'There is no she but you'
Hey friend, thanks for opening! Big week this week for fans of esports–yes, MPL is back for Season 8 and this serves as a warning haha. But more on that in the weeks ahead–for now, we have a little bit of gay and a little bit of politics (because why not). Hope something’s useful in here somwhere for you. -K
“I wasn’t sure,” Celia said. “I mean, I wasn’t sure if you meant me.” “I all but said your name.” “You said ‘she.’ ” “Precisely.” “I thought maybe you had another she.” “There is no she but you.”
This is not a drill: I finally read (and finished) The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.
I’ve been looking for a hard copy of this book (unfortunately out of stock at Fully Booked the last time I checked?) so I settled for the ebook version in the meantime and this definitely is one of those So good gotta have this in print someday-books (alongside The Priory of the Orange Tree and The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics.
I sold this to C as a “massive, sprawling celeb AU spanning decades” with a bisexual main character that’s wonderfully flawed and nuanced. I love it, including the bits of showbiz clippings built into the narrative that serve to bookend the main character’s life chapters as well as move the plot forward from one major life chapter to the next. ANG GALING. Yes, I wish I wrote this. Here’s the Kindle link: Available on Kindle.
From the Internet
BTS is on Billboard Magazine’s cover this month–but why all the backhanded compliments? Screenshots so you don’t have to buy the mag to see for yourself:
📰 BB Fall Music Preview (1/4)
I’ve always been generally iffy about journalists who quote random Twitter users just because they’re on public, and true enough, one of those quoted has publicly said that the writer did not inform her that her tweet was going to be used (and how terribly out of context, too).
As this article points out deftly, the timing of the piece is important:
”…this piece attempts to profile BTS as artists for a greater audience and analyse their success from a business perspective. And the timing, probably, isn’t accidental, as we’re approaching Grammy nomination season; the band received its first nomination last year – and are hoping to build on that history.
This is standard operating procedure for artists heading into award season. And the way it usually works is that a feature like this, in Billboard or Variety or Rolling Stone or whatever, is intended to reach voters, to make the case for the music and its value.”
Of course, I’m interested in journalism, which is why the piece incenses me. I’m particularly insulted in the group’s behalf, and I can’t put it articulately so here’s RM from the interview itself:
“But if there is a conversation inside Billboard about what being No. 1 should represent, then it’s up to them to change the rules and make streaming weigh more on the ranking. Slamming us or our fans for getting to No. 1 with physical sales and downloads, I don’t know if that’s right … It just feels like we’re easy targets because we’re a boy band, a K-pop act, and we have this high fan loyalty.” (READ: BTS Member RM Deftly Shut Down Chart Manipulation Discourse via Teen Vogue)
I’m just. Don’t hate the players who actually studied how to play and win at your game, maybe?
ANYWAY.
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I don’t usually go here, but this is a pretty good story weaving Twilight, fandom, tourism and environmentalism: The ‘Twilight’ romance no one talks about via Grist. Definitely among this week’s most surprising reads.
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Earlier this week, the Vice President launched her very own podcast: two-part pilot now up on Spotify!
Busy day at the office. Missed the 6pm launch of my own podcast. Caught my daughters listening to it and we are all in agreement that @iamsuperbianca is so insightful. Thank you very much for being my first guest. You may catch the first part here:
Growing Into The Role with Bianca Gonzalez - The Leni Robredo Podcast | Podcast on Spotify
Listen to this episode from The Leni Robredo Podcast on Spotify. For her podcast’s pilot episode, Leni Robredo is joined by host, author, and content creator Bianca Gonzalez, as they revisit the beginning of their respective careers and how they overcame the pressures of being thrust into the spotlight.
As usual, here’s my favorite bit (because I am totally not transcribing these outings as part of volunteer work, oh no, not at all) - in 2013, she was a last-minute unity candidate who ran for Camarines Sur rep despite not having resources–only 2 months after her husband died. She couldn’t even hold a single rally because she lacked funds to rent a sound system worth P7,000 (“Pambayad ko na ng watchers yun.”) In 2016, the party only started looking at her when talks with the first-choice VP fell through. (“Pumayag ako para hindi mapahiya ang Party na hindi ako nag-cooperate.”)
And yet, here the woman is today, perhaps the single loudest logical figure in this country’s COVID-19 response: 19k new cases today despite the 2-week ECQ in Metro Manila, which has been declared under MECQ until Sept 7th–effectively still rendering ongoing voter registration SUSPENDED.
ALSO: Two things I was most infuriated with this week, because I want to remember:
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BREAKING: Comelec has awarded F2 Logistics PH the P1.61B contract for the delivery of automated election system-related equipment, VCMs, ballots and other supplies, Commissioner Marlon Casquejo tells ABS-CBN News. F2 Logistics is linked to Dennis Ang Uy’s Udenna.
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RAPPLER EXCLUSIVE. Biggest pandemic supplier has links to ex-Duterte adviser Michael Yang
Biggest pandemic supplier has links to ex-Duterte adviser Michael Yang
[EXCLUSIVE] Securities and Exchange Commission documents show how Yang is connected to the embattled Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation, supplier of pandemic supplies flagged by auditors to be overpriced
ISTG THIS COUNTRY.
ANYWAY.
My favorite meme this week is from Red Velvet.
Red Velvet the most chaotic group ever and i love THEM 😂
Pictured above: My last five braincells.
HEYYY it’s the long weekend! Hope you have a good and restful one.
XO,
K