I’m stuck in the spot I always find myself in when world events plummet into despair...
I want to dive in and know and see everything about the news (mainly, right now, the crisis in the Middle East) as it emerges because surely if some folks have to live it, then I can at least know about it, right? And. When I listen to my go-to news podcasts back to back while getting ready in the morning, my chest feels tight before I even pull into the school parking lot and I struggle to get through the day with my students wholeheartedly.
I need to escape and self-soothe and set boundaries with current events and ticker tape headlines and graphic imagery of humanitarian crises. And. I don’t want to be wilfully ignorant or silent and acknowledge it’s a privilege to even be able to consider this as an option.
I feel compelled to share on social media when I read a post that resonates or voice my own opinions or at least say something. And. My voice on these issues isn’t really what matters, and I don’t know what I don’t know, and I don’t want to say something harmful by accident or blather on about the headlining war while another less-publicized one goes unnoticed.
So this is all to say I’m trying to find balance between consuming all too much news and self-medicating with popcorn and red wine.
How are you coping with the world this week/month?
Not yet knowing the answer to that question myself when I started writing this, I wasn’t sure what you’d be in the mood to read. So, I’ve rounded up a few links to explore, depending on whether you want to inform yourself or come up for air.
Whatever you decide to click on, do so with care. I’m thinking of you and all our fellow humans.
Dive into the news
A few links and recommendations for news* and informational sources that I’ve found helpful.
*Disclaimer: I am (quite obviously lol) not a journalist or political science expert. I’m an everyday university-educated left-leaning Canadian, millennial, teacher, wife, and human. I encourage you to think critically about any and all information consumed here through my links or elsewhere.
Israel Palestine Conflict Explainer (Vox) 🔗
I appreciate the wealth of background information available in this article and found it helpful when I realized just how much I didn’t know about the history of Israel and Palestine.
Amnesty International
A short video crash course on the Gaza blockade
Failures of Canadian Media and Politicians (On Canada Project) 🔗
A critique of Canadian politicians’ responses and the corporate media’s coverage through an anti-racist and anti-colonial lens. See their Instagram account here.
My Go-To News Podcasts
Or, come up for air with some lighthearted escapism
If you’re already up to date with the news and/or you prefer to use this space to decompress from it all, here a few fun things to look at.
Merit Beauty x Proenza Schoeler 🔗
I’m coveting this cosmetics bag that comes with a $100+ purchase.
Freefall by Rainbow Kitten Surprise
It’s an earworm and I like the lyrics.
Autumnal: A mini magazine created by me, for you
In case you missed it earlier this month! Includes a cocktail recipe, brand feature, book recommendation, playlist, and a few words of inspiration.
The Taylor Swift Eras Tour Concert Film
I saw it Friday with my teacher friend and our students on a social field trip. We sang, we danced, we cried, we ate our feelings, and you should too.
Taylor’s Louboutins 🔗
I went for the singalong but was blown away by the shoessssss. Louboutin officially dressed the tour and it was all you would expect.
Especially these ones 🔗
Okay, yep, that’s it that’s all! Feel free to drop in the comments any links that have been entertaining or educating you lately. Sending love.
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Thank you for sharing this. I feel exactly same when the world is heavy and heartbreaking things are happening. I struggle with my mental health a lot anyway, so I never have news on anywhere (apps, search engines, etc.). But then, as you say, it’s such a privilege to be able to even do that when the innocent are suffering. It’s definitely a hard balance.