Thoughts for your Thoughts (Volume 3)
A newsletter where I give you recommendations on what you should read, watch, and eat next 🤠
Greetings from cold and snowy Minnesota! Last week I was reading books on the deck in my sports bra, soaking up the 60 & 70-degree sunshine-filled weather. Today I am scowling at the fat flakes falling from the sky, at the weather app on my phone that is telling me that the next ten days the temperature won’t reach 45-degrees, at the soupy mess that is the dirt road that leads to my house. I fell too hard for fake Spring and my attitude is paying the consequences. I’m pulling myself out from the funk by reflecting on all the glorious books, television shows, podcasts, food, and more that I indulged in last month.
Books, books, books!
I devoured Bad Cree by Jessica Johns, a little Indigenous supernatural horror book that explores family relationships, generational trauma, and grief. “Hurt lives with us always. Like dirt under our fingernails.” Woof, isn’t that the truth.
Jackal by Erin E. Adams was another supernatural horror book, with a thriller feel. The author does a wonderful job of working in the insidiousness of white supremacy into a plot filled with twists that will have you on the edge of your seat.
“I made a choice again for you. And I am sorry I had nothing to offer, Ana. That there are no real rules that govern why some are born in turmoil and others never know a single day in which the next seems an ill-considered bet. It’s all lottery, Ana, all chance. It’s the flick of a coin, and we are born.” I LOVED Gabriella Garcia’s book, Of Women and Salt. It’s a storyline that follows generations of a family and how their decisions, both big and small, create rippling effects for their descendants. This book is short, but it has depth. It explores intracommunal prejudice, American imperialism, and the very broken immigration system that exists in the United States.
Ryan O’Connell’s book, Just by Looking at Him, follows a successful television writer with cerebral palsy and a long-term boyfriend he has grown bored of, who uses alcohol to cope with his woes and insecurities. This book is FUNNY and honest and thought provoking. It gives insight into how backwards our country is when it comes to accessibility and disability rights. I really enjoyed it! Shout out to Karen (@idleutopia_reads on Instagram) for sending me a copy <3
It’s Always the Husband by Michele Campbell was a fun thriller with a few twists I didn’t anticipate. Academia, rich people problems, small town politics, and marital trouble are all components of the storyline.
**Remember: Don’t get your books from Amazon! Buy them from your favorite indie bookstores or request them from your local library :)
Podcasts for your earholes
Maintenance Phase is a podcast hosted by Aubrey Gordon (an amazing author, go check out her books!) and Michael Hobbes where they debunk wellness myths and the junk science behind weight loss fads & diets.
Huberman Lab is hosted by a neuroscientist and professor of neurobiology who discusses tools that may benefit your sleeping, stress levels, learning, and overall health.
Are You Garbage? is a podcast hosted by two comedians who interview other comedians to determine if they are classy or trashy. The questions are ridiculous, the answers are hilarious; it is a fun one to listen to or watch on the ol’ Youtube.
Television for your eyeholes
I am a big fan of the hilarious goofball that is Jason Segal, so I was not surprised when I absolutely adored the new series that he stars in on Apple TV called Shrinking. In the series, Segal plays a grieving therapist struggling to cope with the sudden loss of his wife while trying to raise his teenage daughter and show up for his clients. It was funny and sad and full of emotions. 10/10, would recommend!
Perfect Match on Netflix is prime trash reality television. If you need something mindless to watch, I suggest this for sureeee.
Food I want to eat again and again
Coconut-Curried Black-Eyed Peas is a dish that is full of flavor, easy to make, and really cost effective. I like to eat it over rice, but it is good on its own. I bet it would be fabulous on top of a piece of naan too. 10/10 recommend making it. Here is the recipe :)
Heat ~2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet or soup pot. Once hot, add in 3 tablespoons of minced or grated ginger, 2 cloves of garlic minced or grated, 2 teaspoons of ground cumin, 2 teaspoons of turmeric, and 1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom. Cook for ~1 minute or until aromatic.
Add in two (14 oz) cans of fire roasted diced tomatoes and a pinch of salt & ground pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
Add in two (15 oz) cans of drained and rinsed black-eyed peas. Stir it around so that the peas are coated with the mixture and then stir in a 14 oz can of full fat coconut milk. Add in a drizzle of sriracha, gochugang, or harissa paste if you want to add spice to your dish. This is totally optional, but I like some spice. Reduce your heat to medium-low and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened a bit.
Turn off the heat. Stir in squeeze of lemon juice (or ~2 teaspoons of the bottled stuff) and then add in ~1/2 cup of chopped cilantro. Season with more salt & pepper if needed and enjoy! :)
This is a photo of coconut-curried black-eyed peas on top of a bed of tomato-garlic rice and topped with pickled red onions. The plate is on a wood table that is a handmedown from my neighbors. Halpert is staring at me in the background, hopeful I will give him a bite. The best thing I ate in March without a doubt was an almojábana straight from the oven of a small bakery during a tour of Comuna 13 in Medellín, Colombia. I spent the rest of the trip trying to chase the high that was the first bite of that delicious little roll. Almojábanas are made with cornmeal or corn flour and cheese. They are salty and sweet with the most perfect texture; I could’ve easily eaten a dozen. I live in Northern Minnesota and the lack of diverse food options is one of the few things I can complain about when it comes to my place of residence lol so needless to say there are no Colombian restaurants anywhere near me. Luckily I have found countless recipes for almojábanas (including this one by Sweet y Salado that I plan on making in the near future) but I know deep down, nothing is ever going to beat the first one I had in Medellín.
Substacks that I swoon over!
- writes about the outdoors, influencer culture, and life in Northern Minnesota & beyond. Her newsletter, Hello Stranger, is filled with gorgeous photos and insightful anecdotes. I highly recommend this newsletter to everyone, especially my fellow outdoor enthusiasts.
- is all about the climate crisis, environmental justice, and the fuckery that goes on in politics that helps prevent actual change. I highly recommend this newsletter to everyone, especially my fellow anxiety ridden doom scrollers who are worried about our planet.
- is a newsletter that critiques the beauty and wellness industry. I learn so much about the marketing myths that keep people buying products they don't really need. I highly recommend this newsletter to everyone, especially to my fellow 90's babies who are contemplating purchasing retinol cream and undereye serum.
Okay, this isn’t a Substack, but it fits the same bill. Kayla (@readkaylaread on Instagram) is a seriously gifted writer and she publishes essays over on Medium. Her latest is titled Your Heart, Online..Act 1: The Rom-Com and you should 100% check it out.
I’m in the middle of an essay that I hope to publish in the near future. But it’s a heavy one that requires lots of tender, loving care AKA no promises on a timeline of when it’ll be out. But fear not—personal essays are coming!
Annnnnd that’s all folks! I hope this newsletter finds you well fed, well read, and filled with joy! If you enjoyed this newsletter and would like to support my little writing endeavors & me further, may I suggest sharing Parallel Charts with a friend (or foe) with the recommendation to subscribe :)
Awe thanks for the shout out! Great Read!