Behind the Curtain: June 2021

In case you missed it, last month I decided to make some tweaks to this monthly post. I’d like to share the articles I’m reading, the shows I’m watching, and the podcasts I’m listening to. They’ll remain free to read but there will continue to be affiliate links to recommended products to support site upkeep.

If you’re looking for a way to support my work, buy my book, read my articles, or sign up for my courses. Thanks again for following along! Be sure to share what you’re loving this month below! 

This post contains affiliate links that can earn this website a small income. They will not cost you anything to use.

Reading

I’m finished reading Where the Crawdads Sing and I’ll admit that I don’t understand the hype. I don’t generally care for books written in the Southern dialect and the plotline feels like a Hallmark movie.

I shared my first story for The Bitter Southerner last month, but the publication has also released its first print magazine! It’s gorgeous with stunning photos and a cover with Valerie June! Check it out here. It’s one of many magazines stacking up on my desk to read.

In terms of internet stuff, this story on The Intercept about a Trump staffer moonlighting as an influencer and travel blogger is a wild ride. Good Beer Hunting covers what women endure to work in a male-dominated industry.

This essay on Slate about the Philip Roth biographer/sexual predator English teacher is devastating because I feel like every school had a teacher that everyone wanted to impress.

I love this story on Marker about what happened to Trapper Keepers. Speaking of nostalgia, this story on The Ringer about Smash Mouth and the Shrek soundtrack is a fun read.

Then there’s this Daily Beast story on the legacy of Bob Ross and another in the same outlet about UFO influencers (?!?).

To see what else I’m reading, check out my Goodreads Profile here (which is also my author page!).

Listening

I got to check out some music venues in Tennessee on a recent trip and was introduced to Margo Price, a psychedelic Outlaw country singer. I’m also looking forward to seeing some of my favorite bands at an upcoming music festival in Georgia.

Watching

I’m finally making the rounds with the documentaries everyone has been talking about. Framing Britney was tough because there’s so much I missed about how she was treated when I was growing up as a fan.

Allen vs. Farrow is a tough watch but, admittedly, I was never a Woody Allen fan to begin with. I feel like he’s a favorite of film school snobs and often casts himself in leading roles with much younger women. This becomes a trend in the events documented in the four-part series.

For lighter viewing, I watched Hysterical about female comedians on Hulu. I quickly watched Lovesick on Netflix, previously released as Scrotal Recall. I finished the first season of Russian Doll and can’t wait to see Annie Murphy in the second season. I’ve also been watching What I Like About You as my 20-minute lunch viewing.

Loving

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I’m not sure that I should make a separate “eating” category (maybe next month?) but that’s certainly something that has kept me sane this past year, despite the pandemic weight gain.

This month I had a killer bagel sandwich from Emerald City Bagels, seared grouper at Paces and Vine, and a chicken torta at El Rincon, my local Salvadorian spot. In Oxford, I’m still not over my meals at Saint Leo and Snackbar. In Sylva, I had a beer-braised pork banh mi and a zaatar avocado toast that I want to recreate.

I also made fettucine, quiche, and pork bao (recipe here), a new favorite.

Causes

When I was in Mississippi, I visited some of the stops along the Emmett Till Memory Project. The organization is doing its best to preserve Till’s memory at a time of ongoing racial injustice. There have been a number of instances of vandalism on the interpretive signs.

I’m also supporting the Black Journalists Therapy Relief Fund, which supports mental health support for journalists covering police brutality and violence against BIPOC.

I haven’t said much about what’s going on in Palestine and Israel because I have happy memories of visiting both places. But to call what’s happening an even playing field is absolutely wrong. Israel is one of the most heavily armed nations in the region and it’s very common to see soldiers carrying state-of-the-art weapons.

If you’re looking to support the aid efforts, I recommend using Charity Navigator as a tool. That’s why I’m supporting the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.

Working

I’ve admittedly had a great month for work, placing a few print stories for fall and winter. Many are travel-related but a few are not as I start to expand my niche to food, history, and profiles.

I wrote for Simply Buckhead about a music-centric Macon staycation. For Southern Living, I covered the anniversary of the Freedom Rides and a new exhibit at the museum in Montgomery.

If you’d like to see more of my work, visit my professional website, CarolineEubanks.com, for more information. If you got a copy of my book, review it on Amazon or Goodreads. Or you can sign up for one of my online writing classes.

Traveling

I’m finally starting to plan the next few months of travel, starting with domestic and maybe looking into the Caribbean for the end of the year. I had a nice trip to Mississippi for work, followed by a trip to Sylva, North Carolina for fun.

I just got back from Tennessee, where I attended socially distanced concerts and explored the area south of Nashville. I’m excited to go to another music festival in Atlanta next weekend, followed by a trip to Florida at the end of the month. I’m also looking for birthday plans for July!