Benito Bowl recap and planning for V-Day

Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance was legendary, even if I sadly wasn’t in it (I tried!). More job cuts, a backpack fit for real working adult women, and Valentine’s/Galentine’s hacks.

Let’s get into it.

Your taxes are already late

Have you ever had one of those annoying bosses who insists that if you’re on time, you’re already late? Enter the US Post Office, which isn’t picking up mail as frequently anymore (to save money), which means tax returns filed on April 15 will likely be marked late. So if you’re a procrastinator, be forewarned, and maybe consider filing electronically? Where do people even buy stamps anymore??

Super Bowl ads were weird, halftime show was grand

The Benito Bowl ads were kind of a fever dream of AI, GLP-1s, and middle-aged male celebrities. OpenAI, Anthropic, and Gemini all debuted ads during the game, and Svedka’s ad was completely AI-created. Meanwhile, Bad Bunny’s halftime show, which featured a surprise Lady Gaga appearance and hundreds of humans as grass, absolutely slayed. ICYMI, the wedding during his performance was real and legal; Bad Bunny was outfitted by Zara; and swirling rumors that the young boy he handed his Grammy to was meant to represent Liam Ramos are false.

The Washington Post cut 30% of its staff

The WaPo, which is owned by Jeff Bezos, laid off more than 300 writers in response to a huge decline in circulation. In 2020, the paper’s average daily circulation was 250,000; by 2025, it was down to less than 100,000. The company has lost a reported $177 million over the past two years. Writers are organizing a protest for tomorrow.

No, I did not watch the Super Bowl with Jason Kelce, but I didn’t take a single photo while watching the Benito Bowl and engaging in high-level Super Bowl snacking, so you’re getting what you get here. While I can’t say I even knew which teams were playing until fifteen minutes into the game, I was fully invested in the halftime performance, the ads, and the snack spread from beginning to end. I am, of course, super bummed that I didn't make the cut as a background bush, but I will forgive Bad Bunny for going in different directions, because he is an icon and deserves all the praise.

I don’t know why you’re focusing on my stuffed ducky on my bed when you should be looking at my loafers x comfy pants combo. Is it kind of giving 90s-era Rachel Green? Anyway, each day that I embrace neutrals, I become a better woman.

For a holiday that’s supposed to be all about love, Valentine’s/Galentine’s can sneaky be kind of stressful and overwhelming? Since none of us need something else to overthink, I have a few thoughts on how to make the night (or nights) fun, special, and almost effortless.

For Galentine’s: book a single group fitness class that night. Barry’s, Solidcore, reformer Pilates, whatever your city has with a 6 or 7 pm slot. The class is the plan, drinks after are optional, and no one flakes because they already paid. There’s also of course Wuthering Heights, which is out on Friday, and is begging to be a Galentine’s date.

For partners: align on a gift ceiling, like $50 each. This quietly kills resentment, surprise anxiety, and mismatched expectations in one move.

For solo: front-run the chaos by buying your own flowers, chocolates, or a cute workout set on February 10 and putting them somewhere visible. You get the exact thing you want (cheaper) and you’re weirdly immune to Valentine’s Day marketing when it actually hits.

Bonus micro-hack: schedule a haircut, facial, or workout class for the morning of the 14th. You get the glow without the night needing to deliver anything special.

Thanks for reading!