Plus: LEGO, 'The Last Of Us,' and great books

View this email online by Linda Holmes Welcome! It was the week when the Oscars tried to prepare for anything. It was the week when changing books caused a lot of fuss. And it was the week when a cult catering show prepared to return. Let's get to it. Succession, Cocaine Bear, and knowing when to stop The news broke this week that the upcoming fourth season of Succession will be the last. This was a heartbreaker for me as a fan of the show, because not only have I loved watching it, but I have loved picking it apart, teasing out its every detail. On an emotional level, if they gave me 10 seasons, I would watch them all, even knowing that history counsels that they would be likely to flag in quality after a certain period of time. I would not care; I would stay with the Roys to the bitter end.  At the same time, I told more than one person this week that one of the very best things about the movie Cocaine Bear is that it's 95 minutes long. Long movies seem to be arriving faster and faster: Jurassic World Dominion is almost two-and-a-half hours long. The Batman is almost three hours long. Movies as different as Avatar: The Way of Water and Blonde are also stretching to three hours. The Marvel movies are well-known repeat offenders, obviously. Cocaine Bear, on the other hand, has one funny idea, and it knows it. A bear does cocaine! You do a few set pieces with some gory maulings, you get a few laughs out of the shock of somebody getting eaten, and then everybody goes home.  Cocaine Bear, directed by Elizabeth Banks/Universal Pictures It's hard to know when a story is over, and I think most of us have guessed wrong before. I wasn't optimistic about continuing the Breaking Bad world with Better Call Saul, but that show was terrific. Big Little Lies might have been better off stopping after a single season. All kinds of considerations go into whether a story comes to an end beyond the demands of the story: how much do people still care, how much money remains to be made, how much money is being dangled, how hard is the cast to keep under contract, how attached are the people to working together, and even whether a new executive is trying to put their unique stamp on whatever the home of the story happens to be.  I think about The Good Place when I think about this problem. I loved those characters, I loved the actors, I loved the jokes -- I loved the world the show inhabited. I would have watched more, without question. But I find it impossible to quarrel with the notion that it ended exactly as, and when, it should have. This is part of the larger imperative to allow creative people to make a thing you love and not expect it to go the way you want at every individual moment. The shape and size of the piece is best left in the hands of the people who made it, and you either like the result or you don't. Maybe it's longer than you wish, maybe shorter.  But with Succession, I have tended to disagree with people who feel like it stagnates. Instead, I've found it to be on a fairly clear track, once you realize that sometimes what is changing -- what is "happening," in a plot sense -- is happening under the surface, as with Kendall's seeming submissiveness in Season 2 that turned out to be more complicated than that. That story does seem, to me, to be reaching a cymbal crash. Moreover, they have dropped hints over and over about Logan's health. They eventually have to get around to the health crisis they have hinted at, and I don't see the show continuing past that point.  Succession and Cocaine Bear have cocaine in common, and eviscerations (figurative versus literal), but they have this in common, too: Tell your story and get out. Know when to pull the curtain. Know when the bear has had that last rampage. Newsletter continues after sponsor message We Recommend I was fascinated by this Dan Kois piece in Slate about what happens to a restaurant when it gets a great review and business comes in a gush. It turns out it's quite a mixed blessing. An update: In December in this space, I wrote about how I had picked up some LEGO sets on Black Friday just to see whether I found that activity relaxing. After some false starts, you may be glad to hear that I completed my Apollo 11 lunar lander. Guess what! It's very relaxing. I haven't yet listened to the new podcast from Serial, The Coldest Case in Laramie, so I can't recommend it in the same way I can with some things. But I do feel like it's noteworthy that one of the most recognizable brands in audio is back.  What We Did This Week Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick/Paramount Pictures As the Oscars approach, we shared an encore of our episode about Top Gun: Maverick in which Stephen and Aisha talked to Marc Rivers and Daisy Rosario.  Eric Deggans and I recommended some nonfiction books that are in (or should be in) NPR's Books We Love. Bedatri D. Choudhury and Mark Blankenship joined me for a discussion of the Apple TV+ series Dear Edward.  Since we're now a few episodes in, Glen sat down with Roxana Hadadi, Cate Young and Jordan Morris to dig into HBO's The Last Of Us. And of course, as we desperately needed to, Ronald Young, Jr., Jordan Crucchiola and I talked about the movie Cocaine Bear. You'll never guess what it's about.  What's Making Us Happy Every week on the show, we talk about some other things out in the world that have been giving us joy lately. Here they are: Jordan Crucchiola: The trailer for Class of '07 Ronald Young, Jr.: Snowfall Linda Holmes: Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat and Tears Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour+. Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free episodes. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: pchh@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Music, Books, Daily News and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Pop Culture Happy Hour emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy

📢 Caregivers need care, too

Also, experiment with your personal style

View this email online Minnie Phan for NPR Hi y’all, Did you know that 1 in 5 Americans — more than 50 million people — are unpaid caregivers?  That number includes my parents. They look after my twin brother Jackson, who is on the autism spectrum. He’s one of my favorite people in the world, and in some ways he’s independent. He can order at a restaurant, he can feed the family dogs and he can play Uno — and win, might I add. And… he needs a lot of support with things like regulating emotions, managing money, everyday hygiene and grocery shopping. Life for my mom and dad is fundamentally different from their non-caregiving peers. It requires a different kind of planning, patience and care. After 30 years, my mom reports that her caregiving is manageable and often joyful, but hearing stories of her experience as a young parent makes me realize how much caregivers have to make it up as they go. My brother didn’t speak until he was 5, when my mom finally found a speech therapist who was able to help him. Before getting there, she talked to a dozen different doctors and took it upon herself to start learning ASL … all while co-parenting four other kids. There are so many different kinds of unpaid caregivers, but one thread that connects them is that these folks take on a lot of responsibility (and often stress), and don’t always get the support they deserve. This week on Life Kit, reporter TK Dutes talks about caring for caregivers. The advice she gathered is for caregivers themselves, but it’s also helpful for people (like me) who are trying to support those folks. 🧠 Know that you are trying your best and nobody is a perfect caregiver. Be gentle with yourself. 🤝🏻 Let other people help! Ask for specific things from your community. If you’re part of that community — think proactively about how you can pitch in. 🏢 If you have a job on top of caregiving, have frank discussions with your employer about how you can be supported at work. Find out if your state laws or workplace policies offer paid or unpaid leave.  🎨 Make time and space for yourself non-negotiable. It might be cliché but truly, you can’t pour from an empty cup. Newsletter continues after sponsor message The Carney Family Twins Julia and Jackson, around age 2. That last one makes me think about my mom. When all five kids were young, she would take bubble baths with the bathroom door locked; otherwise we would barge in — even with dad on guard duty. Talking to her for this newsletter was special, and it reinforces one of my favorite ways to support her and my dad: taking time to listen. Caregivers are a part of our lives, whether we know them, are them, or get help from them. I love how TK’s episode centers those people. So go thank a caregiver! Or better yet, offer a concrete way to help. Have a great weekend, y’all, — Julia Carney, NPR Podcast Coordinator   Listen to the episode Access Sponsor-Free Episodes Want to support our show? Try a subscription to Life Kit+ and get all the tips and tricks you love sponsor-free! Learn more at plus.npr.org/lifekit.  Learn More More episodes on taking care, from Life Kit: "Showing up is the act of bearing witness to people's joy, pain, and true selves," says Rachel Wilkerson Miller. What to say when a friend is struggling. Six strategies to take care of a loved one when they get sick unexpectedly. Research shows that suicide is preventable. How to help someone who might be at risk. Boundaries are different for everyone, and they evolve over time. Protect your energy and set healthy boundaries at home, at work, and in relationships. 🧢 ICYMI: how to find your personal style 👗 LA Johnson/NPR Personal style is an ongoing journey of discovery, experimentation and fun. Here are a few tips from Life Kit (there’s also an illustrated guide!).    Take inventory of what you have. Ditch what you never wear, or consider going to a tailor. Create a shopping philosophy. What pieces make you feel most like yourself? Don’t be afraid to break fashion “rules.” Who says you can’t mix silver and gold jewelry? Invest in basics, especially pieces made of materials that will last, like silk and linen.    “Being able to tell the difference between liking an item and liking it as part of your wardrobe is a level 10 styling hack.” — Ruby Redstone, fashion historian What you like and don’t like will change, and that’s OK! Pay attention to what makes you feel good.   “The only rules are your rules, baby. Each of us has our own beauty. You have to divest from caring about what other people think about you.” — ALOK, artist Listen to the episode Coming up on Life Kit: 🦷 Caring for your teeth 🩸 Talking about periods  💻 Advice on a tricky work situation  We love hearing from you! If you have a good life hack, leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823 or email us at LifeKit@npr.org. Your tip could appear in an upcoming episode. Listen to Life Kit on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can find more of our digital stories here. And if you liked this newsletter, share the love and forward it to a friend. 🥰  Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: LifeKit@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Daily News, Code Switch, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Life Kit emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy

AI Chat Tantrums + A New Local Ranking Factor

Pro Snippet "Querulous New Bing and stumbling Bard bring sitcom-level irony to this thing we've been terming "intelligence". Between bingeing AI episodes, learn to build brand personality and estimate its reach, optimize your GBPs for a newfound ranking factor, and see the numbers on a bright and lucrative future for SEO." - Miriam Ellis, Local Subject Matter Expert, Moz What We're Reading:   Microsoft's New Bing AI chatbot is Already Insulting and Gaslighting Users Bizarre New Bing behavior may make funny headlines, but the joke is on Microsoft if rudeness and disinformation get their stamp of approval. Google Asks Employees to Rewrite Bard's Bad Responses, Says the A.I. 'Learns Best by Example' As Google builds its plane while flying, it's evident that Bard isn't ready for prime time. Lessons Learned from SEO Tests that Didn't "Win" – Whiteboard Friday Watch and see why SEO tests that fail can actually be keen teachers. How to Use Estimated Brand Reach as a Meaningful Marketing Metric Estimating brand reach is, indeed, possible and can be very rewarding if you're tenacious. Global SEO Market to Reach $122.11 Billion by 2028 Stats like this predict a very strong future for SEO, regardless of disruptions. Link Best Practices for Google Check your linking practices against Google's updated doc. Brand Personality: How to Make Your Brand Stand Out in a Crowded Market Five useful examples of stand-out small brands. A Small Gift for Local SEOs and a Big Cheer for Original Images Something different: local SEO and fine artist, Miriam Ellis, offers a painting of localism for free use in your slide decks, client presentations, content, and more. Do Services in Google Business Profiles Impact Ranking? Sterling Sky's re-do of an older experiment turns up a new local ranking factor for us all. New Google Review Management Tool Darren Shaw reports an improved method for reporting reviews that violate Google's policies, and one early user reports that it resulted in removal in one day!         Products  |   Learn  |   Community  |   Blog  |   About . Moz, 720 Robson St, 400  Vancouver, BC V6Z 1A1 Canada You received this email because you are subscribed to The Moz Top 10 newsletter from Moz. Update your email preferences.  Unsubscribe from all future emails.