Weekend Roundup/Open Thread
by Alexandra Molotkow
This was a scorching hot week, out in the world and here at the Hairpin, which is better than the world, in our humble opinions.
Eventful, too! Joan Didion sage Haley Mlotek moved apartments and had an allergic reaction to IKEA, but that’s nothing compared to the GHOSTS that await in her new digs. Don’t worry: Haley has lived with ghosts before, which may be the secret reason she’s such a master of self-defense, and so interested in the ongoing saga of Vivian Maier. She even owns a purse that is haunted by the Ghost of Fairly Compensated Retail Jobs Past.
Oh, let’s get one thing straight: Haley and I may be in sync but UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES will we be sharing tampons.
This week was not without tragedy: we mourned for Garys, though not necessarily for American Apparel (speak for yourself Haley, that is some classic cotton). But it was a week of many interactions, and many triumphs! One of our very favorite authors, Heather O’Neill, considered the evolutionary function of deadbeat jerks. Haley solved a timeless question: what do you do when you WANT fries, but probably should have salad? (You could also work it off with some adult games.) Oh, and thanks to Rachel, we learned everything we needed to know about former tween sensation JoJo.
What are you reading, by the way?? Charlotte is feeling Sharon Olds’s “The Easel.” Helen is LOVING Clarice Lispector. I’m ambivalent about Emmanuel Carrère because you just can’t talk your way out of your flaws. My flaws include the fact that I’ll never understand anything.
We read great writing about the FBI surveillance of James Baldwin, whiskey, butter tarts, Deez Nuts, Carly Rae Jepsen, “rag yards,” Marc Jacobs, how to stay young forever, and how to make a relationship last. We also read stories by Alexandra Kleeman, and heard about Daria. Oh, and then there’s Jenny Diski’s memoir series.
And what are you listening to? I’ve been giving Dave Matthews Band a try, since I found their album at Urban Outfitters.
Not gonna lie, I’m pretty angry that summer’s almost over, but I should probably chill. Life is what you make it?