The Weekly Digress | 1.6.26

WE'RE SO BACK.

OMG, she’s back again…

Brothers, sisters, everybody saaaaang.

Hey, guys. It’s been a hot, horrible, sickly, tearful, torturous, sleep deprived, anxious, miserable minute BUT I’M BACK. After that holiday we had, writing was the very last thing on my mind, but all is well (for now) so here I am, back in your inbox and ready to chat.

I’ll be writing about our holiday experience later this week for paid subscribers if for no other reason than catharsis for my brain, so stay tuned for that. OH WHAT FUN!!!

Today’s Digress is loooooong because I haven’t written one in a whole ass month, so my list of content to share is bulky. You may need to click “View entire message” at the end of this email to read the rest, so get cozy and let’s talk.

READING 📚

The very last thing I wrote before the Holiday from Hell™ was an in-depth review of all the books I read in 2025. I had such a great time writing it; it was joyful for me to revisit all those books.

My last read of 2025 has become my first re-read of 2026: Lonesome Dove. I’m not sure I’ll actually read through the entire book again; all I know is I started it over the second I finished it because I fell so in love with this novel. It’s also quickly become a comfort-read for me, which is what I’ve needed these past few weeks. I think my sister and I will start up our 2-person book club again soon, so I’ll let y’all know what our first true read of 2026 ends up being!

WATCHING 📺

Ok, strap in.

We’ve watched exactly one episode of the Diddy documentary and haven’t had the time or energy to revisit it since, BUT we will. It’s not high on our watchlist, but it’s there so we’ll get back to it. Just after one episode, though, we were like… whoa. This guy is a psycho. So can’t wait to see how much crazier he gets!

I am a slut for any and all holiday baking competitions during the season, so I ate up every second of Holiday Baking Championship. I was gunning for Ashleigh the entire time, not only because she’s a local girlie, but because she seemed to have true grit and a wall up that is penetrable only by doing great work and being praised for it. I’m still shocked that Charles took it; he really bothered me all season and wanted it too bad, ya know? That’s never a good look for anyone. Tarek’s expressionless persona made me giggle, and Nico’s quirk was highly entertaining (also really proud of all he’s overcome).

Zac had to pop out of town for a few nights right before Christmas, so I took the opportunity to watch Shiva Baby, a 2020 arthouse film and Rachel Sennott’s first ever acting role (I don’t really like her, and I want to talk about that but some other time). It was good! Better than I was expecting, actually. The anxiety was very real throughout the entire movie, and I appreciated how it was shot. Also love Molly Gordon, always.

I don’t know how, but Zac and I somehow found ourselves watching a Mark Twain documentary at some point over the last few weeks? Probably because it’s a Ken Burns film and we love those. Anyway, I’ve never read any of his work, but after watching the first 30 minutes of episode one, I can’t wait to read his work and feel like a fool for not. What a life and what a witty man.

I’ve been told I’d love the show Loot with Maya Rudolph, so I started it and eh. I mean, it’s cute but it isn’t must see TV for me. With how much there is to watch, this show doesn’t fall high on my list, and it didn’t really grab me right away. Love Maya. Love Adam Scott. Love the premise and the cast, but again… eh.

The night of the day we were discharged from the hospital (🙃🙃🙃), Zac and I made a bizarre choice and decided to watch Misery. Yes, the 1990 hit based off the Stephen King novel and starring Kathy Bates and James Caan. The name alone felt suiting, so we dove in and what a wild ride. I loved the build-up to her full craziness and also how James kept his cool as long as he could. It was a good movie.

A movie we started and couldn’t finish was If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. It’s a new one from A24 starring Rose Byrne (who I LOVE and is an advocate for aging naturally, which makes me so happy), and no mother anywhere should watch it. Ever. For any reason. It’s an extremely anxiety-driven, suspenseful film about a mother’s exhausted helplessness with her life in general, and I’m pretty sure my heart rate was in exercise mode for the entire hour we watched. Maybe I’m a pussy, but it was just all too much for me. Motherhood can be hard, but it’s mostly beautiful and seeing this depiction of it and Rose’s character’s inability to handle it without drugs, alcohol, and being in a constant state of duress made me unwell. She was incredible from what I saw and will be nominated for an Oscar, but that doesn’t mean I liked or recommend this film. Just not for me. Zac would’ve kept watching, but I couldn’t do it anymore.

In between all of this, we finished The Beast in Me (SO GOOD) and Pluribus (SO GOOD) and are working on season two of Landman (SO GOOD). Looking forward, I’m pumped for Shrinking season 3 to start, as well as The Pitt season 2. LET’S GO!

LISTENING TO 🎧

Honestly, not a lot. Mostly the thoughts in my head, TBH.

But, really. The only music that has sounded good to me as of late is Billy Strings, specifically his Renewal album. Zac played it a lot over the holidays, and I loved every minute of it. Especially “Show Me the Door.”

MAKING 👩🏻‍🍳

Again, strap in. Mama cooked a lot the last month.

Beef Fried Rice — a staple around here and so damn good. All ingredients available at T.Joe’s.

Shepherd’s Pie — first time ever making it, and it was fantastic. Zac wants it to be a staple. Truly, what’s better than beef, potatoes, and veggies in one big PIE?

Creamy Tortellini Tomato Soup — SO FUCKING GOOD. Creamy, rich, absolutely delicious.

Fancy Momofuku Noodles — for those nights you want Asian, but don’t want to spend the money and don’t want it to be complicated. This semi-homemade recipe was delish.

Butternut Bakery’s Life Changing Chocolate Pie — no, but seriously. This pie was one of the only things that got me and Zac through holiday hell. It is so fucking incredible. Rich, yes, but the Oreo + salted butter crust cuts the sweetness and it’s THE PERFECT BITE. It’s also very easy to make. It tastes professional on every level.

Caroline Chambers Vodka Sauce — THIS IS THE MOST INCREDIBLE VODKA SAUCE I’VE EVER HAD IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. DO YOU HEAR ME? I’M SCREAMING SO YOU CAN HEAR. Zac and I were GOBSMACKED. Perfect flavor, perfect texture, perfect everything. I just. Phenomenal. Exceptional. Award-winning.

pasta alla vodka and the best caesar

Crockpot Chicken Enchiladas — BRO. If you love tasty SLOP, this was amazing. I had my doubts because enchiladas in a crockpot? But the flavors were absolutely delicious. So much so, we actually ate the leftovers (something we don’t do a lot because we’re lazy and stupid). So so so good.

Best Brownies Ever — I found this recipe on Reddit and will never look back. They’re so fudgy, so gooey, so rich and have the perfect bite of salt. I’ve made them twice already. Save this doc!

Skillet Orzo and Feta Fish — I made this last year toward the end of the year when Zac’s mom was visiting and, since she was here the last week of the year again this year, I made it again and it was a hit. It’s so easy, SO flavorful (shallots and tomato paste forever), and clean. It’s really really really good, trust.

SHOPPING 🛍️

• I’m sort of having a love affair with e.l.f. right now. Between their makeup brush cleaner, this mascara, and their sculpting brow gel, I’m impressed with all their (extremely affordable) product.

• Dermaplaning at home is a luxury, and these disposable razors are fabulous. Super sharp, get the job done, and you get 12 razors for under $10. No brainer.

• So, funny story — I loved my FitBit for a week and, after our hospital stint, realized how much I missed my Apple Watch and needed it back. Being able to talk and text from your wrist is kind of necessary when you’re a mom whose hands are often very full. I was holding Ziggy so much of the time in the hospital, which made me think about how much I held him as a newborn, which made me think about how much I’ll be holding our new baby soon, which ultimately led me to returning the FitBit and buying a new Apple Watch (mine was 1st gen from 2020), and I’m super happy with it. It’s wonderful and I especially love the new sleep tracking capabilities. It’s the first thing I check every morning like a weirdo. FWIW, I got the SE because I need the bare minimum in terms of technology and it’s great!

• A few very cute Target finds: this impossibly happy mouse pad and these throw pillows I got to spruce up our otherwise pretty drab couch.

• I ordered these cutie little earrings for myself as a “you survived” present and love them so much. They’re the perfect amount of everyday sparkle near your face. I sleep in them, even.

• Mama needed some new house slippers, and these fit the bill. They’re great quality. Thick soles and very cozy. Highly recommend!

Feels good to be back, guys.

Happy fucking new year x 100.

xox,

EGM