Dopamine, the US election abroad, and secondhand L.L.Bean finds

The Week That Was

Oct 20, 2024

‘The Week That Was’ is a free weekly newsletter that includes a selection of things on my mind (books, art, culture, slow life(style), global affairs, learnings, travel, etc.) as well as articles and podcasts I enjoyed during the week, an album of the week, and other recommendations. If you enjoy these topics, consider becoming a paid subscriber. For $5 a month, you can access the rest of the We, Renaissance Women content, including my monthly book round-up, travel guides, life(style) essays and interviews, and the country bulletin series.

1. DOSE: Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, Endorphins

This week was one of those that went in the blink of an eye. I had something after work every night of the week, which I generally try not to do. (When am I going to read my books if that is the case?!)

The evening plans included a community dinner hosted by Next Door Dinners, films for the Chicago International Film Festival (more on that below), and a keynote speaker event hosted by an advisory board I am on for a University. Then, on Friday, I graduated from my leadership cohort program with a final presentation on The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership.

On Saturday, we ticked off errands, and I test-drove a car (!). We celebrated love at an engagement party and then tried a new-to-us Taiwanese restaurant, where we ate salt and pepper tofu and plum-flavoured fried sweet potato (which we both agreed tasted like the Taiwanese version of carnival food).

One of the benefits of all these plans is that I spent a significant portion of time in the car, which gave me the opportunity to listen to this podcast episode…two times! This might be the best podcast episode I have ever listened to…a bold statement, but I found it to be fascinating AND useful.

In the episode, Ali speaks with TJ Power, a neuroscientist, to learn about the four main chemicals in the brain: dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins. He explains what these chemicals do, why they are important, how modern living affects them, and five action steps for boosting their levels.

I thought I understood a bit about these chemicals, but it turns out I was missing the bigger picture, especially when it comes to how they all connect. Additionally, while I have heard all the advice before - phone fasting, cold water plunge, gut health, gratitude, good sleep and nutrition, sunlight, etc. - I never really knew the why behind it. Now, I unequivocally do.

Ah! It is so good—my sister and boyfriend also have since listened and loved it. My small steps since listening include charging my phone on the other side of the apartment so that I do not automatically look at it when I first wake up, reducing my coffee intake, and, yes, trying a few seconds of a cold shower.

2. Chicago International Film Festival

While I do not watch much TV at home, I am always eager to go to the movies. The experience is unparalleled, which is one of the reasons I enjoy the Chicago International Film Festival so much. This is my third year attending, and each year, I have seen an incredible array of films from around the world.

My film friend and I went to the opening night to see The Piano Lesson (2024), adapted from August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork. I loved this film, which tells the story of a family clash over an heirloom piano. The sister wants to keep it, while the brother wants to sell it and use the profit to better his life. Arguments ensue as we learn the history of the piano and the family. (Coming to Netflix November 22nd)

For a date night, we saw Maria (2024), the new Angelina Jolie film about the beautiful and tragic story of the life of Maria Callas (the world's greatest female opera singer) during her final days in 1970s Paris. An absolutely stunning film - in visuals, sound, and story. This needs to be seen in a theatre with surround sound to get the full impact of the opera! (In select theaters on November 27th and Netflix on December 11th)

This afternoon, I’m taking myself on a solo date to see my third film of the festival, Vermiglio (2024). It's an Italian drama “set towards the end of the Second World War, in a high, remote mountain village in the Italian Alps where the arrival of a refugee soldier alters the dynamics of the place forever.”

I’m also considering going to see Once Upon a Time in a Forest (2024), about young climate activists fighting to save the Finnish forest, and the Swiss family drama The Sparrow in the Chimney (2024), which “explores the explosive, aggressive potential of everyday human interaction.” Every year, I wish I could cancel everything and see a film every day of the festival, so their list of women-centered films can now be considered my future watch list!

So far, I would recommend all!

3. The U.S. Election Abroad

In the first few days after Kamala Harris announced her run for President, my FYP was filled with videos celebrating her. Each video had hundreds of comments from gleeful women around the world stressing their support of this new direction. “We stand with you, our American sisters…” they would say. In those first few days, it seemed the whole world had breathed a small sigh of relief and maybe a glimmer of hope.

Of course, the presidential election is not actually the most important thing on everyone in the world’s mind. This piece from The Dial does a fantastic job of showing various perspectives from different countries. They asked 12 writers, each from a different country, to share what the conversation sounds like where they live. Here are some snippets":

Afghanistan: “Today, Afghans have many bigger issues to deal with than the American presidential election. They face a severe economic and humanitarian crisis, with an estimated 23.7 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and 48 percent of the population living below the poverty line.”

Germany: “As for Kamala Harris, the word typically used to describe what Germany can expect from her presidency is “continuity.” That is meant as a positive — and as a contrast to Trump.”

South Africa: “That may also explain the lack of interest in Kamala Harris: When it comes to the things they care about — foreign aid, the U.S.-Chinese competition, attitudes toward the war in Gaza — South Africans don’t expect that much substantive policy change even under a Harris administration.”

A big takeaway? Most countries have their own domestic issues that take precedence. The whole article is a great read—I highly recommend it!

4. Secondhand L.L. Bean Finds

I hate to brag, but I found a perfect L.L.Bean barn jacket on ThredUp for a fraction of the price of a new one. They retail for around $129, but this one was listed for $46.99, and I had some credits, so I only paid $15.52!! I know, it seems wrong. It was in someone’s cart for three hours, and I set a timer to grab it if they did not check out.

In fact, it is the third perfect L.L. Bean item I have found on ThredUp recently, all of which were on my wishlist. There is so much good stuff from the brand on there.

First, I bought a red and black checked sweater ($35.99) that I can’t wait to wear for outdoor adventures over the coming cooler months—particularly glamping for my birthday! Then, I bought a very practical navy blue rain jacket ($14.39) for year-round outdoor adventures.

All the L.L.Bean items I have are of great quality, and it is a brand that I will happily buy new if there is something specific that I need (or maybe want). However, it is always preferable to get things secondhand. Take this as a sign that you can absolutely find the exact items you want secondhand; it just takes a little bit of patience and some monitoring of shopping carts.

As a reminder, you can use my ThredUp code for 45% off and free shipping on your first order. I will get a $40 credit when your order ships.

5. Planning A Trip to Mexico City

It has been eight years since we last visited Mexico City, so my sister and I are planning a sister trip there in November. The flights have been booked, and we are now working on our itinerary. We will be there for almost a week, so we definitely have a good amount of time to re-experience a city I have been raving about since I first visited in 2015.

I think we have enough time to revisit places we have been to before while also seeing some new-to-us things, such as a day trip to the canals of Xochimilco, the last remnants of a vast water transport system built by the Aztecs. Currently, my top food choice is Expendio de Maiz Sin Nombre, which does not have a menu. Instead, they ask what you like and then produce a selection of dishes based on the tortilla, all made from heirloom corn that they source, nixtamalize, and grind in-house.

I would love to know if you have any recommendations!

Have you found any great secondhand finds recently? Any podcasts that have changed your life? Any exciting plans coming up? I would love to hear!