I have no interest in podcasts in general, but have become hooked on Book Riot‘s, and now feel better prepared to sound knowledgeable about current literary things, not just Robertson Davies. Check it out! Also, now that I’m exploring the world of podcasts, what do you recommend?

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Zadie Smith, on losing her father: the most perfect piece of writing.

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“sheryl is inspirational! I missed zumba for this and happy I did!”

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Is MasterChef Junior good? I know I’ll get hooked either way, so I’m not starting it unless it’s really good.

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The goblins will take their vengeance, in time.

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“When men read Mary Gaitskill, their boners deflate.”

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NDB, but Sondheim is updating “Company” to make Bobby the gay man he always should have been and he’s cast DANIEL EVANS, who is perfect. Though I’d also like to see Raul Esparza reprise the role. No bad options!

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You’ve seen Donald Glover’s Instagram stuff, but we’d feel sad if we didn’t link it anyway.

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Just Cord Jefferson being really good at life and being a person again.

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The Chronicle of Higher Education talked to a bunch of female scientists of colour about their experiences in academia.

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1.

Hello, my name is Cleo and I am in hopes that you are having a good day? I am seeing your article about women apologizing for not knowing how to pitch but pitching anyway and possibly for existing? Because I have followed you from The Hairpin to The Toast and The Twitter and The Tumblr? I too am sorry for not knowing, and for existing, and for ending all the sentences with a question mark? oh God my grammars, words are dribbling out of my brain somebody help me

2.

This is an important email to you. It will be surprising for you to receive this proposal from me since you do not know me personally. I would like to insinuate you with certain facts that I believe would be of interest to you. I will introduce myself I am Cleolinda Jones a banker banking in a bank in Vanuatu. In 2013, the subject matter: I have a portfolio of 7.14 million $United States ideas, which I wish to liquidate.

3.

Mallory says we are never wasting her time, we are never bothering her! Mallory says that to her we are perfect!Technically that was said on a picture IN the text, not BY the text, and pictures are tricksy, Preciousss. But to include an image in the text is to signal that the meaning conveyed by the image is now part of the text, and–Tricksy! Wicked! LIIIIESSSSS. Mallory says we are worth hearing from! Mallory is our friend! She doesn’t even know you, Precious! NOBODY LIKES YOU.

Okay, let’s talk about Ronan Farrow being Frank Sinatra’s son, and about how Dylan Farrow is now talking openly about what she remembers of Woody Allen, because we’re all having such a good time with the first part, and the second part is a PRETTY BIG DEAL too.

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There is a new Hyperbole and a Half up.

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The Calgary Herald correctly uses “cis,” writes about trans* pregnancy stuff without being stupid.

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In other good news, Gloria Steinem revisits her 1977 essay on trans* issues:

So now I want to be unequivocal in my words: I believe that transgender people, including those who have transitioned, are living out real, authentic lives. Those lives should be celebrated, not questioned. Their health care decisions should be theirs and theirs alone to make. And what I wrote decades ago does not reflect what we know today as we move away from only the binary boxes of “masculine” or “feminine” and begin to live along the full human continuum of identity and expression.

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Nancy Mitford, forever relevant.