A little TMI
Love polyglots, rejoice.
Welcome to Quality Sheet, a weekly assortment of outside-the-box news, events, trends and offbeat oddities to indulge your curiosity. Subscribe for a midweek treat each Wednesday that'll make you hummm with intrigue and amusement.
Do you ever wonder what you would end up on “My Strange Addiction” for? I’d probably go on the show over my fixation with soap suds. It’s a relatively mild obsession, but it drives me to waste precious minutes at the end of each shower aggressively caressing a bar of soap. Once I work up a substantial lather, I’ll put the suds in my mouth for a few seconds of bliss. I never eat the bubbles, though. That would be totally weird and I’m not that far gone. Anyway, I was inspired to ask because this is the 20th newsletter, so it’s probably time we get to know each other a bit better. Leave a comment below if you dare.
Welcome to Quality Sheet! If you’re new here, I’m afraid this is as normal as things get. Let’s dive in.
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What’s your love language? If this question stumps you, here’s some good news. The idea that we want to love and be loved mostly through one of these five ways—acts of service, receiving gifts, words of affirmation, quality time and physical touch—may not be accurate. A study recently published in a psychology journal finds that the concept of love languages is “unsupported by empirical evidence,” the Washington Post reports. This will come as a relief to love polyglots who express their affections in different ways.
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The Cut’s Jen Wieczner investigates what happens when parents’ Facebook groups monitor and report nannies’ outings with children in New York. The outcomes can be catastrophic for nannies, who face losing their jobs because of a misperception, and for parents who suddenly question who they can trust. “With more parents working from home, nannies are spending more time out of the apartment, where their behavior can be more readily judged and photographed by spectators,” Wieczner writes.
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The Afrobeats boom continues. The popularity of the genre continues to surge in international markets, with streaming making it easier than ever for listeners to discover new artists, share songs and boost musicians’ profiles. Rest of World’s Damilare Dosunmu outlines how Spotify has helped drive that growth by investing in Nigerian talent.
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“We are baking prisoners nationally,” American law professor Laurie Levenson tells Atmos. Extreme temperature highs in parts of the U.S., exacerbated by the climate crisis, are increasingly life-threatening for prisoners who have very little access to cooling. One study estimates nearly 4,500 prisoners died from heat-related illnesses during the summer months between 2000 an 2019.
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World Introvert Day came and went without so much as a peep on January 2. If you (happily) missed the party, not to worry. Quietly contemplate on these lovely excerpts, from some of the world’s most beloved writers, about the joys of being alone. All are compiled by Shaun Usher in his Letters of Note newsletter. Related: According to Google, ‘World Extrovert Day’ doesn’t exist! Make of that what you will.
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“Boredom isn’t all bad. By encouraging contemplation and daydreaming, it can spur creativity,” writes Jude Stewart in The Atlantic. Here are the different types of boredom you can encounter and the behaviours it can trigger (it’s quick enough that you won’t get bored).
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Reports recently emerged of 10-year-olds asking their parents to buy them Drunk Elephant skincare products, thanks to TikTok. For some, it’s a desire to act older than they are for fun. Beyond that, it’s a concerning evolution of the pressures girls are under to look a certain way from a young age. The Cut’s Laura Pitcher gives an account of two Sephora stores in New York City looking “like an after-school program around 3 p.m.” on a weekday.
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London’s V&A museum has some highly sought-after shows on right now. “Diva,” which runs until April 10, “celebrates the power and creativity of iconic performers, exploring and redefining the role of 'diva' and how this has been subverted or embraced over time across opera, stage, popular music, and film.” The “Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto” exhibition is already sold out, but keep your eyes peeled in case it’s extended.
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Netflix and heel: If you’re in London and looking for a Valentine’s Day date idea, consider a movie night on board a 111-year-old ship. Theatreship, a floating arts centre in London’s Canary Wharf, is opening up a second vessel on January 24 that will accommodate a 100-seat cinema and bar. Click here for listings and to book.
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Modeling pioneer Beverly Johnson is telling her story in a one-woman show at New York’s 59E59 theatre until February 4. Here’s a preview of what’s on the agenda, from the New York Times’ Ruth La Ferla.
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Thank you for reading. Share to sweeten someone’s day—and have a lovely rest of your week.
Isabel :)
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