Books, films and music by women

The Week That Was

Jun 02, 2024

Happy June! I’m definitely in the process of ~transitioning~ out of being in school. When my boyfriend asked me what I was going to do with my newfound free time, I began listing off about fifty things, to which he responded, “I don’t think you are getting that much time back…” Turns out, he was right. Despite how I envisioned my new weeks when I was deep into my final semester, I actually did not read double the amount, have social plans with everyone I know, take up six new hobbies, be excellent at responding to texts, or write multiple newsletters… I did, however, have additional time to cuddle with the cat and be the one to go to the grocery store. What can I say? I’m working out the new routine. That being said, I’m pretty interested in taking Progressive International’s summer course on Global Capitalism: Past, Present, and Future…

Here are some other things and thoughts from the week that was:

Women’s Wins at Cannes: I am thrilled that this year’s Cannes Film Festival saw a number of historic wins for women, including director Greta Gerwig being the second woman to lead the Cannes jury, Karla Sofía Gascón becoming the first trans woman to receive the “Best Actress Award” (for her role in the Mexico-set musical Emilia Perez), and filmmaker Payal Kapadia’s winning the Grand Prix (the second most prestigious prize) for her film All We Imagine As Light, making her the first person from India to win this award. There was a film, She’s Got No Name, highlighting a revolution in women’s social rights in 1940s China, and the winner of the Palme d’Or (the most prestigious prize), Anora, is a drama about a young exotic dancer who becomes involved with a Russian oligarch’s son. In his acceptance speech, director Sean Baker said, “This Palme is for all sex workers…I hope it will help people to see sex workers in a more positive light.” We love to see it.
More Films by Women: Continuing the topic of women in film, this week we saw the (intense) masterpiece Klondike, a 2022 film by Ukrainian director Maryna Er Gorbach. The film was being shown as part of Cinema/Chicago’s annual free summer film series that casts a spotlight on a different country’s national cinema each week. This year, they are focusing on films by women directors (!!!), and the line-up looks fantastic. I’m going to try to go to as many as possible, but it seems like a large majority of the films can be streamed, so even if you are outside of Chicago, the line-up can inspire some of your summer watching.
Daily Planning: Over the past couple of months, I have been testing using Sunsama to time-block and plan my days and weeks. The app has many features that I enjoy and find useful. Seeing how my to-dos actually fit into my day and being able to time (within the app) how long tasks take me has been really insightful. Plus, I appreciate their thoughtfully designed daily and weekly planning prompts. It integrates with Todoist, which has long been my to-do app of choice, so each evening, I can easily drag into Sunsama the tasks for tomorrow and then time-block the next day.

Cat-Friendly Plants: Since our four-legged roommate takes delight in nibbling anything and everything in sight, I have only had faux plants and flowers in our home up until now. The only exception is a couple of bunches of rosehips we bought in Michigan over Thanksgiving, which are still going strong on our kitchen table! However, the time has come for a new project, and I’m now deep-diving into cat-friendly plants. This weekend I purchased a small bromeliad, which is dramatic and colourful and brings a touch of the tropics to the living room. Next, I’m looking for a larger plant to go in an empty corner, and so far, I’m leaning toward this aptly named cat palm. Any recommendations? I’m all ears!
June Playlist: New month, new playlist. The songs are all over the place: some current, others classics, a few melancholy tunes, a selection for a Saturday night; almost all are women musicians, and several aren’t in English. Hope you enjoy! I also can’t recommend enough Endea Owens and The Cookout’s Tiny Desk Concert from 2022, which I love to revisit (and have playing as I write this newsletter). Oh, and Luciana Souza’s Tiny Desk Concert for more contemporary jazz with a Brazilian twist. Oh x2, and the Spanish duo Tarta Relena’s Tiny Desk Concert for a mesmerizing performance in five languages.
Page-Turners and June TBR: This week, I read Mother Doll by Katya Apekina, a historical fiction novel that delves into the complexities of familial relationships and the scars left by trauma. I enjoyed learning more about Russian history and the offbeat storyline (the protagonist’s great-grandmother contacts a famous psychic medium to communicate with her), but I did not love the book. It’s a good read but not a must-read, although I am keen to read more of Apekina’s work. Some new releases that I’m ready to curl up with include The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden, Cactus Country: A Boyhood Memoir by Zoë Bossiere, A Good Life by Virginie Grimaldi, translated from the French by Hildegarde Serle, This Strange Eventful History by Claire Messud, and Nuclear War: A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen.