythe Pendleton Jones II on “Riverdale” up until Season 4, and Hale starred in “Katy Keene,” which is a “Riverdale” spinoff.

[From Page Six]

I mean, everyone is legal and it’s not like he’s 50 years old and he’s dating a teenager. I’m not being an apologist for this relationship, but a 31-year-old woman can make her own dating choices without MY input. I do wonder if Lucy is a bit like me – maybe she has a dirtbag problem. Maybe she always falls for the wrong guy, or the guy who was a minor ‘90s heartthrob, or the guy who literally changed his name to SKEET (his birth name is Bryan Ray Trout). Oh, and dude is the father of 20-year-old twins! His kids are closer in age to Lucy than he is. Anyway, God bless and Godspeed. I think this is a big yikes but it’s really not for me to judge!

Lucy Hale photographed kissing Skeet Ulrich https://t.co/dG0IKPovSl pic.twitter.com/YThOCaM0ZO

— Page Six (@PageSix) February 22, 2021

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.

Over the weekend, the Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support announced on their social media that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had donated to their Dallas women’s shelter. Harry and Meghan donated through their Archewell Foundation, and they did so because the shelter was significantly damaged in the brutal winter storm last week.

Today, the news of our damages reached Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex! Through their nonprofit, they are supporting us by replacing the roof at our transitional housing facility & helping us meet our immediate needs. THANK YOU, ARCHEWELL FOUNDATION! pic.twitter.com/rFtxzvtFRo

— Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support (@GenesisShelter) February 22, 2021

Good for them. This shows that the Archewell Foundation is up and running financially too. Which makes me wonder what will happen when Archewell really gets going and Harry and Meghan are partnering with NGOs and billionaires to do big work internationally. I wonder what the British media and House Petty will say then. What will the anti-Sussex argument be when H&M thrive outside of the salty bubble of royal lies? Speaking of, many people were posting and discussing Peter Hunt’s essay in the Spectator. Hunt is something of an old-guard royalist/journalist and he had a much less hysterical take on the Sussexit stuff. Here’s part of the essay:

To Harry and Meghan’s critics – and they have plenty – the equation is simple. If millions of Netflix and Spotify dollars are pouring into your bank accounts, you can’t be opening fetes in Chipping Sodbury; not that such an opportunity was likely to have ever been high on their royal to do list. This analysis is compelling but misses a painful element of the sorry saga. A family has rejected one of its own. The matriarch ensured all olive branches were severed from the Megxit tree.

When Megxit was first added to our lexicon, the Sussexes were naively seeking to have their cake and eat it. A year on, they were just looking for a few crumbs. None were offered. As a family – dysfunctional as so many are – the Windsors could and should have left the door ajar. They could and should have facilitated a future where the couple would return for Trooping the Colour; Harry, who served his country, would lay a wreath on Remembrance Sunday each year; and they would continue to represent the Queen at some future Commonwealth events.

The royals are superb at making it up as they go along. When the Queen was at an engagement last year and clearly didn’t want to be seen wearing a mask, her officials came up with the wheeze of Covid testing all those she would encounter. Instead of doing the right thing – a head of state leading by example – they avoided a confrontation with a 94-year-old and opted for the easy option.

The royals have shown that they can adapt and accommodate. They’ve chosen not to do so for someone who is a grandson, a son and a brother – someone who has been damaged by the ties that bind him. At the behest of his family, aged 12, Harry walked behind his mother’s coffin; something he once said ‘no child should be asked to do’.

The talk and the hope now in royal circles will be of moving on and consigning Megxit to the footnotes of royal history. They can’t see that future accounts will, I believe, record the Queen as having acted poorly when responding to a grandson who adores her. Mean spirited over magnanimous won the day. History will also reflect on how the painful lessons inflicted on the royals after Diana’s death have been forgotten. ‘Show us you care’ would be a fitting lament for Prince Harry.

The royals, and those who surround them, still can’t see what they have jettisoned. It will be on display when Meghan and Harry’s interview with Oprah is broadcast. The monarchy failed, in the 21st century, to embrace a woman of African American heritage. They have reverted to being white, predominately male (only three out of the first ten in the line of succession are female) and, as things stand, a tad stale.

[From The Spectator]

No lies detected, honestly. Instead of taking the long view, instead of spending the past year preparing a different kind of offer for the Sussexes, instead of defending them as a beloved grandson and granddaughter-in-law, the Queen remained as tone-deaf, cold and vindictive as she always was. No lessons were learned from the Diana era. Only this time, they weren’t dealing with an aristocrat’s teenage daughter, someone they thought they could manipulate and gaslight into submission. They were dealing with a 30-something American woman who had lived and worked in the real world. A woman who got one good look at the entire organization and jumped. And she took her prince too. But yeah, the Queen is f–king awful and this has just reinforced all of that.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

A post shared by Matthew McConaughey (@officiallymcconaughey)

Texans are still reeling from the aftermath of storms that left us without water and power in some places for days, causing untold suffering and dozens of deaths. Not only are Texans grappling with a lost of property and life but many are now receiving electricity bills in the thousands.

Beyonce’s BeyGOOD foundation is partnering with Adidas and Bread of Life to provide funds for Texans in crisis due to the storm. Matthew McConaughey, another fellow Texan, has announced that his just keep living Foundation will be hosting a virtual benefit in a couple of weeks. Matthew said he and his wife Camila want to help support Texans in need. Below is more on the benefit via Fox7Austin:

“Yes, as most of you know, my home state of Texas was just hit with the worst winter storm it’s had in the last 70 years. It left a whole lot of people without power, without water, and without a whole lot of basic necessities,” McConaughey said. “And while most of the power’s thankfully been restored, the busted water lines from hospitals, to so many homes, has left so many Texans without the bare necessities they need to survive.”

In the video, McConaughey says the couple is presently working with organizations on the ground in Texas but is putting the benefit together to “directly help the necessary long-term effort to rebuild Texas and take care of those in need.”

McConaughey also said that he will be making daily Instagram posts letting Texans know how to keep safe, find resources, help volunteer and support others, as well as provide checklists to help residents do all they can and need to do to stabilize, rebuild, and get back to living.

He also stressed the need for Texans to check on their neighbors and to support each other following the winter storm and during the rebuilding effort. “If you’re a have, please help out a have not, there’s a bunch of them in your neighborhood, across the street, wherever you can get to,” McConaughey said. “If you can, it is needed, please do.”

[From Fox7Austin]

The one thing that I can say about Texans is how we come together when we are in crisis. I love that Beyonce and Matthew are now doing philanthropic work to help Texans come out of this crisis. I’ll admit that Matthew has been irritating me lately but this is a good thing. I am proud to see other Texans swooping in to assist, unlike several of our elected officials who fled the state when people were literally freezing the death. Speaking of elected officials, I have the sneaky suspicion that Matthew may be gearing up to run for office, but I digress.

Matthew also stated in his video that he will be posting information on Instagram to help Texans stay safe and find resources. The only issue is not everyone has access to Instagram but I do hope that enough folks will be able to spread the word. I also found his statement about using the money to build long-term efforts interesting. I wonder if he is talking about helping rebuild infrastructure? Either way, Texans know when to fold them and at this point we will take whatever help we can get.

We’re Texas pic.twitter.com/rwIo81Pn6E

— Matthew McConaughey (@McConaughey) February 22, 2021

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

As we all know, Meghan McCain is the worst. She stands for nothing, she’s a dumbass and she probably voted for Donald Trump, the man who said that her father is burning in hell. She parrots right-wing talking points constantly yet inconsistently. She says “my father” about everything, even armed insurrections. And now Meghan McCain would like to see Dr. Anthony Fauci – the director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases – fired because he doesn’t “understand science” and because he has not personally told her, a 36-year-old clueless Nazi Barbie, when she can get a coronavirus vaccine.

Meghan McCain, who may have been reading too many Ben Shapiro tweets Monday morning, embarked on one of her signature rants during which she both complained about not getting a COVID-19 vaccine yet—despite her position as a co-host of very important daytime talk show The View—and called on President Joe Biden to fire Dr. Anthony Fauci and replace him with someone who actually “does understand science.”

She began by sharing a clip of Fauci on CNN’s State of the Union over the weekend resisting Dana Bash’s plea to give concrete advice to vaccinated grandparents about how to visit their unvaccinated grandchildren. “There will be recommendations coming out. I don’t want to be making a recommendation now on public TV,” he said. “I would want to sit down with the team and take a look at that.”

“So I was very frustrated when I saw this clip,” McCain said, explaining she has “respect” for the pandemic that has now taken more than half a million American lives and doesn’t mean to “downplay” the tragedy. “That being said, next week it will be a year since we left the studio and I have been very responsible in many different ways as so many Americans have been. And the fact that Dr. Fauci is going on CNN and he can’t tell me that if I get the vaccine, if I’ll be able to have dinner with my family.”

“It’s terribly inconsistent messaging and it continues to be inconsistent messaging,” she said, comparing the U.S. response to a billboard from Israel she saw online—“Get a shot, take a shot”—that promised people they could go to bars with their friends after getting vaccinated.

“The fact that I, Meghan McCain, co-host of The View, don’t know when or how I will be able to get a vaccine because the rollout for my age range and my health is so nebulous, I have no idea when and how I get it,” the 36-year-old pundit said. “I want to get it. If you call me at three o’clock in the morning, I will go any place at any time to get it.”

“I want to be responsible and obviously wait my turn,” she continued, “but this rollout has been a disaster. And I understand President Trump can take much of the blame, but now we’re in the Biden administration and I, for one, would like something to look forward to and to hope for because if getting the vaccine means that just nothing changes and we have to wait another few years until everyone gets it, there’s already a lot of people not getting it.

“So I’m over Dr. Fauci,” McCain declared. “I think we need to have more people giving more opinions and honestly quite frankly, I think the Biden administration should remove him and put someone in place that does understand science or can talk like these other countries about how we can be more like these other places that are doing this successfully.”

[From The Daily Beast]

Countries like Israel have been able to get so many people vaccinated because their population is around 9 million. It would be like America pouring every national resource into merely vaccinating New Jersey. America is big and distribution will obviously be a much bigger issue in a huge country, especially compared to a densely populated country like Israel. As for Meghan’s bitching about how she has some particular need for the vaccine because she’s a View co-host… my God. So many white women really think this way though.

Here’s the clip – Meghan actually goes on and on about this, but yeah. Peak White Woman. Big “I Want To Speak To The Manager” Energy.

Screencaps courtesy of The View.

It felt like we didn’t even see the Duchess of Sussex for several months there, but that was because she was sort of hiding her pregnancy. She was seen, just not below her shoulders. It’s my hope that now that the Sussexes have confirmed their pregnancy and the Sussexit has been formalized in every way, that we’ll start seeing more of them. Like, I would 100% be into more Zoom calls (which get released publicly) and some virtual appearances and speeches. Maybe this is the start of something: Meghan and Harry filmed a short little appearance as part of Spotify’s Stream On virtual hype conference. Meghan wore the $3,490 Oscar de la Renta Citrus Primavera Peplum Hem Dress for the appearance. The dress isn’t my favorite, but I enjoy her styling and she looks cute as hell.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are making their first appearance after two major announcements. After sharing on Valentine’s Day that they are expecting their second child and Buckingham Palace’s confirmation last week that the couple won’t return as working members of the royal family, Meghan and Harry made a surprise appearance at Spotify’s Stream On event on Monday. The couple appeared on their couch in their Santa Barbara, California, home to talk about Archewell Audio, the production company they formed late last year that will create podcasts exclusively on Spotify.

As the song “Electric Love” by Børns plays, Meghan says, “We’re using podcasting to drive powerful conversations…”

Before Harry continues, “…that inspire, challenge and educate.”

“We created Archewell Audio to make sure that we can elevate voices that maybe aren’t being heard and hear people’s stories,” Meghan says.

Harry adds, “And the biggest part of this is to create this community of where you can share, that will encourage everybody else to then share their own vulnerabilities within that safe space.”

[From People]

I’m including the video below (I cued it to start at the Sussexes’ appearance). The Sussexes inked their Spotify deal last December, and so far, they’ve only produced one podcast where they seemed to be trying to do too much (IMO). I was kind of expecting the Sussexes to do additional pods in January and February, but maybe that will be part of the Oprah interview as well, a timeline for when we can expect Archewell Audio to really get up and running.

Screencaps courtesy of Spotify.

This is a side note but I have mixed emotions about Ariana Huffington. I used to work as the lunchtime bartender at the restaurant next door to her then husband Michael’s campaign office. Michael was very personable, we loved when he came in. And whereas Ariana was nice to our customers, she treated us, the staff, markedly different, and was oddly demonstrative about it. But I admire how she supported Michael and the LGBTQ community after their divorce, so I try to be charitable and hope she’s softened. And I respect the hell out of how she reinvented herself since her days as a candidate’s wife.

Ariana co-founded The Huffington Post and is the founder and CEO of Thrive Global, whose mission is to avoid burnout from exhaustion in the workplace. Hollywood Life got an exclusive with Ariana, who is set to speak at the No7 Unstoppable Together Job Summit tomorrow, and asked her about the “mass exodus” of women from the workforce that Kamala Harris’ recently called a “national emergency.” Ariana says we are in big trouble if we don’t curb the “she-cession,” as it is being called, and that we, in fact, stand to lose many of the gains women have worked so hard to get.

Tell us about the No7 Unstoppable Together Job Summit? Why is it crucial to address the she-cession now?

Women have borne the lion’s share of the economic burdens of the pandemic, which we can see in job losses, women leaving the workforce, and in the disproportionate mental load of running family life at home. Too many women are being forced to choose between being successful in their jobs or being successful in their roles at home. And this she-cession threatens to roll back many of the gains women have made in recent years.

By giving women the tools, they need to protect their own mental resilience and well-being, we can empower them to navigate the uncertainties that will define our future. For all the challenges of this time, this is also a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a new normal for women that’s a better normal.

Last year had a revolutionary impact on the way people work, with more employees working remotely. Which positive changes do you wish to see continue once we come out of the pandemic?

We were already in an epidemic of stress and burnout before the coronavirus pandemic, and now the conversation around well-being and mental resilience has been brought to the front burner.

Companies increasingly see well-being as essential to every aspect of their business. So, I hope we’ll continue to see companies take action to nurture the health and well-being of their employees, whether they’re working remotely or in the office. Mental resilience has to be a key part of our new normal.

[From Hollywood Life]

When reading stories of parents who had to deal with home schooling or home care during Stay At Home, it was the mother who left her job in almost every case. And the reason was usually because the husband made more money, so it was practical to give up the position that made less money. But that’s a sad commentary, that women still, consistently, make less money than men across the board. I know in the personal conversations I’m having, in which both parents are fortunate enough to have jobs, it’s still the mother who is also managing the schoolwork almost exclusively if the children are home. And when my kids talk about their Zoom classes, it’s only the female teachers who keep having to interrupt their sessions to attend to their own child’s needs, never their male teachers. We, even today, are still functioning as a society that *allows* a woman to have a job if and only if she has her household taken care of. It’s like the end of the WWII all over again – when the country closed for business, and there were so many less jobs, somehow the men got to keep the ones that were left. Package it however you want, Rosie the Riveter was sent home once again. Ariana is exactly right, we do stand to lose everything because the sad fact is, we haven’t gained near as much as we thought, and the pandemic has put a spotlight on that. We should start by not giving this a cute nickname like “she-cession.” I’m okay with mass exodus but even that overlooks the fact we are being forced out.

The rest of Ariana’s interview dealt with mental health. It’s good and worth reading. Her Thrive website is devoted to tips and data to help people from letting their work send them to an early grave. There’s an app too. It’s everything from events to breathing tips to how to sleep better (which Ariana is a big advocate of). Check it out, get a good night’s rest and let’s go take back the workforce because there is no way we’re giving it back to the Boys Club.

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Photo credit: Avalon and Getty Images

Spoilers for the ending of Bridgerton season one
Over the weekend we discovered that Bridgerton’s Rege-Jean “The Duke” Page can actually sing and has great comedic timing. Nicola Coughlan revealed to fans on Twitter that there was an easter egg about the identity of Penelope Featherington in episode one. Now we have a new interview with Claudia Jessie, who played Eloise Bridgerton. Eloise is best friends with Penelope Featherington, who is revealed in the final episode to be Lady Whistledown. Eloise wanted more options in life besides marriage and family, which was quite feminist for her time. In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar Claudia discusses what drew her to the role of Eloise, what to expect from her character in season two and how Eloise would react to finding out that Lady Whistledown was her bestie the entire time. Below are a few excerpts:

On what drew her to the character and why Eloise stands out
I think what drew me to her is the thing that makes her stand out so much, actually. And the fact that she is sort of as close to the audience as you’re going to get really character-wise. She feels the most contemporary, and I’m aware that I play her as well with a sort of contemporary edge.

I think what makes us stand up against the other characters is how she doesn’t internalize anything. You can see [how other characters] struggle internally in their thinking, almost like they’re sinking inside of themselves, and how they struggle to communicate with each other properly, and they get tongue-tied and nervous and cut over themselves. Eloise did not have that problem. She’s so outwards, and everything that comes out of her mouth is the exact stream of consciousness… And she’s hilarious—she’s simply hilarious. She’s a rebel, and she’s a lovable rogue, and she’s ridiculous and quick—and I think that’s why people love her.

On what she wants for Eloise
I think about Eloise all the time. I think about how much fun she would have being exposed to sort of owning her life. Firstly, I’d like to see her debut [ball], because she’s going to do it and she’s going to shake things up and basically take the piss out of it. I’m excited for that. But I would really love to see Eloise just really own every space she’s in. She had this vision that her sister was the perfect debutante, and then Eloise comes sort of like crashing through with her own personality. She is given a little bit more freedom to be herself, with Phoebe being in a high-status relationship, and it gives Eloise a bit more room to have her own space.

“What drama can you not wait to revisit for Season 2?”
Eloise not knowing who Lady Whistledown is! She is going to be pissed! I just can’t imagine what that is going to be like. That’s such a shock to a friendship. You have this woman, this character, this mysterious scribbler that Eloise is basically a bit in love with, and kinda wants to be her best mate—has been lying to her, writing about her family, and causing scandals. To me, that’s the most compelling thing in the world.

Also, anything that Lady Danbury and the queen do—anything that they do, I’m going to be watching. I don’t care. I’ll watch them eat toast. I’ll watch them stare at a cup of tea. I will watch them blow their noses, and I’ll have been moved.

[From Harper’s Bazaar]

I personally liked Eloise. She was hella quirky and a bit self-absorbed but she made the show fun. Eloise showed the limited options that women of the regency era had and it was absolutely depressing. I felt bad for Eloise because you could tell that she was becoming bitter at being forced into a life she didn’t want. I also loved how Eloise tried to save Lady Whistledown. My favorite exchange was when Eloise and Penelope were discussing how a woman gets pregnant and they thought pregnancy was contagious.

I am sure Claudia is right that when Eloise finds out that Lady Whistledown is her best friend she may go off the deep end. How do you keep a secret like that from your bestie? Then again I am not so sure if Eloise would be able to keep the secret. Claudia is another Bridgerton star that I hope to see more of. I am definitely looking forward season two. I am excited to see how all of the characters grow and mature. I also hope that Eloise gets at least a chance to live out her life as a writer. I am definitely #TeamFreeEloise. Can’t help but love a budding feminist.

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John Boyega covers British GQ because the magazine has done multiple covers for their “Men of the Year Awards.” Boyega won the GQ Icon award for his speeches and conversations around race and racism this year, plus he’s promoting his role in Steve McQueen’s miniseries Small Axe. In the interview, there’s a lot of talk about Boyega’s interview over the summer, where he directly criticized the way Disney handled his character, and how Disney has handled other non-white actors and characters within the Star Wars franchise. He also talks about how he stepped down from his Jo Malone ambassadorship this year too (because of racism). Some highlights:

On his comments about Disney & the Star Wars franchise: “You didn’t know what was going on, but it was like a little light against a batch of TNT. Because there were certain truths. So I knew what the process would be like for the audience and what people would say. But now it’s not the elephant in the room – which is brilliant. Now it’s not an alien conversation to have and so I feel like my role has been fulfilled in terms of the discussions I’ve had since.”

He’s had conversations with other actors about feeling used to look “diverse”: “Loads of people got in touch and reached out, people who are just starting out their careers as actors and also some established people who stay quite silent about what they go through… It’s complicated, because beyond what we post on Instagram and Twitter there’s a whole life of different discussions and experiences. And I guess because sometimes when you have financial stability, you feel too scared to speak up about anything that’s worrying you because people will just be like, ‘You have money. Shut up.’”

He had conversations with Star Wars people too: “I’ve spoken to [Star Wars director] JJ [Abrams], I’ve spoken to [Lucasfilm president] Kathy Kennedy and it was a transparent, open conversation,” he begins, in a low voice. “[Kathy] keeps in touch and will drop me an email once in a while. It was great to share our different ideas and concerns and just speak about it honestly. And for me, man, it’s very hard to get people to that point. Sometimes you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do. So it was a very beneficial and positive conversation and I really appreciate the fact that she reached out.”

On the Jo Malone thing: “I just unfortunately find myself navigating a space where these challenges come up.” Some in Boyega’s orbit were advising him to accept Jo Malone London’s apologies and “reconcile”, but, well, that was never going to happen. “Reconcile? Reconcile? That kind of brand relationship is based on the value that you both bring to each other. There were so many phenomenal individuals [involved in making those campaign films] that it broke my heart not to be able to work with them again; my nephews were in the last ad we did. But the great thing is that you jump off one thing and all the other corporations come out. And because now when someone is approaching me they have much more knowledge of who I am as a person, I find their campaigns are much more related to what I’m about. But it’s all good, you know? You live and you learn. Or, at least, they lived and they learned.”

On the lockdowns & dealing with time off: “It’s just, like, chill. Relax, man. It’s, like, who do we owe? Are we being hard on ourselves as a human race? Damn, I really saw the value in procrastinating for three days. Really, I’ve been struggling with the work-ethic sh-t. I work very hard. But like any ingredient, you don’t want too much of one thing. And rest is that little thing in my pot that makes everything make sense.”

[From British GQ]

Yeah, there’s not much new here – I do think Boyega was brave to speak about how badly Disney handled the race issues around Star Wars, but even then… what he said had already been said by critics and culture writers, which is that the last trilogy was f–king painful on so many levels. As for the Jo Malone thing… I think it’s the same as his Disney criticism, there will be studios and companies and producers who don’t want to work with Boyega now because they perceive him as a “radical” or someone who will criticize them publicly if they f–k up. But I also think Boyega has A) stayed true to who he is and B) won new fans and earned the respect of many colleagues. But yeah, it will be interesting to see what work he does get in coming years.

Cover courtesy of British GQ, additional photos courtesy of Avalon Red.