Toto, we’re not in Malibu anymore!

That’s right y’all, it’s time for our 5 (moderately) happy, newly-engaged couples to head back to Dallas, move into their show-appointed neutrally-decorated apartments, and commence the grueling labor of coupledom.

This week’s batch of episodes was so meaty that we found it difficult to discuss them in a concise and coherent manner. Some scenes felt like they needed entire podcast episodes, like the knotty conversation that Bartise and Nancy have about abortion rights, or the massive blow-up fight that Matt and Colleen have and then quickly try to paper over. Plus, predictably, both Bartise and Cole continued to act a fool after realizing that the other women they had pursued in the pods, were in fact, also hot.

Luckily for our cold dead hearts, which have been beaten down even further by this season of Bachelor In Paradise, we also got some sweetness in these episodes. Alexa and Brennon continue their reign as the golden couple, even as their differences become more pronounced, and SK and Raven’s slow burn has turned into a moderately hot flame.

Who are our top 3 enemies? Who rose up the ranks in our should-they-get-married ratings? Listen and enjoy! xo

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We’ve been reading…

After a break, I went back to Gabrielle Zevin’s “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” and read the last two-thirds of it on one rainy Sunday afternoon. I couldn’t put it down, and I spent the last 100-ish pages weeping. It’s so very beautiful. Don’t let the gaming premise turn you off, this is a must-read. -Emma

I’m still reading “Nevada” by Imogen Binnie, though I’ve been on something of an enforced break. Max has had a bad cold, so not only was our weekend more chaotic than usual (postnasal drip does not put toddlers in a good mood any more than it does adults, and they can’t use decongestants) but he missed a couple days of daycare. My fun reading is the first thing to drop off the agenda, but I’m hoping to get back to it soon!

I also read Lila Shapiro on the lawsuit Moira Donegan is facing over the Shitty Media Men list, which disturbingly appears poised to go to trial. -Claire

We’ve been listening to…

Taylor Swift’s “Midnights.” Duh. I’ve been especially obsessed with the 3am tracks, specifically in “Could’ve Would’ve Should’ve,” her musical excoriation of John Mayer, who she dated at 19 when he was 32. “Give me my back my girlhood / It was mine first.” Devastating. -Emma

We’ve all been listening to “Midnights,” which for some reason has emerged as the Taylor album I am least likely to skip tracks on. Maybe I’m just becoming more patient in my old age and letting her quieter tracks have a chance to creep up on me, or maybe I love the blend of indie rock influences and synthy pop — somehow I even enjoy the cringe tracks like “Vigilante Shit.” (It’s because I, like Taylor, am cringe.) -Claire

We’ve been watching…

Honestly haven’t had time to watch anything this week other than BIP, Love Is Blind and a little bit of Tell Me Lies. Pretty cool that I got to do all of that for work. -Emma

The upside of Max’s cold is that we’ve all had a chance to get into “Encanto.” The first couple times we tried it, he found it pretty overstimulating, but now he is obsessed. And so am I. He gets to watch chunks of it while he does his many inhaler sessions, or when he’s too miserable to play with toys, and I think I enjoy it as much as he does. The plot holes are starting to get to me a bit (why does Tia Pepa affect the weather easily enough to summon a whole hurricane on her wedding day, but in the actual movie we only see tiny little clouds directly over her? Mostly I have a lot of questions about Tia Pepa) but it’s just so fun and packed with earworms. -Claire

We’ve been buying…

It will come to absolutely no one’s surprise that I indulged in a little Hill House holiday-wear. I love this soft blackwatch tartan pattern, and got the Louisa dress and the Evelyn, both perfect for taking a fall stroll / grabbing a meal out / podcasting from your bedroom. All the versatility I need for my current lifestyle. (LOL.) -Emma

Ugh, same. I wear my tartan Ellies around the house constantly in the winter, so it was easy to convince myself that I needed more. I got a Caroline, and it’s like being swaddled in a soft, light blanket. For those who need to look nice outside of their homes, perhaps at parties or even a fashion-forward office, I recommend the mod Araminta — I’ve never felt more beautiful in a statement sleeve or a shift dress. (I never need to dress up, so mine is going back, but not without a pang!)

I also saw that Rifle Paper Co. was having a sale on 2023 planners, so I went ahead and got the 2023 version of my current planner, which I love. The promotion appears to be over, but a few individual planners are still discounted. I’m more an organizational aspirant than a rigorous organizer, but this planner has just the right balance of calendar space, general note-taking space, and to-do list space for my fairly basic needs. -Claire

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