The week of January 27, 2024 was contemplating the one-bedroom family; celebrating Virginia Woolf; and yeah. We can’t wait for Jake Gyllenhaal in Road House, either.

The Mash-Up Americans:

Earlier this month, we sat down with Saadia Khan, host of Immigrantly, a podcast that shares stories of immigrants through cross-cultural conversations. We talked about grief and grieving, and dare we say it was fun? It was fun. Listen HERE.

Mash-Ups In The News:

Why Does Gen Z Believe It’s ‘Aging Like Milk’?
THE NEW YORK TIMES

Maybe they’re just aging, period. One professor’s depressing observation: “There is a sense in which young people have forgotten what faces look like.” Thanks, Facetune.

Behind The Hood: Notes On An American Symbol
THE POINT

“Perhaps no other garment is so charged, or so fraught, in this country as the hoodie.” One writer explores how the hood serves to hide — and what it reveals about the perceptions of the wearer.

Why Jan. 6 Insurrectionists Sent A Letter To The Folger Shakespeare Library
THE WASHINGTON POST

And would you believe how courteous they were? White supremacists, feeling a kinship with Shakespeare, warned the library about their “protest” — and now the letter will be on view at that same library come June.

TikTok Shop Is Huge. Will It Last?
THE NEW CONSUMER

It’s like HSN, but better. Social commerce has finally made it in the US and it’s looking unstoppable. Here’s a closer look at the numbers for those who want to nerd out.

Housing Is Now Unaffordable For A Record Half Of All U.S. Renters
NPR

“In 2022, as rents spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic, a record half of U.S. renters paid more than 30% of their income for rent and utilities. Nearly half of those people were severely cost-burdened, paying more than 50% of their income.”

Tony Hawk, Amateur Skater
THE NEW YORKER

The 55-year-old skater reflects on his farewell “video part” (the article explains what that means, thankfully) filmed over the course of four years — two surgeries included.

My Dream Dinner Party Guest List: Every Black Woman In Food
SAVEUR

Klancy Miller’s new cookbook, For the Culture, aims to give past and present matriarchs of the food world the recognition they deserve, starting with the nearly six dozen Black women she spotlights in her book.

U.S. Health Care Isn’t Ready For A Surge Of Seniors With Disabilities
THE WASHINGTON POST

Not the news that those of us in the sandwich generation want to hear. The onset of COVID showed where the system is failing us, with progress being difficult, if not impossible.

What Does A Polycule Actually Look Like?
THE CUT

“Some people like to run marathons. We like to do polyamory, complex relationship stuff. Sarah’s favorite activity for the two of us to do is couples therapy. It’s like for relationship nerds.”

Americans Can’t Decide What It Means To Grow Up
THE ATLANTIC

Even as rents keep climbing (see four articles above!), why do Americans expect young, single people to live alone? “In the U.S., the trend also fits into a long tradition of individualism.” Ah, there it is.