CYB#69: SOME HELLA GREAT READS AND ADDICTIVE MUSIC

Hello!

I’m seven weeks away from my first weightlifting competition (!). I’ve now attended three meets as an observer, and I’m pretty sure I’ll be the oldest woman participating—and the one racking the lowest weights.

My goals are to show up, be present, lift safely, and stay focused. I'll be thrilled if I can hit 500 pounds total across squat, bench, and deadlift. Compared to the 20-something competitors chatting about college assignments between sets, I’m in a different lane. So, I’m just working my program.

Going to the gym five days a week has been great for my mental health (thank you, endorphins!). I’ve also been enjoying good books, listening to fantastic music, and doing some silly activities. Here’s what I’m loving right now:

Excellent reads

Careless People, A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism, by Sarah Wynn-Williams

This is the memoir you didn’t know you needed. Wynn-Williams joined Facebook (now Meta) in 2011 as an idealistic former diplomat, believing she could help the company—and its leaders—be a force for good.

By the time she left in 2017, she was disillusioned and burned out by the unchecked ego, greed, and ethical failures of Zuckerberg, Sandberg, and others at the top. At a moment when we are dealing with unrestrained egos in our government, the stories of these tone-deaf egomaniacs, whose lack of care has done so much harm (while giving them wealth beyond measure), feel so relevant right now.

The Meth Lunches, Food and Longing in an American City, by Kim Foster

Last week, I found an essay by Kim Foster called The Meth Lunches, All About the Food in the Book which warned readers: “NO RECIPES and NO PHOTOS in my book - it’s pure narrative non-fiction - so it’s all food through your bookish imagination; good food, bad food, spoiled food, the absence of food, the disdain of food, commodity food, the discomfort of it, the connection it creates and then the way it allows and perpetuates disconnection.” The writing was GORGEOUS: I had to read more!

About a third of the way into The Meth Lunches, Food and Longing in an American City, a fantastic read about food, poverty, community, belonging and family in America (with her focal point being non-touristed Las Vegas, Nev), my brain was on fire.

The courage, ideas, and general badassery she and her family and friends manifest as they form an extended community of neighbors trying to get through the pandemic is what I wish for everyone feeling angry, disconnected, and suspicious of their neighbors today. (Also, everyone eats exceptionally well: Foster seems to have the skills of a Michelin-starred short-order cook in the endless stream of food she takes on herself to provide.)

Foster has a big heart, keen observational skills, and a journalist’s need to create history and context around what she sees. I want to read everything she’s written, it’s that good.

The Oligarch’s Daughter, by Joseph Finder

Do you need a thriller? If yes, this might be the one. If you loved the movie Anora, the TV series The Night Agent, or the dramatic series Succession, and enjoy reading books, this novel will rock your world. Main character, Paul, is on the run from the evil Russian mob, and when his cover is broken, life goes wild. Switching back and forth in time, this suspenseful thriller uses every gambit it puts out there to build toward a page-turner finish. Yes, the characters are a bit formulaic, but who cares when it’s such a fun read?

ADDICTIVE MUSIC, ON REPEAT

Little Simz!!!!!!!! OMG, she’s fantastic. I keep listening to Flood, which is glorious. (The music video isn’t as good as the song; consider listening first.)

And:

And—Wifey Riddim, Shygirl. Featuring ft. Jorja Smith & SadBoi (this is giving great dance club energy).

Silly Stuff

Monster Jam, Official Megalodon Storm All-Terrain Remote Control Monster Truck Toy Vehicle, 1:15 Scale

This weekend, I bought one for the grandkid, a true Monster Truck fanatic. The blurb says, “This 1:15 scale remote control Monster Jam monster truck drives on water and any terrain with amazing performance and speed! The Megalodon STORM puts the Monster Jam RC trucks action in your hands and gives you the power to conquer snow, mud, rocks, and grass! “

We made mud puddles and had the truck do doughnuts in them. We drove it over rocks and up and down hills, and it just went on and on. What joy.

Thanks for reading, I appreciate you.

Warmly,
Susan