Hola 2025.
Week of 1.5.25
Happy new year friends. The creeping tide of uncertainty as one year ends and another begins always feel extra high for me regardless of how the year went. There is a rush to promote a new self with a new set of goals and ideals. If that is your jam then onward but for me, I gravitate towards easing into patterns that brought me a more fulfilling perspective on life. A lot changed for me in 2024 as I have had to navigate my mom’s cancer diagnosis and try to stay working in the entertainment business whose transformation continues to wonder me. I don’t know what will happen this year but you can count on my weekly curating edit of culture because it is one of the things that brings me the ease I mentioned before. Do what you need to do and cheers to an interesting 2025.
PRIMERO LO PRIMERO, to watch: Sara Bareilles: New Year’s Eve with the National Symphony Orchestra & Friends // I believe Sara to be one of the most healing musicians out there. Her music, be it a song or a full on musical (Waitress stan forever), is such a special dose of magic I think everyone should take. This concert brought me an amazing sense of calm to balance out the insane news cycle that has already started. She also debuts a song from her upcoming musical project The Interestings based off the Meg Wolitzer novel and fun fact: I cast the TV adaptation for Amazon :) Amazing time but she show didn’t go :( Any who, enjoy Sara and her epic command on a stage!
SEGUNDO, to listen: Wey By Luisa Almaguer // Pleasure, fantasy, danger and risk. I had not crossed paths with Luisa’s work (gracias Yvette!) but I am a FAN now! The record is a meditation on the duality of loving men but also being threatened by them as a woman, as a trans woman. The songs are amazing art when thinking about where we rhetoric towards women at in the USA (+everywhere really) The other day, I was at the library when I overheard a couple of teenage boys playing video games yelling, “we have to beat the girls, we CANNOT let the girls win!!”. It was a stark reminder that there is still astonishing ingrained fear in gender dynamics that might start in video game competitions but are subject to grow should we don’t expose ourselves to the greatness of femininity in all forms. She also has a cumbia track, María, about her mothers cancer and well…you got me y bailando.
TERCERO, to read: Disability, pleasure and ageing: The pleasure principle By Alice Wong
Dear Pleasure, I miss you, my beloved! It’s not a failure if we never meet again, but I do yearn for you night and day. Will we have a happy ending together?If you return in another form, I will welcome you with open arms for you are my joy.
Love always, Alice.
Just a beautiful piece of writing reminding us that the standard of beauty in pleasure should never be a marketable uniform. Everyone should feel at liberty to explore the limits of our own bodies and never apologize for them.
QUARTO, to read: “ENDLINGS” By CARMEN MARIA MACHADO // I love Carmen. I am still waiting for the A24 version of her memoir, as we wait please enjoy the latest. But also if you haven’t yet, I highly recommend Her Body and Other Parties (Graywolf), & the memoir In the Dream House (Graywolf) for life changing reading.
QUINTO, make this a movie: Trick Clock: On the job with a seasonal migrant worker By Lillian Perlmutter
Photo of the Week: Lisboa, 2023
Chau!
*Any typos are on purpose to make sure you are paying attention*