Mulling it Over vol. 21
Thoughts on the future, deleting my Instagram, and some books.
Hi there,
This week our household has been battling a winter cold. We’re all pretty sniffly and congested which is not fun, but it could be worse. If anything, it’s just been annoying. Hopefully we’re all back to normal by this weekend. We don’t have much planned for the weekend, but that’s not such a bad thing. Maybe we’ll tackle a few projects around the house.
I permanently deleted my Facebook, Instagram, and all Meta related accounts this week. It was a daunting thing, and I will miss sharing and connecting on Instagram, but given the state of the world, I cannot in good conscious maintain my affiliation with Zuckerburg. Also, the amount of data Meta is using from us is frightening. I requested my entire profile to be exported so I can hang on to any photos and videos I may not have saved in my iCloud. I had that account for a solid 13 years, I started it my junior year of college! It feels weird to let it go, but I know it’s the right thing for me to do.
With the impending TikTok ban, Inauguration, and climate disasters of late, I’ve been feeling anxious. Now more than ever, I feel we need to lean into our communities, take time away from the news cycle when we can, and protect our peace. The uncertainty over the next four years is daunting, but we can do our best to prepare, while also not letting fear consume us.
Anyway, let’s dive into some lighter fare, shall we?
Reading
The first book I finished in 2025 was Very Nice by Marcy Dermansky. I enjoyed it! It was a random pick from the library stacks, and the premise and Maria Semple blurb intrigued me enough to check it out. Admittedly, it would be a great beach read in the summer, but it was a nice escape for January. The story follows a college professor and writer who gets involved with one of his students. A few months later, he finds himself looking for a place to spend the summer and he ends up at the students home in Connecticut, and starts a steamy affair with her mother. The characters are all awful, and its bad people behaving badly a la Succession, but I was engrossed by it. Maybe save it for summer, but I recommend it. 4/5 ⭐.
I also read Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie. It’s a classic, locked room style, murder mystery. It’s a solid read and we’ll probably watch the movie soon.
Watching
Jake and I have plans to watch Cunk on Life this weekend. It’s streaming on Netflix and promises a good laugh.
Listening
I’m almost done listening to the audiobook version of Interesting Facts About Space by Emily Austin and I’m finding it to be funny, cute, and I’m also yelling at the main character to make better choices. But overall I’m enjoying the ride!
Eating
I got this cute little vegan chocolate bar the other day from World Market. Our meals this week have been pretty normal. I did receive Madeleine Olivia’s cook book “Make It Vegan”, and I’m hoping to make a few things out of there soon.
That’s all for now. Take care of yourself and each other.
Until next time,
Cassie