my october rewind and news stories you should read this month

feeling overstimulated by everything all at once. nevertheless, we consume.

Nov 04, 2024

Hello Tamia Talkers! Late-night dispatches are becoming a bit of my vibe. There’s nothing better on a Sunday night than a comprehensive culture catchup, especially with the overflowing news cycle we’ve been having over the past month.

If you checked in last week, you may have read some of the stories included in my pre-election read-in, but I’ve got some additional stories for you to add to your TBR if it’s not too late.

This month seemed like it was approximately seven years long, so I got quite a bit of watching and witnessing music and movie moments into my daily schedule.

Before we get into it, I’ve been getting tons of voting and elections questions in my Instagram and TikTok DMs, so I would be remiss if I didn’t include a little voting PSA here.

If you live in the United States and plan on voting, are looking for election info, or are hoping to find additional resources to register or find your polling location, visit vote.org or head to your municipal clerk’s office website.

There are tons of organizations offering free and discounted rides to the polls on Election Day.

In Milwaukee, Souls to the Polls will offer free rides to the polls from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. with their voter hotline, 414-742-1060. Lime scooters will offer free 30-minute rides to the polls as a part of their "Unlock Democracy" campaign. The NAACP partnered with Lyft to cover rides to the polls using the code NAACPVOTE24.

Read this TechCrunch story for the scoop on all the Election Day ride deals.

Alright, time to rewind!

in the news

America’s Top Archivist Puts a Rosy Spin on U.S. History—Pruning the Thorny Parts: In the Wall Street Journal, reporters Andrew Restuccia and Rebecca Ballhaus write that U.S. Archivist Colleen Shogan and her top advisers at the National Archives and Records Administration have undergone a significant effort to de-emphasize potentially unsavory and “unwelcoming" elements of United States history displayed at the National Archives Museum in Washington, D.C. Recent subjects that have been eliminated from planned future exhibits include the U.S. government’s displacement of indigenous tribes, the incarceration of Japanese-Americans during World War II and the swapping out of a portrait of Dr. Martin Luther King with a photo of former President Richard Nixon greeting Elvis Presley. Sources say that the changes were spurred by concerns that having a seemingly critical evaluation of some of the United States’ previous policy decisions might cause problems under a presidential administration led by Donald Trump. Some employees have amounted Shogan’s decision-making to censorship. Read here.

Their Son’s Death Was Devastating. Then Politics Made It Worse.: After 11-year-old Aidan Clark died in a school bus crash in August 2023, authorities ruled that the crash was an accident. However, as the 2024 presidential campaign ramped up, Aidan’s death became a central talking point of former President Donald Trump, who blamed the legally registered Haitian immigrant who caused the crash for an outbreak of immigrant-driven violence against residents of Springfield, Ohio. In this story, New York Times reporter Eli Slaslow follows Clark’s parents, Nathan and Danielle, after they decided to speak out against aggressive anti-immigrant rhetoric. Their decision has resulted in the couple being targeted by racist groups, regularly receiving threats, and finding themselves unable to mourn and honor their son’s loss truly. Read here.

Rachel Zegler and Jack Antonoff Are Unexpected Pop Culture Soulmates: Since I was a wee sophomore in high school with suppressed theatre-kid aspirations, I have followed Rachel Zegler and her fabulous rise to stardom. I remember watching a video of her at Broadway Flea singing “A Little Fall of Rain” with Chris McCarrell, then-Marius in Broadway’s Les Miserables, in my high school’s choir room and thinking, “She’s got the magic.” Almost a decade later, I’m so proud to read every profile of her that comes across my feed. This conversation with Jack Antonoff was beyond delightful. Something I admire about Zegler is her transparency about attacks made against her after her casting as Snow White in a Disney live adaptation. In this Cosmopolitan story, she acknowledges the challenges that came with stepping onto the world stage at 17-years-old to star in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story,” from stalking to cyberbullying to navigating a public relationship, and she discusses all of the growth that she’s had in becoming an adult in the spotlight. Also, shoutout to people from New Jersey, the few I know, stars. Read here.

Moving South, Black Americans Are Weathering Climate Change: In December 2023, Capital B reporter Adam Mahoney wrote about Black Americans who, over the past decade, have sought to escape the environmental racism and poor health conditions of the Midwest and other Northern states by moving to Southern regions. States like Texas and Florida are among the most popular landing grounds for new residents who say “better weather” was the reason for their move. However, many say they were unprepared for the severity of climate disasters like hurricanes and extreme heat waves that have repeatedly hit their cities due to climate change. Read here.

A Rural Missouri Town Fights Big Tech, and Itself: In their fight to keep executives from Diode Ventures from building a 500-acre data center in the center of their town, residents of Peculiar, Missouri considered themselves to be “Davids against Goliath.” In recent years, prominent tech companies like Meta, Google, and Diode have eyed small towns as prime real estate for mounting major data center construction projects to house thousands of computers that power their companies’ AI technology and data storage systems. This New York Times story by Eli Tan examines the intricacies of the residents’ fight to maintain their land and the long-term implications of tech taking over rural areas. Read here.

The Creator of Angel Numbers Regrets It: A friend and I went through a phase two years ago where we would send each other angel numbers at least three to four times a day. Initially, it was because we wanted to believe that the universe was sending us hidden messages. Who wouldn’t want to think that? But, it was also a constant reminder that we were thinking of one another, seeing each other in every passing digit. Doreen Virtue, however, the creator of angel numbers, has disavowed them. The Angel Number Queen told The Cut’s E.J Dickinson that she just made all of that up and reaped the financial benefits, so much for a sign of the times! Read here.

on my screen

Nobody Wants This (2024): An Adam Brody renaissance was much needed and much appreciated in the culture this month. I loved this watch. Also, Kristen Bell is my Cancerian queen and Mother Gossip Girl, so this was made for me in a way.
Broad City (2024): I watched exactly one episode of Broad City this month after committing to binge it with a long-distance bestie. Though I don’t think she even watched a single episode (understandable, no tea, no shade), I was pleased to finally discover the origins of Fred Armisen’s “I don't have any money. I can pay you in blocks.”

Fred Armisen in Season 1, Episode 1 of Broad City, *Hulu*

We Live In Time (2024): This a lovely film with strong performances from Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh. I did not cry, as anticipated, but found the story to be a great reminder of how easy it can be to become consumed with the superficial satisfactions that life has to offer. Throughout the film, Pugh’s character, Almut assesses and confronts whether she wants to live a life bound to and defined by prestige and prominence rather than prioritizing and healing the relationships most central in her life. It was a story about love of self and love in partnership, and, as indicated by the title, a reminder of how people can make the most of the time they have on this earth. Not too cliche, only slightly predictable, but I would absolutely watch it again.
Charli XCX Zane Lowe Apple Music Interview (2024): I always love a Zane Lowe interview and I adored that Charli got a full production with SWEAT footage galore for hers. If, in any way, you consider yourself to have had a brat summer and or fall, this is a must-watch. For the OG Angels, it’s a gift.
Agatha All Along (2024): Marvel girls, I think…we are so back. More witches, I beg!

in my ears

music

B2B (feat. Tinashe), Charli XCX: B2B supremacy and I stand by that.
Sunset Boulevard, Tom Francis (2024): Act II opener of Sunset Boulevard, you will go down in history.
What A Girl Wants, Christina Aguilera feat. Sabrina Carpenter (2024): This is what I was referring to when I said “the blonde agenda” was in this month.
Track 10, Charli XCX (2017): After Sweat, I could not stop listening to my sweet “Track 10.” I want to hear more about the journey between this and “Blame It On Your Love” (2019).
Mustang Sally, Maeta (2024): Maeta’s Summer 2024 EP “Endless Night” is so unbelievably underrated and underappreciated in the culture this year. With tracks produced by Kaytranada, I’ve found it easy to discover a new favorite song every month. When I don’t know what to listen to, I hit play on this.
Sober, Lorde (2017): I’m having a Lordeassaince as of late.
October Sky, Yebba (2021): This entire album is so fall, and October Sky is perfect.
Lucifer, A.G. Cooke (2024): Banger, if you haven’t listened to “Britpop” by A.G. Cooke this year, you are missing out! Many of the songs landed in my queue after “brat” dropped in May, and if you are, like me, hungry for some extra Charli XCX and Addison Rae songs for your playlist, you must listen! I am partial to “Britpop” and “Lucifer,” but that’s just how my cookie is crumbling.
Flowers & Superpowers, Wafia (2019): This song reminds me of the spring of my freshman year of college and is ever-delightful, so it’s here!
see through, Amelia Moore (2024): Vocals <3

podcasts

I found myself telling people that October was the most romantic month of the year this month, in part likely influenced by seeing “We Live In Time,” watching Amelia Dimoldenburg and Andrew Garfield converse over chicken nuggets and preparing to attend a wedding. So, my podcast lineup was partially romance-oriented and also very politics-focused (see last week’s lineup of pod eps).

Lorde’s Melodrama + Non-fiction Books, Ride with Benito Skinner and Mary Beth Barone: A friend and cherished coworker introduced me to “Ride” last fall and it has become one of my favorite listens when the world is too overwhelming, and I need something to bring me joy. I adore Mary Beth and Benny, but there’s also something so beautiful and relatable about hearing two friends gab about a random subject for 30 minutes. I randomly selected this episode from approximately 15 others I listened to this month. Listen here. :)
Tailgating in Wisconsin With the Bros Trump Needs, The Run-Up: Astead Herndon paid a visit to my alma mater with “The Run-Up” to speak to college students about who they will be casting their ballots for on Nov. 5. Some male students say they are drawn to Trump’s masculinity and strength, while young women say they are prioritizing access to reproductive care. Listen here.
Margaret Atwood isn’t surprised people find her scary, Wild Card with Rachel Martin: Coming off of my monthslong read of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” I loved listening to this episode of Wild Card while taking a walk through Brooklyn. In the episode, Atwood discusses her new book of poems, vengeance, and how she handled accusations of being an alarmist about attacks on women’s rights after the publication of her critically acclaimed dystopian novel. She also talks extensively about being a short queen, something she’s not entirely pleased about but I loved. Listen here.
The Art of Being Single, NPR Up First: Ayesha Rascoe hosted an incredibly vulnerable episode of Up First’s The Sunday Story about how she is reevaluating the experience of being single for the first time in nearly two decades after her divorce. The whole episode was so honest and transparent about the challenges and benefits of being single and getting to know and understand life without a partner. As Rascoe and Meghan Keane, creator of NPR’s Life Kit,” discuss a series of relationships gone right and wrong, they also examine the roots of the insecurities of singledom and what the collective still has to learn about love (of self and others). Listen here.
Amelia Dimoldenburg Can Teach You How To Flirt, Modern Love: Love this girl. That’s all.
The Iconic 400, Las Culuristas: Whitney Houston and Celine Dion didn’t make the list, but Corn (the food) did.

on my shelf

The Defining Decade, Dr. Meg Jay: A sweet friend lent me this book when I accidentally read another book too fast on my plane to New York in early October. She said she would be coming to collect it in two weeks, so I needed to blaze through it, if possible. I am thanking the universe for that push because I needed this read in such a major way. Reading The Defining Decade prompted so many journaling and self-reflection moments in October. I love love loved this book and it provided so much clarity on being 20-something and just a little confused every once in a while. 5 stars!
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of The West, Gregory McGuire: I picked up Wicked this month because I am intensely preparing for the movie’s release in late November. I’ve loved Wicked: The Musical since I saw it for the first time in Chicago in 2008. I remember standing up for curtain call after “For Good,” and my mom looked at me and asked, “Are you crying?” I was soaked with tears because I was so moved by the power of enduring friendship in the face of Oz’s cultural division and political turmoil. Even though the book has been in my possession for almost two decades, I don’t recall ever finishing it. With fresh eyes though, I must say that it would be quite a complex plot to confront with a grade school brain! It’s been a delight to dig into so far.
The Overstory, Richard Powers: I just started The Overstory a couple of days ago. I’m only about three chapters in, but it’s beautifully written so far. Updates to come!

on stage

Romeo + Juliet: I’ve done my Rachel Zegler schpiel, but I have to give a special shoutout to the cast of Romeo and Juliet for delivering one of the most fun and energetic Shakespeare performances I have ever seen to Broadway this fall. This production kind of feels like going to see all of your friends in a college theatre performance, in the sense that the parasocial relationships you might have formed with these actors through other projects or (unfortunately) some viral TikTok videos from the show, leave you grinning from ear to ear with a pride you might only feel for some dear friends making magic on stage. Beyond Zegler’s refreshing take on Juliet, Kit Connor and Gabby Beans deliver some of the most grounded and resonant performances as Romeo and Friar Lawrence/Mercutio. This cast has great camaraderie, and the entire production team has found a great way to bring a new audience to a Shakespeare classic. I loved it and had the pleasure of bringing a friend for her first-ever Broadway show (so wholesome, so good).

Sunset Blvd.: I don’t even have the words to describe how exhilarating it was to see Sunset Blvd. on Broadway a few weeks ago. Nicole Scherzinger brings Norma Desmond to life in the most playful and satisfying way. Her voice sends vibrations through the theatre, and almost every solo ballad she performed launched the audience to their feet in applause. I went into this performance entirely blind and unsure of what this musical was about and spent my entire two hours with chills rushing through my body. One of my favorite non-show moments I had while attending was ascending the stairs from the restroom to the voice of Patrick Page (Broadway and Hadestown legend) and then there he was, right in front of me. Cool, thanks, New York. Anyway, the soundtrack has been on repeat and is going triple platinum in my house. I’m so glad I saw this show for the little version of me that was obsessed with Broadway and performing “When I Grow Up” by The Pussycat Dolls on Just Dance 2 (the superior Just Dance).

Short n’ Sweet Tour: On October 13, I stood blocks away from United Center in Chicago at the back of the box office ticket line. I was waiting for tickets to Sabrina Carpenter’s “Short n’ Sweet” tour, and, with the will of a pre-teen fangirl, I waited for nine hours in the windy Chicago chill to secure my seat. The ticket line also happened to be barricaded to the Chicago Marathon, so in addition to Wicked, which I brought to read during my wait, I had some entertainment and similarly tortured but hopeful human spirits to keep me company. I must say though, the wait was entirely worthwhile. I’ve attended almost every Sabrina Carpenter tour that she’s had over the past decade, and, with every performance, the girl gets better. I won’t belabor the point, because if you want to hear my Sabrina lore, you can listen to the nearly two-hour podcast episode that Sam Olson and I recorded in August, but my favorite songs to see live were… kidding, if I started listing them there would be too many. Great show!

Stevie Wonder Sing Your Song! As We Fix Our Nation's Broken Heart Tour: Amazing, as expected! I am grateful that I got to see this legend live in concert.