Links: Emma Thompson, Our Flag Means Death, & More

Workspace with computer, journal, books, coffee, and glasses.Welcome back to Wednesday Links! How have you all been?!

The allergies have finally hit. They’ve hit so hard that I was in tears because of the sinus pressure and spent most of Monday night in a dark room with a compress over my eyes, breathing out of my mouth, listening to podcasts. My partner stepped in to cook dinner and be a lovely caretaker that night. They were very supportive of my wallowing.

We’re also in a bit of a heatwave. It’s supposed to be in the 90s this weekend! What?! I am not ready for the boob sweat, though shoutout to the MegaBabe Thigh Rescue stick.

How do y’all make it through the warmer temps? Any tips and tricks?

If you’re in the New England area and are free June 9th, I’m hosting a romance mad-libs event for the Boston Book Fest Lit Crawl with debut romance author Kataline Gamarra! I’m very nervous, but excited. I’m also assisting Boston Book Fest with genre programming this year, so keep an eye out for some great romance panels this fall.

Love a “truth is stranger than fiction” deep dive? Check out The New Yorker’s profile on a serial killer expert who just bluffed his way into the title. This one may be behind a paywall for some.

Just discovered this new organization through TikTok called Elevated Access, where pilots volunteer their time to fly people needing reproductive healthcare and gender affirming care to accessible states. Please note that they have applied for their 501(c)(3) status and are awaiting approval. Definitely going to keep an eye on them!

Writer and critic Alex Brown has an amazing thread on Our Flag Means Death characters as characters from Jane Austen novels. I’ve just started on Our Flag Means Death and I’m loving it so far!

https://twitter.com/QueenOfRats/status/1523690090077167617

Lastly, this Hulu movie starring Emma Thompson may be of interest to the Bitchery!

Don’t forget to share what cool or interesting things you’ve seen, read, or listened to this week! And if you have anything you think we’d like to post on a future Wednesday Links, send it my way!

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  1. HeatherS says:

    As a lifelong Deep Southerner (currently living in South Texas where we’ve already had our first 100 day of the year and daily averages are in the 90s now), I’ve got a few tips:

    1) Drink tons of water and eat fruit. Frozen grapes (I prefer green seedless ones) are nature’s popsicles and they’re delicious. If you’re working outside for an hour or more, make sure to drink a sports drink to help replenish salt and electrolytes.

    2) If you’ve been outside and are hot, rather than lower the A/C in your house, take a quick cool shower. You’ll cool down faster without putting more strain on your A/C unit.

    3) Use fans to keep air circulating – you can set the thermostat higher (lowering that cooling energy demand and A/C strain) but feel cooler.

    4) For a quick cooldown, put a wet cloth on the back of your neck and wet your arms up to the elbow at the tap. Rinsing your feet in cool water is refreshing, too.

    5) Wear loose clothing to allow for better air circulation. (I will never understand people who wear skinny jeans in summer. Or hoodies. Especially black hoodies. Just no.)

    6) Close your blinds so they direct light outwards/close curtains if your windows get direct sunlight. (If you close the blinds and they’re angling downward to your floor so there’s a big patch of sunlight, you have them turned the wrong way.)

    7) If you have to do things outdoors, such as run errands, exercise, or yard work, go out as early in the morning as you can. This is the coolest it will be all day.

    8) If you get a sunburn, put white vinegar on a washcloth and place it on the burned areas that night. You’ll smell like a pickle but it will greatly reduce the heat in the burn by morning.

    9) Don’t forget your pets! Make sure they have shade, food, and water and avoid the pavement if you’re walking your dog in the afternoon evening – it can burn their paws.

    10) Respect the heat. Pay attention to how you feel. Know the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke and how to treat them if they occur.

  2. EJ says:

    I got HBO Max just so I can watch Our Flag Means Death. Stede Bonnet and Edward Teach are local, uh, “heroes” where I live. I am not expecting or wanting historical accuracy though.

  3. AtasB says:

    @HeatherS Awesome tips, I would just like to add watermelon. Lots of watermelon. It’s a life saver for me (I also can’t eat grapes most of the time as they upset my stomach.)
    I would also like to say that if you or anyone you know ever suffers from frequent vertigo in the summer, it can be caused by dehydration. My dad had some horrible years and went to multiple doctors with no answers until a nurse on a helpline mentioned dehydration can be a cause. My dad doesn’t really feel thirst, so he was basically not increasing his liquids when it got hotter and ending up in a state. He now mixes water, apple juice, and low-salt to make a drink that keeps him from having vertigo as he keeps an eye on his hydration level.

    And to add on about pets, wetting down your dogs paws or your rabbit’s ears is also a good way to cool them down without added energy costs. I’m not sure about cats, though, I know they like to be warmer in general…

  4. Escapeologist says:

    The Emma Thompson movie looks great! Here’s hoping for a nice ending. Someone watch it and report back to us, for science.

  5. DonnaMarie says:

    I squeed so hard the first time I saw the Leo Grande trailer the neighbor’s dog barked. I have my drink and snack menu planned, and I will be home early enough to get two viewings. I love Emma Thompson more with each passing year. I also have deep seated hair envy.

    Having spent a goodly portion of last year in the hellmouth that is central Arizona, I second everything @HeatherS has recommended.

  6. Katy L says:

    Re: @HeatherS #8 – it really works & the vinegar smell doesn’t last too long – speaking from experience of turning into a lobster-colored creature in Midwestern summers. That was one of my mom’s favorite sunburn remedies. After several years in the Texas Panhandle the south in general, I also heartily second loose clothing (surprisingly, long skirts are cooler than jeans), hydration (drink non-caffeinated drinks – caffeine is a diuretic), and especially 10!

  7. hng23 says:

    As somebody who is allergic to antihistamines & decongestants (yep, that’s a real thing), I’ve come up with some ways to deal with allergies:

    1. I discovered nasal filters! These little babies are clear silicone frames that fit comfortably into your nostrils, so you just change out the filters as needed. I wear them for hrs & they’re almost invisible. I get them on Amazon from a company called Woody Knows.

    2. Saltwater nasal mist to rinse out your sinuses. Or use a neti pot. This will keep your sinuses from filling up, which will help to prevent postnasal drip & cough.

    3. Warm compress on your face for your sinuses, cool compress on your eyes for swelling & itchiness. (I can’t use antihistamine eyedrops or decongestants.)

    4. Rhinaris gel to keep your nasal membranes from drying, cracking & bleeding. Over the counter, no rx needed.

    2,3,4 are also very helpful if you’ve got a cold/flu.

  8. HeatherS says:

    @AtasB: Watermelon is fantastic. Especially if you mix it with a bit of fresh chopped mint.

    Dehydration is also a common cause of headaches, especially those annoying ones you get in the early/mid-afternoon, and afternoon fatigue. Rather than assuming you need caffeine, boost that water intake! Water is life and headaches are lame.

  9. kkw says:

    Only summer tips I have to add are:
    Linen. Natural fibers in general but by August I have become obsessed with linen every year.
    Adding cucumber to the frozen fruit esp grape/watermelon list (also watermelon is fantastic salted).
    This is divisive, but I find sometimes hot beverages are better. When I am a certain kind of prickly hot flushed uncomfortable, a hot drink makes it briefly worse and then much better. I also swear by ice cream when it’s cold. Well, year round.

  10. Lena Brassard/Ren Benton says:

    I have nothing to add about dealing with heat, which is just pure misery, but since fatigue keeps coming up, I want to mention eyestrain can make you feel exhausted for no obvious reason. As in, you feel perfectly alert, you settle down with a book, and you can’t keep your eyes open two minutes later. Get your eye exam and updated lenses (if you’re able to do so).

    @kkw: All ice cream, all the time. I’m eating it inside the house, which is pretty much the same temp year round, not out in a blizzard, so I will never understand that “seasonal” nonsense. Same for soup.

  11. AtasB says:

    @HeatherS, Alas for I cannot eat mint at all. (My stomach decided a few years ago that a lifetime of stress and poor-to-middling quality eating was enough and it will now give me horrible pain at the drop of a hat or a nibble of anything off-list. Even things that were on-list not too long ago. One of the reasons why I love watermelon so much is that unlike a lot of other foods and fruits, it never causes any issues. Unless, well, you eat it right before bed, lol!)

  12. AtasB says:

    –@HeatherS Oh and good note about the headaches! I stay pretty well hydrated and I tend to get headaches when I’m short on sleep rather than just in the afternoon, but I’ll def try that next time I’m super blah at 3:00. Tho sometimes I think my body just senses that hot afternoons are meant to be slept away…

  13. chacha1 says:

    I am here for ANY movie starring Emma Thompson.

  14. DonnaMarie says:

    @kkw here’s the 411 on the hot beverage thing. When your drink something cold it lowers your internal body temp, so then your body starts to burn calories to bring you back to normal. Calories = heat. When your drink warm beverage there’s no calorie burning. Learned this many years ago from the nurse/mom of one of my brother’s little league teammates.

  15. LisaM says:

    My new obsession this summer is freezing banana chunks, which gives them a bit of a custard texture. My brain is almost fooled into thinking they’re ice cream. I don’t like eating brown bananas but it’s too hot already to bake banana bread.

  16. Susan says:

    @DonnaMarie: Good info. My brother used to work outdoors a lot and would only drink unchilled water to stay hydrated.

  17. EC Spurlock says:

    @hng23, thank you for this. I can’t take decongestants because I have had retinal detachment in both eyes and the way decongestants work they would blow my retinas again. But I get terrible sinus headaches whenever the air pressure/humidity goes up. (My sinuses can feel a storm coming three states away, no lie.) Will definitely try some of your tips.

    Also, drinking hot beverages in hot weather raises your inner body temperature in contrast to the air temperature, making you feel cooler, and also sublimating sweat as a mist rather than drops to cool you off faster as well. Hot or spicy foods will do the same, which is why countries in hot climates often have a lot of spice in their cuisine.

  18. Heather M says:

    @LisaM if you have a good blender, you can take those frozen banana chunks, add a spoonful or two of peanut butter (or I assume something of similar texture if you can’t/don’t eat pb for whatever reason), maybe a splash of vanilla if you want to get fancy and boom: you’ve got a bowl of ice cream. It really does mimic the texture. I also like to add a spoonful of chocolate powder to mine if I want a chocolatey treat. I try to keep bananas in my freezer instead of ice cream because I lack self control lol.

  19. LisaM says:

    Thank you, @Heather M, I will dig out my blender!

  20. Kate says:

    We routinely have several days of triple digit heat every year so I have a go-to list of cold dinner recipes, including chilled soups, wraps and hearty salads. Any cooking or major prep happens in the morning so when dinnertime rolls around there’s minimal effort needed to get things on a plate.

  21. Shawna says:

    I saw “Our Flag Means Death” and thought you were going to announce news confirming season 2

  22. Meg says:

    Thank you for the Hulu teaser – Good Luck to you Leo Grande looks fantastic!

  23. Karin says:

    I know it’s last minute but I thought of Elyse when I saw this New Jersey Fibershed Barn Crawl. “Join NJ Fibershed for 2 weekends of fiber immersion located at farms throughout New Jersey on May 14, 15 & 21, 22 11AM – 4PM each day. Meet local fiber producers and artisans using locally sourced materials will be the focus of these two weekends.”

  24. LML says:

    There is an enjoyable video conversation between Julia Quinn and Eloise James at Amazon.

  25. Juhi says:

    Excellent suggestions regarding heat. I often get a headache if I’m outside and it’s hooott. Hydration certainly helps. I also dunk my head under water which helps. A big other thing that helps is putting oil on my scalp that has cooling effect. The one that I use has Sesame oil, Menthol, Amla, Camphor, Thyme and Rosemary Oil.

    PS and I love eating ice creams by buckets in summers. Definitely helps me feel cool! Also cold chocolate or other beverages

  26. lawgoddess says:

    For anyone struggling with seasonal allergies, you might want to research candida overgrowth. I used to have terrible issues with itchy eyes, runny nose and horrible itching inside my ear canals. My acupuncturist thought I had candida overgrowth and said I could treat it by drinking a glass of water every day with a teaspoon of baking soda mixed in. I was highly skeptical, but after a week I had a dramatic improvement. No more itchy ears! There are other treatments for the overgrowth if you can’t stand the thought of drinking baking soda.

  27. marjorie says:

    Heather, such great tips, thank you!

    That serial killer story was WIIIIIIIIIILD.

    I keep frozen watermelon chunks on hand for improvisatory cocktails and mocktails. I like tequila or gin or rose wine in a blender with frozen watermelon and some combo of lime juice, ginger, cucumber, basil, and/or mint.

    Another summer trick: I had to learn that I am not a linen person. I so want to be a cool and classy linen person like Diane Keaton in your soothing Nancy Myers movie, but I feel unkempt when my clothes get wrinkly and I know linen is supposed to be breathable but I FEEL HOT IN IT AND NOT IN THE GOOD WAY. Giving up on linen was good for my warm-weather emotional health.

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