Friendmendations 11.23.20

Hey again. As I shared in last week’s Wednesday post, the newsletter has been erratic over the past couple of weeks due to a family emergency. And now this week it’ll be erratic because of Thanksgiving!

Even though no one should be traveling or gathering for Thanksgiving, because coronavirus is more rampant now than it was in March (!!!!), I’m still going to keep my custom of taking the week off and won’t put out Wednesday post this week. (Mostly because of my own personal circumstances, but let’s call it a holiday break.) We’re getting the Fall Out Boy Music Club back on track, so paying subscribers will get to keep seeing my psyche disintegrate.

The best thing

Fiona Apple’s magnum opus Fetch the Bolt Cutters will probably top most critics’ lists as the album of 2020. (I recently forced it on someone who hadn’t yet listened to it and got the reaction I wanted within about 30 seconds of putting it on: “Wait, this is incredible!”)

If you’ve already joined the Church of the Bolt Cutters, you’ve probably wondered whatever happened to the title character of “Shameika,” a song about a young girl standing up for Fiona when she was bullied in school. Pitchfork has the answer, and it’s beautiful! Shameika is also a musician, and she and Fiona got back in touch after the song was released! They collaborated on a song!

Another newsletter, another salad

My dear friends Quinn and Carl have made this excellent salad for our quarantine bubble at so many gatherings this year. The combination of red cabbage, lemon, pistachios, and mint is addictive, and it would be a great thing to make in bulk this week so you have a light alternative to heavy Thanksgiving leftovers.

My current podcast obsession

I’m going to confess something that could jeopardize my status as a semi-professional recommender of things: I’ve never considered myself a cinephile. Real movie buffs know things about all genres of movies from all eras, and I’ve always had too many gaps in my knowledge to feel like an expert. But I’m learning so much from the Blank Check podcast! Hosts Griffin and David, an actor and a film critic, take on the filmographies of directors who had early success in their careers that enabled them to make their passion projects. Each director they discuss gets a miniseries, so you can go deep on the works of Tim Burton, Nora Ephron or Hayao Miyazaki with an episode devoted to each one of their films. And the episodes are dense, packed with information and analysis in just about every single sentence for two to three hours. As I’m cleaning out my grandpa’s house, it’s the perfect podcast to pass the time.

An infant covering AC/DC

This made me giggle!

90s vibes

Here are some songs that aren’t from the 90s but sound like they are.

Now I leave you with one of my favorite videos from one of my favorite comedians. Be strong, stay safe, and call the people you love. I’m thankful for you all.

Highlights from last November:

“Friendmendations 11.25.19” —  the family who goes on a silent retreat every Thanksgiving, the delicious quick bread my family eats every Thanksgiving, two EXTREMELY GOOD podcasts, and some enjoyable videos

“I miss Preserve” — a tribute to Blake Lively’s bizarre lifestyle brand

“The vault is OPEN, baby!” — some stuff that’s probably on Disney+ (it is not)