Leave it to Leonor #372

This week, I am freaking out. A few weeks ago, Tinyletter announced that they are shutting down in early 2024 and taking all my archived issues of LITL with it. That’s over 370 issues and thousands of essays and thoughts and reviews and images and recommendations, my goodness, the recommendations. It spans the loss of my dogs, the birth of my daughter to Argentina winning the World Cup! Friend break ups! Interviews! Trips and events and other major milestones! Did I mention all the lists!? 

I need to pay someone to manually move my archives over to my new system. I believe in fair pay and that our work, including mine, has value in the world. I like to think you’ve gotten something out of these missives. And if you have, I’m going to ask you to contribute to keeping it alive. I hate capitalism! It sucks!

And also this newsletter, even though I love writing it every week, IS labor. In the immediate, I am raising funds to deal with the archive situation. Additionally, I’ll be moving to what I call a “PBS” model where once a year I’ll be asking you to contribute what you can to keep this newsletter going. I’m doing this instead of a subscription fee so that readers can contribute what they feel they can pay while not missing out on content because tiered subscription models are not for me.

What will this go towards? Mostly paying for any new hosting and distribution fees (Tinyletter was free 99). But I also want to pay contributors for their time and talents! I’m practicing asking for what I need and right now this is it. (And also a few of my very loving, strong-willed friends have given me major side eye and some stern words when I said I would just pay for it out of my own pocket. These are some of my most trusted advisors, so I listened. Plus Nicole the Troll is threatening to either do the work for free or cover the cost and honestly, I cannot let her beat me at my own game, so here we are)

Sooooo. . .even though I am absolutely freaking out about it, I’m putting my venmo below and if you are so inclined to support this newsletter, please include Leave it to Leonor in the notes. And if you can’t give anything that is okay! This newsletter will always remain free.

And here are some testimonials I've received through the google feedback form over the years, in case you need some more information before making your decision: 

"this newsletter somehow always picks me up at the time i need it most. i love it so much. great recommendations as well that keep me nourished. thank you"

"Your newsletter always makes me laugh, pause, wonder… "

"I love it. It is my favorite part of Thursday."

"keep it going, my fave newsletter drop of the week :)"

"New to the newsletter. Really love it, thank you so much for all your hard work."

"It's nice to be excited for Thursdays!! Thank you for sharing your life with us!"

"To me this newsletter reads like a phone conversation with a friend where you're catching up and chatting about whatever interests you that week. It's really lovely! Also I like that you include books/TV/etc that you did and didn't like."

"I love the newsletter and your links!"

"I love it and get amazing reading recs from it"

"i literally look forward to this every single week."

"Your newsletter is basically perfect."

"I really appreciate the recommendations."

Okay okay, I will stop delaying and share the info. THANK YOU in advance if you contribute and if you don't,  I appreciate you for reading and sharing week in and week out. 

venmo: @leonor-mamanna-1
last four for confirmation: 3172

*I am being forced to say that Nicole the Troll has threatened to fully fund this project herself which is AGAINST THE SPIRIT OF WHICH THIS REQUEST WAS INTENDED, so let's not let her do that, okay?
Now it's a matter of principle and quite frankly I'm wondering if I was reverse psychologied. 

​This week in reading. . .
It finally appeared at the top of my queue and I BLAZED through the very popular The Fourth Wing and then Iron Flame. I devoured it like popcorn and M&Ms at the movie theater. But like a dum-dum, now i have to wait A YEAR for the next book and god knows how long until the ones after that. I will truly never learn a single lesson, but I am powerless against fantasy books with dragons! In a fantasy-hangover, I then read The Daydreams which was compulsively readable, if ultimately, not that satisfying. 

​This week in listening. . .
Absolutely listening to The Culture Study podcast especially since I know
Nicole the Troll will be on at some point!

​This week in TV. . .
Very excited to watch Season 2 of High on the Hog.

Both Survivor and The Amazing Race have been so great this season.

​​This week in a gif. . .

This week in movies. . .
Leave the World Behind! I am so so happy for Rumaan.

​This week in a newsletter. . .
This very good newsletter by JP Brammer on the eras of life. (h/t MM)

Just rewear your clothes. 

This fun interview with Stella Blackmon on Big Salad.

​This week in the one holiday tradition. . .
You should read this oral history of the Folger's Commercial every year. It is my holiday tradition, and it should be yours as well. 

This week in google searches. . .

• grippos

• ​clo temperature rating

• hugh jackman and antoni

​This week in one good thing. . .
I've always loved Christmas trees and decorations, but wowwwww it is next level fun with Zu. The tree has never looked more chaotic! I've put up lights everywhere! It is so delightful. 

​This week in a quote. . .
"That’s why scrutinizing their lyrics has become a cottage industry. Trying to work out whom Beyoncé is describing as “Becky with the good hair” or whom Swift is targeting in “Vigilante Shit” (Kanye West, the record executive Scooter Braun, someone else entirely?) is a massively multiplayer online game. It is the Millennial version of QAnon." - Helen Lewis 

​This week in artsy stuff and photo things. . .
On Elliott Erwitt.

This beautiful typewriter collection. 

This absolutely stunning feature on In The Mood For Love

This week in an Editor’s Note. . .
Heads up that next week’s issue will be an abbreviated one as I prep for the end of year wrap up for 12/28!

​This week on the internet. . .
This interview with Charles Melton who was so so good in May December. 

Always read a Kiese Leymon essay. Always.

Amanda Mull on all the stuff we return. Something to consider this holiday season (and always)

How many Andre 3000 profiles will I read? The limit does not exist. 

Love this piece on reading/speaking in Italian. 

me, being asked to speak Spanish at a job,
Leonor

Share LITL with a friend using this sign up link: 
https://leaveittoleonor.beehiiv.com/

I love feedback! If you are a new or longtime reader and have some thoughts, please leave them here.

Follow Leave it to Leonor on instagram.

Every book I've ever mentioned in the newsletter is listed at this affiliate link on Bookshop, plus a book registry in case you want to send something my way.

Logo Design by Josef Reyes