Zero politics, I swear + a non-Amazon gift guide
We have plenty of time to talk about the bad dudes so I'm skipping it this week
Welcome back to Hot Tip, the newsletter for people dissociatively baking their way through life right now.
Reminder that I am currently offering discounts on annual subscriptions! My work will remain free for now, but eventually some stuff is going to go behind a paywall, and you don’t want to be left wondering what I really think about █ ████ ██ ███████, right?
One week off. I’m not going to talk politics this week, because there’s already plenty of that to go around, and the vibe I am getting from the people around me is that they need a break. But don’t worry, starting back next week, I will have plenty to say about what’s coming and which supremely underqualified white men have been tapped for cabinet positions. Just consider this week a free Xanax (only til Obamacare is gone, of course) JK I PROMISE I WON’T DO IT AGAIN!
But if you’re a new subscriber (hi!!!) and want to read what I wrote last week:
Looking abroad this week for no particular reason at all. Italians in Perugia want to leave the Amanda Knox story behind, but they can’t because humans are obsessed with true crime tv shows more than they are respecting the inventors of spaghetti. The leader of a minor opposition party in Japan suggested mandated uterus removal at 30 as a way to pump up the country’s birth rate and then said oopsie I didn’t mean it because people found the idea “unpleasant.” Sorry, not people, women. And in Australia, an emperor penguin found its way from the icy waters of Antarctica to the sandy shores down under — a 2,200+ mile trip. His name is Gus, he’s perfect, and don’t worry, he’s being cared for by wildlife experts. Look, maybe the guy just needed a little vacation. Times are tough right now.
Let’s talk about it. Middle-aged women are finally talking about perimenopause, and this was a great piece on the celebs leading that discussion, like Drew Barrymore, Halle Berry, and Sam Bee. I’m super glad we’re destigmatizing it and calling it what it is, unlike drug stores, which still can’t use the word “period” in their aisles and call it “feminine hygiene” in the year of our lord 2024.
Dad era. John Mulaney’s life has changed drastically in the last few years, and I loved reading this GQ piece as part of their “Men of the Year” issue.
Treat yourself to a laugh. You know what they say, never grocery shop or be a contestant on Wheel of Fortune while hungry.
You can also watch a video of this moment + Aussies laughing at Americans here.
X out. People are quitting Twitter (which I will literally never refer to as the letter of the alphabet contained in my name) in droves and moving over to BlueSky and Threads for reasons I will leave up to you to discern, since I made a promise.
Huh? John Krasinski was apparently named People’s Sexiest Man Alive, and I have some questions. Well, one, really.
Low profile. A newly-built Russian Orthodox church is raising concerns in Sweden that the structure might actually be used for spying purposes instead of religious ones. It’s near an important airport and water/energy plants, but hey, at least it blends in.
Bridget Jones is back, again. And apparently, a widow?!? Look, I don’t feel good about killing off Mr. Darcy. In fact, in the state I am in, it makes me a bit irate. Can’t we keep anything? But will I be watching the shit out of this new (and apparently final) sequel? Yes, yes I will.
Non-Amazon gift guide (clickable link below!!) Are these just things I want or have or use a lot? Sure! But they are also great, and you can trust me, because I self-publish a newsletter called Hot Tip, not Room Temp Tip. Whether for yourself or for others, I promise I will not lead you astray.
If you like what you see and want to buy something, there is a clickable version of the guide here! These are genuinely just things I love and am not sponsored to advertise, but I welcome the opportunity. Looking at you, State Department.
thank you for reading this week, dear pals! please continue to share with friends who you think might like it, or who need to better understand what tariffs are. back for more soon.