Netflix owns Harry Potter and Pantone picked the worst choice available

Netflix made a big old purchase, the Louvre simply cannot catch a break, and I cracked the riddle that is what to wear to your work party.

America’s favorite streaming service buys America’s third-favorite streaming service

On December 5, Netflix announced that they’re acquiring Warner Bros for a whopping $87.5 billion. The acquisition includes IP (Netflix now owns Harry Potter), HBO, and maybe HBO Max, which is technically different from HBO…I can’t keep up with that whole deal. The deal technically won’t close until 2026, and there are still a few unknowns, with some claiming this is verging on monopoly territory, and needs to be stopped.

2025 has been a flop year for the Louvre

After the thrilling heist that we all watched (and kind of…enjoyed…from a distance…is that bad??), the Louvre has suffered another tragedy. This one is not quite as exciting: a flood damaged at least 400 works, thanks to a burst pipe in one of the Egyptian antiquities rooms. Next steps include drying out a bunch of very, very old books and eventually renovating the HVAC system, which I guess is as old as some of the art. Tough year to be the world’s most favorite art museum!

Pantone gives us absolutely nothing

Pantone announced its color of the year (I was really banking on an Elphaba green), and not only does it have nothing to do with Wicked, but it’s literally just white. “Cloud Dancer,” technically, but yeah, it’s white. Reactions have been both negative and very funny: “Your choice is about as inspired as mayonnaise,” “it’s giving unseasoned chicken.” I love a neutral, but isn’t the whole point of a COLOR of the year for it to be an actual color?

This weekend my family marked our official recovery from Thanksgiving with a very intense kickoff into the holiday season. Yes, we have a fully decorated Christmas tree. Yes, we competed in a holiday-themed pickleball tournament followed by a white elephant gift exchange. My fiancé ended up with a giant roll of toilet paper, which at first was weird, but then I realized we are running low on toilet paper, and also, I would never buy such high-quality stuff. So…I don’t hate it?

No never-ending project, no hard-to-achieve promotion, no PDF-unaware boss could ever be quite as challenging as nailing the elusive Corporate Holiday Party Fit. You need to be work appropriate. But also kind of festive. You want to serve “I will not be overserved at this party” while still also giving “I am fun and deserve a raise.” It’s a lot to take in. And I do think I have found just the candidate for the job: this velvet dress (festive, check) covers everything up without looking too matronly (double check). And it’s not your average boring black dress, thanks to the puffy shoulders and the texture. Love with an animal print flat or low heel. And dare I say it’s cute enough to wear out on New Year’s with your friends, too?

The week before holiday travel always turns into a weird productivity purgatory. You’re still working, but half your focus is on whether you packed socks. Here’s the fix: make a 10-minute “homecoming list” in your Notes app before you leave. Not a packing list, but a returning home list.

Because no matter how relaxing your trip is, landing back in your apartment always feels like being dropped into your own life at breakneck speed. What day is garbage day? How do I do my own laundry? Who am I??? So write down a few small things that will make your return less chaotic.

Stuff like: schedule your grocery delivery for the night you get back. Leave a clean work outfit out before you go. Book your workout class so you don’t talk yourself out of it. Pre-arrange a ride home so you aren’t freezing outside the terminal.

It’s simple, but it makes coming home feel less jarring, which can make the return to life in turn feel almost doable.

Thanks for reading!