3 Things I Discovered This Week #3

A tell-all money podcast, inner efficiency monsters, and a green blazer.

This week I found a new podcast, nodded along to the wise words of Kate Bowler, and got dressed up.

1. “What We Spend”

I came across this new show that reminds me of the old Refinery29 “Money Diaries” (remember those?!) that I found thrilling in my 20s. The series profiled one young woman each week, revealing her salary and monthly expenses along with a one-week spending diary.

The podcast “What We Spend” isn’t limited to women but has the same premise, with audio diaries to log weekly purchases. And it goes deeper, exploring its subjects’ upbringings, emotions, and values around money. Honestly, the first two episodes were somewhat depressing given the struggles and personal baggage involved, but I expect a range of stories in the future.

2. “Wild Card” with Kate Bowler

I listened to NPR legend Rachel Martin interview author and divinity studies professor Kate Bowler on her show “Wild Card” during my recent evening gua sha routine. Bowler often questions the assumption that life should be a pursuit of progress, and in this conversation, she admits that it’s still a personal struggle:

“I find it much more difficult to actually focus on some of the really lovely things that I actually need in my life that are not very measurable. Like, I don't read not-useful things very often… I'm so judgy with myself.”

Bowler talks about an inner efficiency monster that she developed after receiving a devastating cancer diagnosis at 35. But even without the pressure of a ticking time bomb, so many of us experience the same urgency.

A list of lovely things that I want more of in my life: Reading novels for pleasure, watching evocative films, and walking quietly in nature. Who else struggles to sit down with their coffee and listen to the birds, when they could also be straightening up the house and listening to the news?

3. A Green Blazer

I got this bright, oversized linen blazer at Mango on my recent trip to Valencia. Mango might just be a step above Zara when it comes to fast-fashion offenders, but I’m satisfied with this somewhat impulsive purchase. I’ve been interested in adding a blazer, a style I’ve always loved, to my wardrobe since last year. I’d tried on tweed and wool styles that felt too stiff, but this version seemed like something I’d get more use from. And the color lit me up. (Sign me up for color analysis!) Plus, Mango prices in Spain are more aligned with the quality of the product: I paid 79€ for this blazer that’s listed for $180 on the U.S. website.

I wore it to my husband’s birthday festivities, and it’s one of the first times in too long that I can remember being excited and confident about a special occasion outfit instead of the usual frustration.

I’ve been making a real effort to create polished outfits and build an intentional wardrobe over the past year and a half. The main thing I’ve learned is that dressing well requires time and consistent practice. Now I have a new perspective when I see a woman with impeccable style and comparisonitis creeps in — she likely put in a lifetime of work!

Bonus: Performance poetry in the social media era

This haunting Earth Day reel captures my anxiety around “buy now!” culture. I went to the creator Heidi Becker’s feed and found that she’s a sort of spoken-word TikTok sensation. She mostly skewers overconsumption and the scroll-cycle from a feminist, Gen-Z perspective.

Her work is mesmerizing and terrifying — it paints social media as a particularly dark place for women in their 20s. Suddenly all the wholesome mom content on my feed doesn’t seem so menacing.