introducing ordinary thoughts: a narrative newsletter
Hola! Welcome to our first newsletter.
We hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend and ate delicious foods. For those of you that found a fat lump of coal in your stocking, please try to behave next year. For those who won the battle of the best coquíto, congratulations. Please let us know where we can purchase some.
Last week marked the winter solstice, the official start of winter and the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Although some of you may have already brought out your Timberland boots and shearling coats at Thanksgiving dinner with great ambition to take the perfect sala fit, it's okay. You can simply archive the photo on your IG grid and wear the same outfit for New Year’s Eve. We promise not to tell anyone.
Now, we're excited to dive into some of our favorite content each and every week. If you enjoy this, don't forget to forward it along and subscribe if you haven't already.
- Isaiah & Cybele
feature of the week
On this best r&b albums of 2023 list, you'll find a variety of r&b acts, both well-seasoned and new; including artists you may already be familiar with - who rarely disappoint. But dare we say, the top 2 albums of the year were both debuts? Uncover why we think so.
stories that have our attention
Gaza Strip is “Beyond our imagination,” says Fadi Abu Shammalah, head of Gaza’s General Union of Cultural Centers
Abu Shammalah, who described the inhumane conditions he was able to escape to Democracy Now!, also noted at the time that in less than two days - at least 170 Palestinian civilians were killed. “Witnesses say that the Israeli bulldozers buried the injured people in Kamal Adwan Hospital. They buried them while they were alive,” Shammalah said. The overall Palestinian death toll is nearing 20,000, with over 2 million human beings displaced from their homes.
Oklahoma man who wrongfully spent nearly 50 years behind bars, was ruled innocent last week
Last week, the longest imprisoned US inmate to be exonerated from all charges expressed no other feeling than gratitude after hearing the ruling. “I’m blessed,” said Glynn Simmons, at the wonderful age of 71. Simmons was released back in July following an agreement by prosecutors who decided that key evidence in his case wasn’t turned over to his defense lawyers. Oklahoma County District Judge Amy Palumbo stated, “This court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the offense for which Mr. Simmons was convicted, sentenced and imprisoned... was not committed by Mr. Simmons.”
Simmons served 48 years, one month, and 18 days since his conviction.
To raise awareness for foster care, these black twin brothers will Walk 600 Miles
Growing up in the foster care system following their births, twin brothers Davon and Tavon Woods from Pennsylvania will embark on a 600-mile walk from Sumter to Philadelphia for 31 days to raise awareness about foster care. Their movement, titled #FosterKidsMatter, is about amplifying much-needed voices toward a cause close to their hearts. The twins were placed in the foster care system immediately after birth and adopted at 2 years old, and aim to provide relatable experiences for all kids who may feel powerless and unheard as they too navigate a tough and unfair system.
in other news...
politics
Thousands of Palestinian families fled Wednesday from the brunt of Israel’s expanding ground offensive into Gaza’s few remaining
Special counsel Jack Smith asked a judge on Wednesday to bar Donald Trump’s lawyers from injecting politics into the former president’s trial on charges that he schemed to overturn the results of the 2020 election
markets
Ether rallies 6% in catch-up trade as investors position for January
While bitcoin rallied over 150% for the year, shares of Coinbase, MicroStrategy and the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust, did substantially better, rising more than 300% in value
tech
Apple can temporarily sell smartwatches after US appeals court win
A US Judge ruled on Tuesday that Twitter violated contract by failing to pay millions in bonuses
Last week, the SEC tells spot bitcoin ETF hopefuls to make final changes by year-end -sources
sports
LA Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani was named The Associated Press' Male Athlete of the Year, for the second time in three years. See why the $700 million dollar talent is worth every penny
The return of Ja Morant and why his presence on the court, and behavior off the court, is crucial for the future of the NBA
Lamar Jackson builds a strong case for NFL MVP, and the chances for a Raven’s Superbowl
pa' la cultura
cultural trivia
This one’s for all of my mofongo lovers far and wide (yerrrr). Today’s trivia is simple and easy. At least, it should be.
Question: In which country, or island, was the delicious dish of mofongo created?
Dominican Republic
Cuba
Puerto Rico
Colombia
Scroll further down to see if you’re truly cultured.
song of the week
narrative’s Song of the Week will be chosen from submissions by our incredible audience each week. For now, we hope you enjoy this staff pick:
Fun Fact: We'll be attending Khamari's first tour this upcoming spring in Brooklyn, NY. Will we see you there?
words of wisdom
A quote from a 1987 New York Times article, “Toni Morrison, In Her New Novel, Defends Women.”
The answer, ladies and gentlemen, is… *Drum roll please*
C. Puerto Rico
Boricua forever. Go ahead and argue with your Momma, not us. Sources cited below.