good talk

dream telepathy, steam eye masks, Julio Torres and sun protection in your 40s.

The last time I wrote this newsletter was in May last year. I had drafts waiting to post about an upcoming writer’s retreat I was going on in Lisbon and about how much I enjoyed ‘Loved and Missed’ by Susie Boyt.

Instead I got divorced. And listened to N-Trance- Set You Free a hundred times (lowkey kind of a break-up anthem if you ignore most of the lyrics). My daughter calls it ‘The Storm Song’.

Maybe some of what I was doing, thinking, writing and processing over the past year will emerge in drips and spurts but for now, here are some things I recommend.

• I’m sure you’ve heard the ‘Telepathy Tapes’ by now but my favorite podcast ‘This Jungian Life’ is doing a Dream Telepathy Project. It sounds SICK. The hosts will transmit an image each month on a set date and time in an experiment to see if it is possible to communicate telepathically using dreams. Joe did the first one and many people recalled his image (!!). Lisa (LISA!) is doing one this weekend. I will be participating and so can you- here.

• Take a gummy, invite your funniest friend over and watch ‘With Love, Meghan’ on Netflix.

• Tansy Flower essence : Tansy helps ward off procrastination and indecision. When you experience chaos, confusion, emotional instability or violence, it’s normal to back away and withdraw. On the surface, this looks like apathy and laziness, but it may be symptomatic of a deeper issue, perhaps one ingrained from childhood. Tansy addresses the functional side of the core personality after fragmentation and helps you feel empowered and purposeful, with fresh energy and an attitude conducive to success. It helps users take decisive action and helps them get back in the game.

  All this for $14.99??? I ordered it of course (*Robert Durst “killed them all of course" voice*).

• My hands have been sunburned to a crisp driving around all day in this desert that I call home. Having just turned forty years old and collagen production not being what it once was, I knew it was time to enter my arm-sleeve era. I have this one from Japan.

  

• Julio Torres’ Favorite Colors episode of the ‘Good One’ podcast. I went in knowing nothing and so should you.

• On that note, the beautiful 1975 short film by Abbas Kiarostami called Colors (hopefully you can track down a less annoying version without ads interrupting every few minutes- sacrilege) was doing the rounds a few weeks ago. It was made to teach elementary school children about, yes you guess it, colors. I was struck by the overlap between Iranian and Hindi words- I could understand a lot of the film without subtitles. Here are some I remember: sabun (soap), narangee (orange), safedh (white), kaboothr (pigeon), paneer (cheese), kargosh (rabbit) etc. Just made me feel warm and fuzzy and connected ∞

• ‘Beautyland’ by Marie-Helene Bertino. A stunning book that I never wanted to end, recommended to me by Alison (who is also on a Substack hiatus and this is me willing her to return) and her husband Sam. A couple who reads, love that.

• Recently, during a Korean Spa (Olympic, naturally) treatment, my massage therapist wordlessly placed one of these steam eye masks over my eyes. It heated up and I felt instant tension release. I asked her what it was when we were done and she showed me the packet. I put them on now when I meditate. When I’m done, my mind is calm and my eyes are sweating. Gotta be good!

• THE best granola I have ever tasted by my friend Katy Peetz: Banana Granola.

• This season of Severance is… not for me. But I do enjoy the performance by Jen Tullock who looks to me like a young Holland Taylor.

• Put your legs up the wall for ten minutes every day to relieve tension, stress, improve circulation, aide digestion, reduce swelling and puffiness and just feel gooood. You all have ten minutes and a wall.

• These two quotes from Khaled Hosseini sent to me by a dear friend this week:

  

• Finally, this might be the best thing I’ve watched online recently:

  Thank you for not unsubscribing. x