The Sunday Digest 062
Read this, and then start that book on your nightstand.
Welcome to The Sunday Digest — a free Sunday newsletter featuring long (and some short) reads, original columns, things I’ve saved over the last week, relaxing playlists, episodes releases, exclusive product drops, and more. Yes, you can reply to this email. I’d love to hear from you. Or, if podcasts are more your speed on Sundays, we’ve got that too.
Sunday Read › The Thirstiest Thing A Man Can Do Is Read
by Samantha Leach for Bustle
For someone who used to write for a full-time living, you’d think I’d read more. While I do truly enjoy reading, there’s a part of my brain that resists reading things that I’m told to read. Whether it’s a recommendation at a couples dinner or an assignment from a teacher, being told to read remains one of my least favorite tasks. Even in elementary school, I convinced my teacher to let me read Calvin & Hobbes cartoon books during reading time because I wanted to be a cartoonist.
While not-reading has been an insecurity of mine when people toss around recent books they’ve finished, I never thought it was possible we’d see a world where you could get shamed for reading.
But here we are with today’s Sunday Read.
While I refuse to shame anyone for reading any Sally Rooney (Conversations With Friends > Normal People), this week’s read does just that — but in a humorous way, I promise.
According to a recent study, both men and women find reading to be the biggest “green flag” behavior for prospective partners. And lately, it seems as if the boys I’m stalking on the Internet are taking this stat to heart. As I’ve turned 30, the evolution of my similarly aged “single men on the Internet” has been a fascinating spectacle to behold. I’ve observed as they’ve exhausted the low-hanging fruit — your run-of-the-mill fishing photos, shirtless mirror pics, and selfies with puppies — and have turned to a newer, more esoteric form of thirst trapping: sharing what they’re (allegedly) reading, whether that’s via a selfie clasping a book to their chest with a caption like “f*ck, so good” or a more refined picture of a paperback positioned next to a pilsner. And if you think this is happening solely within my bubble of late 20s, early 30s artsy urbanites, think again.
Read in full here.
Editor’s Note: We ended up discussing this on today’s episode of Retail Therapy, found below.
New Episode › Retail Therapy 049: Fall Jackets & Bare Ankles
Emily Ratajkowski does not want to see your ankles, guys can't stop thinking about their favorite Fall Jackets, a very out-of-bounds canned olive oil martini drink, whether or not reading is sl*tty for guys, wishlist items, and more.
Listen to Retail Therapy on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube (see above), and anywhere else podcasts are found.
The Sunday Haiku: $8.59 Delivery Fee (Plus Tip)
Uber Eats, DoorDash,
These damn delivery fees,
One more Girl Dinner.
This Sunday’s Playlist: Capri Piazetta
Bougie vibes can always make an otherwise drab Sunday feel tolerable. After ravenously consuming her Capri wedding content, Natasha Oakley finally dropped the playlists they used throughout the trip.
While most of the playlists she created are on-point, her Capri Piazetta playlist has gotten played on the main house speakers numerous times over the last week. I hope it puts a skip in your step.
Supplemental Reading
Earlier this week, I released a piece that’s a tribute to an old series I did where I’d critique marriage announcements from The New York Times. I do not say this lightly — I don’t like coming out of retirement to more of these.
But this was too infuriating not to write about.
Harvard Elites, Burning Man, and Gawker: The Worst NYT Engagement Announcement You'll Ever Read
I also asked Sunday Scaries followers and Retail Therapy listeners a very simple question: “What are you most excited to wear this fall?” which lead to me combing through hundreds of soothing submissions.
37 People On What They're Most Excited To Wear This Fall
Things I Saved This Week
“How can I support Sunday Scaries?”
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