Add to List - #27

Robbie Williams, leaving my job and Ghost Chilli

How many times do people give you a recommendation and you say ‘Oh, really? Cool. I’ll add it to the list!’ and then you go away and do not add it to any list anywhere?

Well, I present you with Add to List: the Sunday newsletter containing small things that brought joy, evoked an emotional reaction or became some short-lived stability for me in the past 7 days.

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Obsession

Robbie Williams.

I saw Robbie yesterday as BST Hyde Park. I have been quite obsessed with him for some time.

To me, Robbie represents youth; feeling like the future is full of fun and hope (and my parents young, relaxed and dancing drunk on a table as they see in the Millennium).

The man is the world’s largest narcissist but he’s a pure entertainer. Good god can that guy put on a show. Did he kick it? Yes he did. Did I over do it slightly? Yes I did. Do I have a raging hangover today? Yes I do.

Robbie showing off his Take That ‘‘bum-bum’ (his words not mine)

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Confession

I cried every day this week.

Today was thanks to Toy Story 3. It’s intense.

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Shook 

Leaving my job.

I cried everyday this week. There’s been overwhelming visceral change in all senses of the word. Leaving my job on Friday after nearly eight years at the company feels alien and strange. (Plus, people wrote nice things and gave me sweet thoughtful gifts and that’s always a sure-fire way to get me blubbering.)

I joined the company as a twenty-something: bright-eyed and full of enthusiasm but clueless about what I wanted to do with my life. I'm leaving an adult with a clear sense of what I want from this world. It feels like I am letting go of so much more than a corporate badge. I don’t think it’ll feel real until I start the ‘working week’ and realise I physically cannot log on to that laptop anymore.

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Book

Ghost Chilli by Nikkitha Bakshani.

Fun fact: Nikkitha attended my very first Substack meet. It was a humble beginning of five people, an intimate closed-circle discussion about writing and navigating this platform as we exchanged details tentatively about starting out on Substack. I think of that meet up fondly as it’s different from the forty-person person buzzy social event we have planned next week.

Since that first meet, I’ve followed Nikkitha’s

The Fool Story

and loved it. (This article on the Taylor Swift discourse really chimed with me.) So, I was delighted to get my hands on a proof of her book.

Adore this cover too

I’m only a couple of chapters in and I loving it. There is fantastic dialogue, sharp observations (specifically a section on dating apps that had me laughing out loud). Plus, the way Nikkitha weaves in relationship tension for romance, friendship and family dynamics is astute and well-balanced. I can’t wait to read the rest. Some more exciting content coming on this soon!

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Cook

Breakfast Club Sandwich feat. alllll the bits.

To cure a few hangovers this weekend I have gone big with club sandwiches. I’m talking allll the fillings: bacon, chicken, fried egg, lettuce, tomato, pickles, jalapeños and at least 3 sauces (plus extra hot sauce for dipping on the side).

The one I created this morning was a masterpiece of perfect ratio. I fear I will never be able to create it again.

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Can’t Stop Scanning

Robbie content from yesterday.

The crowd sing-a-long for Strong was magical. Feel gave me goosebumps. Seeing Angels from atop someone’s shoulders with thousands of phones lighting up the crowd to the backdrop of the firework finale had all the end of wedding feels (and there wasn’t a tie around a head in sight). Magic.

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Forward Planning

FUNemployment / existential crisis.

Despite having no work to go to this week, I have a busy week of activities including improv, book launches, flying to see friends and hosting a Substack meet. The slots are filled but I am contacting the venue to request more space. So, please sign up for the waiting list or contact me or my lovely co-host

Lex Hearth

if you’d like to attend.

Sign up here. All very welcome.