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Some Things To Read

July 28, 2017
Today

Here are some things I’ve been reading this week, in case you are looking for something to cast your eye over…

1. This story about Angelina Jolie. Ugh. The bits about ‘making a connection’ in the orphanage and the very questionable casting test disadvantaged children underwent to secure a role in her new film make me not want to see her new film. Or any film of hers, in fact! Is this want we want from ‘stars’?! (Answer: no!)

2. I read this piece about conscious consumerism and it’s making me think more deeply about how to make a bigger and better impact – and still determined to do my bit in big AND small ways. I’m not giving up the small ways! Ya gotta do SOMETHING!

3. Paula told me about this piece – Home Is A Cup Of Tea – and I am so glad she did. It’s great. I was talking about it to my friend today (we spent the day op shopping!) and THEN we found some of the straw/spoon things (mate straws?) that are written about towards the end of this piece, which was SUCH a weird coincidence. They were $125 for the set, so we didn’t buy them, but they were gorgeous!

4. A menu at a suburban Chinese restaurant with the best orange chairs. I love fried rice and we ate a big plate full with some tea and chatter. Do you like fried rice? I really do. They also squiggled Hoi sin sauce on our spring rolls, which was unexpected, but nice.

5. This book. I finished it and I liked it and I recommend it! Foodie and Frenchy and not too romance-y. Just the way I like it!

6. A book stack from the op shop. I found:

The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society
The JM Barrie Ladies Swimming Society
I Feel Bad About My Neck
The Husband’s Secret
Playing With The Grown-Ups

(Book spend $11 in total.)

7. This piece about an unsolved crime. The book is about to be released and I think I might snaffle a copy.

8. This piece by Benison O’Reilly about her autistic son Sam’s trip to Africa with his dad. Maybe you saw them on Australian Story this week? It was such a great episode.

9. A bit more about an amazing woman who is walking from Melbourne to Geraldton pushing a trolley called ‘The Ladies Auxiliary’. No, she really is! I know! Amazing! Follow her on Instagram, why don’t you?!

10. This recipe for speedy Red Chicken Curry a la Neil Perry. I am not sure if I really like pre-roasted chicken in a curry. I have tried it before and not been keen. But maybe this will convert me?

11. One of my favourite bloggers, Rhonda Hetzel, publishes a really ace list of weekend reads every Friday. So I like to read that too.

What are you reading?

x Pip

Image: things from today – a jelly cake (so good!) and some teaspoons from Savers.

6 Comments

  • Reply Regina August 8, 2017 at 11:34 AM

    OMGosh Home is a Cup of Tea really resonated with me….what a beautiful story. Thank you Pip for generosity in sharing lovely things in one spot!

  • Reply Dale July 31, 2017 at 10:55 AM

    Hi Pip!
    I love reading your blog and you’ve inspired me in so many ways. As I was reading you words I was wondering if you get much feedback from the vast emptiness of the WWW and I thought I would write 🙂

    I am decidedly undecided about Angelina. I feel like the media can twist things anyway that suits a story and unless you really know the person you’ll never really know the truth. Mind you it is hard to know the truth about people you think you know too. On a separate note I would this article on peoples responses to Brad Pitts GQ photo shoot hilarious – http://www.elle.com/culture/celebrities/news/a45008/brad-pitt-gq-cover-tweets/

    I mainly wanted to say that I found the piece on conscious consumerism really interesting/confronting and went on to read her piece about giving up buying things for 200 days. Makes me wonder if I could do that.

    Thanks for your great blog it is always a joy to read.
    xox

  • Reply Kate July 29, 2017 at 9:35 PM

    Some great reading thanks Pip.
    Cheers Kate

  • Reply Tanya July 29, 2017 at 6:35 PM

    Pip, I love your writing and your reminders of the wonderfulness of Gilmore Girls has meant that I’ve been watching it with my kids who love it (just sad that we’re already up to series 7). From all that I’ve heard from friends who live in Cambodia and the rest of the article, Angelina has been entirely respectful of the Cambodian people and truly wants the best for them. I read the book (purchased in Cambodia from a land mine amputee) and it’s a very harrowing and moving story, so I understand how they would need a special child to play the part. I like the fact that there are counselors on set to help the actors as they dealt with what they were seeing and experiencing, so I respectfully differ in opinion on writing Angelina off as all bad.

    • Reply Pip July 29, 2017 at 8:53 PM

      What were your thoughts on the way she auditioned disadvantaged children for the about-to-be-released Netflix film about Cambodia? I just could not reconcile it at all! Thanks for commenting and for reading. It’s SO appreciated!! x

  • Reply Judy July 28, 2017 at 10:47 PM

    I am on an Anthony Horowitz kick, just having finished Magpie Murders (which is really good). I am reading The House of Silk, which is a Sherlock Holmes book of his.

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