Friday Five: May 13, 2022

Jolene, Jolene, Jolene

Good morning and happy Friday! Wherever this newsletter finds you, whether that’s in bed, at your desk, on the train, on a plane… I hope it brings you some levity. This is the most I’ve procrastinated writing this newsletter because I’ve had a long week! It’s 8:35pm on a Thursday, but that doesn’t matter. Let’s get into it.

Song: I’m giving a shout out to the motherland today with a cathartic, classic ballad. Iconic Iranian singer Leila Forouhar covered Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” in 1990 and it’s just as haunting and beautiful as the original. Leila introduced this song to multiple generations of Iranian women (myself included!) and I’m eternally grateful. The guitar is so damn good. You could dance and/or cry to this cover at the same time. Enjoy and hit me up for more delicious Iranian music recommendations.

Video / Moment in Global Diplomacy: Last month, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern visited Japan, and was greeted by two kiwis swaying blissfully to live music. There is something so sweet and tender about this moment… I wish that all of us could be welcomed by swaying kiwis at some point in our lives. We’re worthy of it.

henry cooke @henrycooke

This is the greatest day of my life

Art: I don’t have much commentary on Jim Carrey’s 1998 blockbuster hit “The Mask.” I wasn’t allowed to watch it — my mom had an aversion to the character, hated the scene in the previews where his eyes and tongue bulge out, and has held a grudge against Jim Carrey for her entire life as a result (there could be a separate newsletter on things my mom arbitrary disdains OR loves). That said, this poster promoting the film in Japan is otherworldly. It is a work of art, it is nuanced and and layered, and just from my initial assessment, tells a story even deeper than the film itself.

Recipe: The next time you cook pasta and want some sauce, blanch some spinach or kale in the salty, boiling water. Toss it in a blender with lemon or lime juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, cheese or nutritional yeast, walnuts or pistachios, garlic cloves, and maybe a dash of heavy whipping cream. You’ll get a bright green pesto-like sauce with lots of flavor and brightness that’s perfect for spring.

Joyful Internet Content:

Meelz 💪🏾 @MeelzTV

That pet Koala is like, "Ain't y'all pets too?"

Amanda Clanton @pepperclanton

look for the girl with the broken smile, ask her if she opa gangnam style

martha 🇺🇦 @martha_306

I JUST LEARNED ABOUT LBJ’S DOODLING I’M FUCKING SOBBING

2000s @PopCulture2000s

first photo taken during the discovery of spain

Noah Garfinkel @NoahGarfinkel

🎶 Your Donald is a Sutherland 🎶

Valondar @VK_HM

What is even the point then

Variety @Variety

Aqua’s ‘Barbie Girl’ Song Won’t Appear in the Margot Robbie ‘Barbie’ Movie https://t.co/hds5mKj3z3

Jane @dltzk

Lets put guitar strings in a pot of boiling water and eat it like pasta

sean @balmunlimited

aus slang can be hit and miss but hearing someone call a supermarket bag of roast chicken a bachelor’s handbag has fully nuked me. sorry but that’s smarter than 90% of shakespeare

Pyramid Chad @chadpencil

irene @writtenbyirene

nobody: Beyoncé:

R👗 @xxoorita

I’ve been using tf out these 24 hours 🧍🏾‍♀️

Adam @adamgreattweet

it’s-a-me, depression

sio @bestinsio

subway rat made eye contact with me and said “join us. when the train comes we slide under the tracks and feel it rumble over us like a warm thunderstorm. we live forever and we love to live” I said no thank you I am too large he turned away from me I cried

live forever and love to live,

Roya