Seoul for a week

Nat and I are in South Korea on a creative industries trade mission. In the meantime, I’m still reading things.

The lyrics to Taylor Swift’s new album. Apparently half the songs are about her break up with Matt Healy, a singer in the band 1975. I don’t know this band or this man but for some reason it’s controversial. Here’s where I can lean into familial knowledge: the girls will tell me why we are hating on Matt and if we like the album as a whole. The New York Times said she could use an editor.

This one I like though:

The flight updates to explain the reason we are sitting on the runway. The announcement says it’s because of the bags that were checked for the people who never showed up to actually get on the plane. The subsequent text message says the reason we are sitting here is an external labour dispute. Odd! So now I’m imagining people fighting on the runway over the bags they can’t find.

A fanny pack for traveling. You really can’t get more practical then a large fanny pack that can hold: chocolate, a kobo, a phone, a passport, hand cream, flossers, gum, hand sanitizer, sunglasses, three pairs of earphones, napkins, lipstick…or three lipsticks. I’m so prepared.

Earth tones because Nat said she did not pack any colour. This is me trying to be like her because that’s what I’ve been doing my whole life. But I did throw in my bright orange raincoat at the last minute. I can’t keep colour from talking to me: “Come on, Bec. Just a small bit. One small bit. Okay, a whole raincoat? Yes, that’s better.”

Certain Women. My choice on the plane. Based on the short stories of Maile Meloy depicting four “certain” women from the Midwest. It’s directed by Kelly Reichardt who is known for her “slow cinema.” And it was…slow. But refreshingly so. Like something you have to watch carefully and then think about later. Lily Gladstone (from Killers of the Flower Moon) was in one of the stories and she really is incredible.