Saturday, we made it!

Do we still say TGIF?

I sure do. I never thought I’d be the kind of woman that lives for the weekend, but over the past few weeks (years?!) finding myself pretty spent by the time the sun begins to set at the end of the week. Head, meet pillow.

And here we are! Saturday! Welcome to your weekend, and thank you for having me in your inbox. It’s time to top up that coffee, grab a blanket, and snuggle up. I’ve got all of your favourite Key Takeaways for the week: what to watch, listen to, read, and indulge in, followed by a bevy of links to some of my favourite reads from around the web this week.

The entire aim of Hard Copy is to filter through the noise and get you only the essentials, shipping them straight to your inbox. We love helping make life a little more simple and a lot more enjoyable.

Without further ado...happy weekend! 🖤

PS come play with us on instagram. We’re even sassier there.


Key Takeaways

📺 Watch

Big Mood is a dark-comedy TV series that follows 2 women who are desperately trying and failing to ‘come of age’. It’s funny and uplifting, and stars the beloved Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton). We’re only 4 months into the year, but I’m calling it: this is one of the best TV shows of 2024. (TubiTV)

If you can get to the theater, go see The Challengers! We’ve got sports! Zendaya! A potential ménage-à-trois! Honestly, we’ve earned this. 

If you’d prefer to stay in, flip on Problemista, a surreal comedy about a toy designer whose work visa is about to run out. To buy himself time, he takes a job assisting an art-world outcast, deliciously played by Tilda Swinton. (Prime)

🎧 Listen

Food is love! This sweet podcast episode has renowned chef Samin Nosrat reading “You May Want to Marry My Husband”, an essay by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, one of the most-read Modern Love Essays ever.

Canadian singer-songwriter Louise Burns put together a playlist for Hard Copy. Her essential ingredients for good music? “Melody, mood, and mystery.”

If you’re looking for a mellow vibe, pop on Bnny’s new album One Million Love Songs.

📚 Read

Written by two psychology professors and a science journalist, Solitude explores the benefits of time spent alone. They differentiate between loneliness and solitude, and they cover a lot of territory in exploring the restorative possibility of the latter.

The Other Half is an exciting and decadent mystery that kicks off at a bougie black tie dinner and ends with a dead body. Lots of suspects, and some great humour.

While promiscuous men are often revered by their male counterparts, women don’t get the same treatment. Has the double standard shifted at all in the 20 years since the finale of Sex and the City aired? With Netflix bringing all 6 seasons of the show to their US audience, will Gen Z carry through with the changes that Millennials and Gen X couldn’t?

✨ Indulge

Summer Fridays launched a new lip oil and I wanted to see if it is worth the hype: I’m here to tell you hell yes! I usually dig a matte lip, but I love the soft shine. It goes on like a gloss and melts in, so it’s not crazy sticky, and has buildable colour. I’ve been sporting “Rosewood Nights” for a few weeks and I’m hooked.

If you’re a longtime reader, you know I don’t go crazy with colour in my wardrobe. Spring always lures me out of my dark cave of black clothing though, and I will pop on some white or blues. This article is chalk full of ideas to incorporate bits of blue into your closet as the weather warms.

Recently I got to try Malin+Goetz hair products at an Airbnb and WOW, I should get out more often. I felt like an entirely new woman just by lathering up with the peppermint shampoo, and if you told me I’d love a Cilantro-scented conditioner, I’d have laughed in your face!

📱 Your Weekly Breakdown from our friends around the web

Tech & Work

Anne Helen Petersen delves into the challenges faced by academics, including adjunct professors, amidst the pandemic in an article aptly named When Your Profession is on Fire. Her pieces are so thorough, and this one is no exception: she explores the strain of job insecurity, workload, and lack of support in the education system, offering insights into the shocking toll on mental health and a strong argument for why things need to change. (Culture Study)

Amazon made its own fake shell company and brands, transacted hundreds of thousands of dollars per year undercover on competitors’ platforms, and kept its intel operation a secret for nearly a decade, even from others at Amazon. (WSJ)

Two powerful essays this week on the perils of banning social media: the first argues that banning TikTok would stifle diverse voices and creativity, limiting access to a platform that ultimately empowers marginalized communities. We need to protect our digital spaces for expression and cultural exchange. The second essay explores the issues with the Canadian government limiting news discovering on platforms like Facebook and Instagram (Time, Hard Copy)

No longer limited to California, noncompetes are now banned across the U.S. That said, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says it will sure the FTC over the rule, arguing that the commission doesn’t have the legal authority to issue this kind of regulation. (FTC)

Women

Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction has been overturned by the New York Court of Appeals on the basis that he did not receive a fair trial. The Court ordered a retrial while Weinstein, 72, remains in prison, serving a separate sentence in LA. The reversal sparked outcry from victims' groups, with Lindsay Goldbrum, who represented six Harvey Weinstein victims, saying the Appeal Court's decision is a "leap backwards" and potentially damaging to future sexual assault cases. (BBC)

Nicola Coughlan covers Teen Vogue for April 2024. In the wholesome and uplifting profile, the Bridgerton star discusses her career, body positivity, and advocacy for diverse representation in medi: “representation is not just about seeing yourself on screen; it's about seeing yourself as the hero of the story." (Teen Vogue)

Céline Dion is back out and about with a cover, and the interview is just as entertaining as you’d imagine it to be. (Vogue France)

Billie Eilish and Sophie Bush also have profiles out this week, and both emphasize their love of the female form. It’s refreshing to have these women covering magazines and talking about their sexuality so openly. (Rolling Stone, Glamour)

Culture

A riveting and thought-provoking piece on parents who regret having children. (Time)

The big “junk food” industry is fighting back against the backlash around ultra-processed foods. Yes, they want you to eat doritos and oreos for dinner. (Bloomberg)

Urgency culture is leading us to burnout. Do you know the signs? This article offers up helpful tips from experts for coping, like the importance of setting boundaries, prioritizing self-care, and seeking support. (National Geographic)

Cultural shifts in drinking culture have given rise to many alcohol alternatives, including kava, mushrooms, and CBD-infused beverages.  (Vox)

Let me know what's working for you and what isn't - I'd love your feedback, thoughts, or recommendations of your own! You can ​email me anytime​.

Until next time, take good care.

Previous
Previous

Sandra Oh & Me: 30 Years of Asian Love

Next
Next

Playlist: Louise Burns gives us melody, mood, and mystery