Better Things might be my favorite show of all time, maybe even besting Mary Tyler Moore, Dick Van Dyke Show, and Norman Lear's work. HI lived in LA for 20 years, and Pamela Adlon brilliantly nails the incredible mini-communities that arise from that city, the sisterhoods of creatives, and as someone who is a stepparent to adult daughters, her window into parenting is genius-grade.
I love that your husband's band has reunited, and I'm already listening to their music, thinking about how much richer it must be for the years they've accrued since they were first together. My husband is also a musician, and I love sharing his work. So, for a bit of shameless spouse-promotion, one of his cuts is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr3-T_sm-d0
Finally, I'm glad Portugal was a great trip for you both. We're going soon!
Thanks, Laura! Better Things is sooooo good. Brian’s band hasn’t yet reunited, they released old tracks. But they are thinking of reuniting! Will check out the link…
Re: Portugal, this may all change in the next decade, but for now it is legally necessary to know Portuguese, all legal transactions and other transactions are in their language. Our cousin retired there, and after 3 years is enrolled in classes in order to read things like contracts! Leases! etc etc. Also they relocated from Porto to a quieter more affordable seaside town. Her trips there and back are difficult tho, due to connecting flights, delays etc. And as for a show, The Paper has just started on Peacock. The creator is def making a statement, as he did in his previous show Upload, if you haven't watched that yet. https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/story/greg-daniels-upload-the-paper?srsltid=AfmBOorOCW4nF3UKvfEKQsPZDqob9PxFIp71wfPezD9tH3x4bihHPolM
Thanks for the shout-out Sari! David Byrne has been turning me on to cool music for 40+ years now, ever since that first Brazilian compilation on his Luaka Bop record label (not to mention via Talking Heads ;-)
Years ago I read a book by James Hollis called "Creating a Life" that I found really excellent. Hollis is a jungian psychoanalyst and the book is about the second half of life. One of the areas that it really helped me with was getting comfortable with the concept of opposing truths.
I also recommend this obit of Rosalyn Drexler, who died on Wednesday. Pop artist, playwright, novelist, singer, and professional wrestler. She also novelized the movie "Rocky."
I think I'll be reading all week! So many juicy tidbits here. And I live in Portugal, on the southern coast. Next time visit the Algarve and I'll show you what only locals know!
Better Things might be my favorite show of all time, maybe even besting Mary Tyler Moore, Dick Van Dyke Show, and Norman Lear's work. HI lived in LA for 20 years, and Pamela Adlon brilliantly nails the incredible mini-communities that arise from that city, the sisterhoods of creatives, and as someone who is a stepparent to adult daughters, her window into parenting is genius-grade.
I love that your husband's band has reunited, and I'm already listening to their music, thinking about how much richer it must be for the years they've accrued since they were first together. My husband is also a musician, and I love sharing his work. So, for a bit of shameless spouse-promotion, one of his cuts is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr3-T_sm-d0
Finally, I'm glad Portugal was a great trip for you both. We're going soon!
Thanks, Laura! Better Things is sooooo good. Brian’s band hasn’t yet reunited, they released old tracks. But they are thinking of reuniting! Will check out the link…
Re: Portugal, this may all change in the next decade, but for now it is legally necessary to know Portuguese, all legal transactions and other transactions are in their language. Our cousin retired there, and after 3 years is enrolled in classes in order to read things like contracts! Leases! etc etc. Also they relocated from Porto to a quieter more affordable seaside town. Her trips there and back are difficult tho, due to connecting flights, delays etc. And as for a show, The Paper has just started on Peacock. The creator is def making a statement, as he did in his previous show Upload, if you haven't watched that yet. https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/story/greg-daniels-upload-the-paper?srsltid=AfmBOorOCW4nF3UKvfEKQsPZDqob9PxFIp71wfPezD9tH3x4bihHPolM
Oh, yes. I read about The Paper. I’ll check it out. Thanks!
Thanks for the shout-out Sari! David Byrne has been turning me on to cool music for 40+ years now, ever since that first Brazilian compilation on his Luaka Bop record label (not to mention via Talking Heads ;-)
Thanks for pointing us all to that playlist. PS Had some friends who were on Luaka Bop back in the 90s!
In the recommendation file:
Years ago I read a book by James Hollis called "Creating a Life" that I found really excellent. Hollis is a jungian psychoanalyst and the book is about the second half of life. One of the areas that it really helped me with was getting comfortable with the concept of opposing truths.
https://jameshollis.net/hollisBooks.html
Thanks!
Sometimes a typo creates a much needed new word. I nominate “intergenrational” (from the Grandmother book). I strive for it.
Ha! Will fix.
I also recommend this obit of Rosalyn Drexler, who died on Wednesday. Pop artist, playwright, novelist, singer, and professional wrestler. She also novelized the movie "Rocky."
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/03/books/rosalyn-drexler-dead.html?searchResultPosition=1
Thank you!
Welcome back and thank you for the links!
<3
I think I'll be reading all week! So many juicy tidbits here. And I live in Portugal, on the southern coast. Next time visit the Algarve and I'll show you what only locals know!
Oh, nice! We definitely hope to return soon!
What an upbeat review of life in the making.
About that wedding, that was a long haul.
Look forward to the Variety Hour!