lately

How do you keep the sky from falling?

If you’re a human on this earth, particularly on the continent where I live, chances are the last few weeks/months have been a bit challenging, from wildfire devastation and climate catastrophes to the inauguration from hell to almost everyone seeming to get Norovirus (I started writing this in January—I’m slow at this—and things have since gotten a whole lot worse). Threats of tarrifs and invasions on top of the lack of sunshine, which feels nearly inconsequential in comparison, but which is exhausting nonetheless. I try so hard to hold hope in my heart for the sake of all the children, who “keep the sky from falling,” Here are a few things I’ve used to distract myself and enjoy some happiness in the midst of winter 2025.

Grocery store tulips in a beloved Coe and Waito vase that reminds me of an eggshell.

Mimosa from one of the flower shops at Avenue & Davenport. Such a lovely honeyed scent in the middle of winter. Painting by Rachel Hawkes Cameron, my first big art purchase. It makes me so happy.

Halt and Catch Fire: It took a few tries for me to get into this show because I kept hearing how good it was, and with an assist from Meghan, I tried one more time in December and was hooked. By the time I got to the end (weeping), I wanted every person I know to watch it. They took a concept—computer systems, visionaries and builders—that I didn’t think I would ever be interested in and made an utterly compelling story about people and relationships and grief and chosen family. I’m still mad that they romanticized Silicon Valley and that I LIKED IT. I’ve joked that I have to read the Malcolm Harris about it as a palate cleanser. In any case, it broke my heart, I cried just thinking about the characters while at a coffee shop a few days after I finished it, and I’ve watched this clip of Lee Pace and Mackenzie Davis dancing to the Pixies at an Atari party at a conference, oh, 600 times.

A new choral music special from Jen Munroe: my favourite. So much Palestrina on this one! I recently ordered some stickers my kid picked out (dabbing Mona Lisa and Kermit drinking tea, of course) and threw in a Palestrina one for myself. He’s my guy.

My Brilliant Friend, the TV series: I’m only a few episodes in but so far it captures the spirit of the Neapolitan novels so well, although it can be hard to see the brutality play out. Ferrante writes the best villains and I can’t wait to get to the Nino parts.

Wave of Blood by Ariana Reines: I listened to this interview with Ariana Reines and went out to buy the book the next day. It’s an urgent, beautiful, raw book.

Slow reads of big books: In yet another attempt to get myself away from social media I’m going to attempt to read a few big books that will take me forever, probably. I loved Doppelganger and it really feels like the perfect time to read the The Shock Doctrine. Fado Alexandrino is a book I bought c. 2000 and have been meaning to read since. I don’t really love the translation (some truly odd choices, mate) so I’m glad to have the original to compare it to; as much as I love António Lobo Antunes, who is one of my favourite authors, his books are tough to read even in translation, the most dizzying fever dreams, filled with some of the worst humanity has to offer (ALA worked as a psychiatrist before leaving to write professionally, and does not shy away from all of the worst viciousness, to the point where I had to set this book aside for a few days a few chapters in). I’m a little nervous because it’s about soldiers and military personnel who have returned to Lisbon after their two year stints in the Mozambican War of Independence. My dad was shipped off to that very war in the 1970s (not by choice) while the dads of my contemporaries were at university—a shitty, brutal colonial war that has affected nearly every aspect of my own life. I’ve read a few of ALA’s books about the Angolan war and they left me totally destroyed, so I have high hopes for this one.

“The Dreaming Moon” by the Magnetic Fields: This came on some automated playlist back in the fall while I was driving with my kid the week we moved to our new house. We had to go buy a few groceries for his school lunch, and we drove to a plaza where I discovered a post office called “Tender Thoughts.” I listen to this song on repeat once in a while. I’m obsessed with it.

I joined Bluesky. I don’t know. I don’t know what I’m doing on the internet anymore.

Ginger cake: I’ve made this cake twice now and it’s the best winter cake. Thanks, Katie.

Outdoor activities: We haven’t gone on a snowy hike but have enjoyed sledding at Cedarvale Park. I don’t participate myself, usually, but I love taking my kid for sledding when there’s enough snow. It’s a beautiful bowl of a park with no terrifying random poles to watch out for. It’s always joyous to stand at the top of the hill and listen to the glee-filled screaming of children.

Valentine’s Day: I unapologetically love VD, love making crafts with my kid, love the poems, the books, the movies, the heart-shaped everything. We didn’t do the best job painting these ceramic cakes but I love them more than anything.

Heart cakes at Coco’s last Valentine’s Day (I shared a similar image a year ago).

I’ve carried this Fotofolio postcard around since I was a teenager (I think I glued it to the cover of an agenda at one point, which is why the bottom corners are rounded). It’s “Uptown, Chicago 1965” by Danny Lyon and it is one of the most romantic images I have ever seen, I think.

Some books I’ll be reading this weekend.