Friday Flotsam

Flotsam is baaaaaaaaaaaa! – oh, no one noticed? One person did? Well anyway, Flotsam is baaaaaaaaaack!

Wide-legged denim. (some of you are like, peace out) I need some DES-PER-ATE help in this arena. I have a lot of wide legged pants, but no denim. And what I mean is, FULL LENGTH. Like, to-my-shoes jeans. I’m seeing them everywhere these days and they look soooo pretty on women. Except me. They look janky and dumpy and frumpy and silly on me. I ordered a Madewell pair, and laughed so hard when I put them on. Of course they look stunning on the model! Also I’m 87 years older than her, so maybe that’s it? Surely not. Probably so.

What I’m struggling with is the wide-legged vs FLARE. The ’70s flare is totally back and obviously a super flattering silhouette. But the rise has to be criminally high. I cannot look like myself in the mid 2000s in my band The New Tragedies, wearing nothing but black tank tops and low-rise bootcut jeans with white pumps so that I could feel just a little bit like Carrie Bradshaw. (no cosmos though because gross, dude) Also remember all those fancy brands?! Paige, Citizens of something, BLUE. I had them all. So fun. So tragic.

Tell me what you’re wearing and what’s working. Everlane? Reformation? Boyish? Gap? I need massive direction from readers like you!

Hahahaha, I’ve always wanted to say that.

Didn’t really work, did it?

Can we please talk about loading the dishwasher?

And I don’t mean like, the order or the where or the how. What I mean is, my friend Seth told me recently that it’s better to NOT RINSE the dish before putting it in the washer, so that the detergent has something to stick to. And I was like, “Your face has something to stick to.”

Truly though in real time I was like, “Oh really? Intere….stinnnggg……..y. .eaa hhh riiiight” under my breath. Don’t RINSE? I’ve always rinsed. Always. I’m a child of the ’80s and we rinsed, bruh!

WELL, the plot thickens. I want to say it was Babs on IG that said something along the same lines recently and I almost fell over completely dead.

And I’m probably saying it all wrong. You can rinse. Just not too much. Which HONESTLY who is going to like, fully clean a dish before it goes in a giant square box machine that’s fully equipped to take the very task on. But listen, I do run a plate under water and let all the bits and gibbles and dribbles and blibbles run off. I’m not insane, SETH.

Do you rinse? And I suppose the question is, how thoroughly do you rinse before violently throwing the dishes in the washer?

Why yes I do in fact need a life. Thanks.

Anyone else here completely stress out at a stoplight when you’re singing along with whatever song is playing because you’re positive that the person next to you in their car will notice that you got the lyrics wrong and will make fun of you for the rest of the day and tell all their friends about it?

Just me?

Well forget I said anything.

MIDNIGHTS. And I swear (maybe) that this will be the only time we discuss this here.

I want to know what you all think of the album. It’s been one week and it’s grown on me so, so much. Riiiiiiight at first I was like, this is nothing like Folklore or Evermore. Nothing at all. But then I realized it doesn’t need to be. It’s for sure a throwback to her pop days, but a bit more polished, in my opinion. You see, I never listened to Reputation or Lover or 1989 (outside of the mega hits), so this pop side of her is hitting me differently than perhaps how it would have back then. I don’t think that sentence made any sense. In short, I LOVE it. I think Karma is so fun, sonically dreamy and oozes with nostaglia. It has this slight NeverEnding Story vibe to it. This rollerskating rink essence to it and I’m dying over how it makes me feel. Young. I feel young when I listen. The song makes zero sense, but does it need to? Naw. Not at all. Like, imagine what “Karma is my boyfriend” is going to sound like in a giant stadium next year.

Or “It’s me, hi, I’m the problem it’s me.” IN AN ARENA. And I hate arenas but I have to experience that.

Other favorites are Glitch (hello, that VIBE), The Great War and High Infidelity (feels a little more like current Taylor), Lavender Haze (that punchy almost disco vibe is something I apparently needed in my soul), and Vigilante Sh*t (such a groove. such a mood.) Obviously Anti-Hero is a winner for everyone. I could talk about every single song really but I know you have something to get to.

But hey, let me know if you want me to talk about every single because I definitely wi- no?

Not even Sweet Nothings or Mastermind? Reaaaaally.

Okay.

Weekend plans?

Tell me this. Are all of your school Halloween activities happening today or Monday? Like the parties, the parade, the Trunk or Treat – today? Monday? Ours are today. Which is totally fine and festive and Friday-like. But what are they gonna do on Monday? Raw brussels sprouts and carrot sticks? Ha! Never mind.

We have parties and events galore, which you know I’ll be obnoxiously posting. Oh! Our costumes! We’re definitely in the Harry Potter era of life, so Will is Draco Malfoy (that HAIR, how could he not.) and Nat is Luna Lovegood (that HAIR, how could she not.) As for me and Aaron? Diane Chambers and Sam Malone from Cheers. (our HAIR, how could we not.) I have a deep love for Shelly Long’s buttoned-up, prissy vibe in Cheers (“Norman!”) and Aaron’s NA just like Sam, so it’s meant to be. I’ll absolutely post photos once we’re in our ’80s bar garb and our hair is properly curled and brushed back tomorrow night. Oh, you’ll see it all. YOU WILL.

From last last 55 weeks, since I’ve not posted Flotsam in a while, some recipes not to miss! Garlic Chicken Spaghetti! Have you made this yet? Chicken Sausage Soup with Fire-Roasted Tomatoes, Kale and Rice. Totally slurpy. We also have some Barley Bowls with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Pears. So fall! How about some Creamy Sausage, Mushroom and Wild Rice to slurp? You in? Ooooo Mini Pear Pies! Don’t miss these. And lastly, Broccoli, Ham and Gruyere Quesadillas. Bro, these are everything.

Okay, tell me your costumes! And tell me your Midnights thoughts. And your full-length denim suggestions. And if you freak out at stoplights, too. And if you rinse your dishes. Basically you owe me six paragraphs. Ya best get to it.