I had a whole thing written up for part 2 of my newsletter last week about BTS’ brand strategy, but then on Monday they dropped the news about the SMART endorsement (a big day for PH ARMY!) so I chucked my draft into the bin. I will have more coherent thoughts about their approach to brand partnerships but maybe parking those for next time... it’s too overwhelming and there’s too much to say!
On Tuesday, Raissa and I will be celebrating our birthday. We’ve been joking that for our birthday gift, we’re getting a new US president. What a big week - I didn’t realize how tense I’d been worrying that another big disaster like the Capitol coup would happen, and then… nothing happened! What a relief! Peaceful transition of power (in the US)! An absolutely electrifying reading by Amanda Gorman of her poem “The Hill We Climb”. The Bernie memes! Iconic coats in jewel tones, and very fly sneakers from Meena Harris’ partner. Kamala Harris, making history many times over. A wonderful speech from Joe Biden; at some point I spaced out and then realized, “OMG, I don’t need to be paying attention to this. I can relax.”
It has all felt — dare I say it? — hopeful. Sana dito rin. Philippines, when?
P.S.: If you’re reading this and you have a kid, nothing would make me happier than receiving a birthday greeting video from him/her. I am serious. I love tita mail!
Shop Small, Love Local
I spent much of this week helping my friends buy BTS merch. It gives me such a thrill, the same kind of thrill I used to get finding good deals for plane fare. The budol excitement happens pala even when hindi ikaw yung nabubudol hahaha. I have a few suki shops but one in particular stands out for excellent customer service: Ichinikochini by Aling Noona. Their online shop is so fun to browse (major upgrade from the typical Google form transactions) and I really like shops that advertise on Instagram by announcing they’ve secured 6 pieces of the plush whale, because then I’m assured that the item is already on-hand on their end. I also buy from them during cupsleeve events; always a smooth transaction. Check them out: @ichinikochini.ph Thanks to Ella Lama for the referral! (P.S.: Follow Ella and her sister Marie on their BTS plushie journey @dollyeorabangtan. I enjoy every post!)
Currently…
Watching BTS Bon Voyage season 4. Their long-ass drives through New Zealand remind me of the roadtrip we took through the Scottish highlands. :( I miss traveling.
Anticipating the gyudon I ordered for my birthday dinner (already mentioned before, it’s Jake Aycardo’s gyudon, available at @kodawari.ph) I picked up another bottle of Mestiza bottled cocktail from @proudlypromdi, too!
Taking the babies for their first ever stroll through the village park. They are sloooowly getting used to each other’s presence, lol.
Longreads
The Power of Kamala Harris’s Inauguration Outfit — Elizabeth Holmes, Cosmopolitan.
Fashion journalist Elizabeth Holmes (no relation to the Theranos lady) is one of my favorite follows on Instagram (@eholmes) and I’m really excited she branched out from covering the British royals to also covering US political figures. Yes, style is political too!
Kamala Harris Will Make History. So Will Her ‘Big, Blended’ Family. — Jessica Bennett, The New York Times.
I loved reading this; I love her; I love them. Really excited to see all the things she and they will accomplish.
‘It’s Over’: Devastated QAnon Believers Grapple With President Joe Biden’s Inauguration — Jesselyn Cook, Huffington Post.
I had mistakenly believed QAnon was a fringe conspiracy and I was shocked to discover just how widespread it is.
A QAnon ‘Digital Soldier’ Marches On, Undeterred by Theory’s Unraveling — Kevin Roose, The New York Times.
“These people aren’t drooling, mind-controlled cultists... People who are in Q like it. They like being part of it. You can’t debunk and fact-check your way out of this, because these people don’t want to leave.”
Your power is forever expanding — Aminatou Sow, Crème de la Crème.
“What a foolish thing to delay yourself the luxury of small pleasures.”
The Errand Friend — Anne Helen Petersen, Culture Study.
“It’s just life, but with another person there... I feel like my weirdest, most purest self when I’m alone, but I’m my most relaxed, softest self when I’m with my Errand Friends, talking about nothing and everything, living the un-Instagrammable parts of our lives. My memories of Errand Time always blur. But the feel of it is stronger than any special or scheduled event.”
Seattle’s newest bookstore, Oh Hello Again, has a novel system: categorizing books by emotions — Paul Constant, Seattle Times.
“By recontextualizing the books into an unfamiliar category system, Oh Hello Again allows jaded browsers a rare opportunity to see familiar books with new eyes. ‘That’s why I called the shop Oh Hello Again... Because I want it to feel like you’re seeing old friends in these books that you hadn’t thought of for a long time.’”
Text messages exonerate Jessica Mulroney after she was cancelled last summer — Barbara Kay, National Post.
I saw this on the Meghan Markle fan accounts I follow, and I thought this was veeeryyyyy interesting. I’m a big context person. However, I’m not familiar with the Canadian media landscape so I can’t vouch for the journalist or publication… Still, this was a hell of a read.
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Yours from afar,
Pinky