the reference point. | no.1

R.E.P.O.R.T.S. are done, time to check your references

I know you’re thinking wait is this a new segment of the newsletter but do not fret, this is the monthly R.E.P.O.R.T. with a bit of a facelift. As I mentioned in my most recent newsletter, now that At This Point is 1 year old I want to put more thought into what I’m sharing and how I’m sharing it and with that, I feel like I’ve outgrown R.E.P.O.R.T.S.

I still want to share my monthly musings and hyperfixations, but the template proved to be a bit restrictive as I could only talk about certain things in a certain way. On top of that when I started this newsletter and went through many different name iterations, I landed on At This Point (which I still love) but with that choice, I wanted “points” to be at the center of my newsletters whether in the titles or the contents. Long-time supporters know I stayed true to that idea in the beginning then fell off as once again it felt like a guardrail that didn’t allow me to share my thoughts as freely as I envisioned them. However, I still think I was cooking with that idea, so as I rethought my approach to monthly recaps, “the reference point.” was born.

I always joke that I’m like a walking reference, whether it be a book, a meme, a movie, a song, a lot of my language and humor is rooted in a shared knowledge between me and others about the world around us. Some may call it brain rot, others may feel like I’m speaking a different language, but the reference point feels like the perfect name for a summary each month of the things that are front of mind. The rules are loose over here, so I may introduce a new category one month and keep the rest the same but I’m excited to take this style of newsletter on with a fresh approach.

So sit back, relax and grab your notebook because you won’t want to miss these references.

When Crack Was King: Donovan X. Ramsey

I wouldn’t call myself a history buff by any means but something about modern history (think 70-90s/early 2000s) is interesting to me so naturally I’m drawn to books on the period. Maybe it’s because this is a time that those I know lived through so I can ask for their POV or maybe it’s the fact that pain was so often knowingly inflicted upon average Americans that I find myself in awe that a group of people were able to get away with lying on such a grand scale. When I think about it more I think my fascination with the crack epidemic partially stems from the fact that culture at large glamorizes the era with shows and songs but rarely do we pause and acknowledge the effects that I’d argue we still face today (ever wonder why the fathers aren’t in the home?). A few years ago I read Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty which detailed Purdue Pharma, the Sackler family, and the deception that led to the opioid crisis and this month I finished When Crack was King which weaves together the stories of 4 individuals and how they navigated the crack epidemic while parallel pathing that with a detailed walkthrough of the U.S. government’s role. A 10/10 book that delicately navigates one of the more modern plights of the black community, would highly recommend it!

Egg Freezing in 2025: Time to Get Real About Your Fertility Future (Relationsh*t with Kamie Crawford)

The title is very in your face, but as an occasional listener to Kamie’s podcast, this one caught my interest for obvious reasons. I’m not going to spend time harping on “oh I’m getting up there” or “I’m doomed” but I thought it was an interesting listen as the idea of family planning becomes something worth being considered. Like most, I always thought of egg freezing as something afforded only to society’s richest and while it does cost a fairly pretty penny I appreciated the time the podcast spent focusing on ways to make this procedure accessible to more women. I also commend and admire Kamie’s openness with her fertility journey, which is such a challenging undertaking. Can’t lie this wasn’t the easiest listen and more than once I had to pause for fear of my thoughts going down that path of thought but all in all it was a refreshing take on a topic people so often navigate quietly and with shame.

Paradise (Hulu)

Paradise was one of those shows that could’ve easily gone under my radar as a random Hulu show, but the second I saw it starred my good sir Sterling K. Brown I was sold. Not to mention it is produced by Dan Fogleman—the producer of This is Us—and co-stars James Marsden, whose agent I hate for not making him the face of romcoms across America (I’m still holding on to his role as Corny Collins in Hairspray for dear life). Anywhomst, this show takes a page out of the Shonda Rhimes guide to primetime television and follows a Scandal/HTGAWM-esque model to create a super thrilling plot centering around a dystopian American future, very on the nose eh? We’re still mid-season as we inch towards the measly 8 episodes networks give us these days, but it’s been renewed for a Season 2 so this is a safe binge-watch that won’t get canceled directly after.

This newsletter was signed, sealed, delivered, and scheduled but then I watched episode 7 of Paradise and had to circle back because that was a master class in television. Truly the likes of the peak TGIT days as I was on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Brown and Marsden need to make space on their shelves for an Emmy stat. That’s all.

Sofie Pavitt Face

I have a slight feeling that I am late to the Sofie Pavitt Face movement…cannot confirm but I feel like everyone has either already professed their love for the products or debunked them but lucky for her my IG Ads have me drinking the Kool-Aid a bit. A quick search revealed that Miss Sofia calls herself the “acne whisperer” and not only are there products but there’s a spa in NYC that is booked until April (naturally). So in the meantime, I have my eye on the Mandelic Clearing serum which I hear works wonders for the acne gals, so updates on this one to come soon.

Fun with Buns

On my close friends, I recently waved the white flag and conceded to being a part of cutie patootie nation. It’s in my facial structure, smile, idk but it’s always gonna be giving cute so WITH THAT BEING SAID this summer I will be leaning into the fun bun agenda. The days of one bun are done, we’re doing: two, three…maybe even four. This aligns with my desire to add even more color and whimsy to my looks and kinda reminds me of the artistic element of black hair—which I love. I officially trimmed the last of my ginger hair this month (R.I.P.) so now the REAL healthy hair journey begins, but that doesn’t mean the fun has to stop so watch this space and watch these buns.

Xtasy (Remix): Ravyn Lenae X Doechii

This does get its own callout because I feel like I’ve played it a million times in the span of like 3 weeks. A remix of the original “Xtasy” on Ravyn Lenae’s album HYPNOS (2022), this song just feels so good to my ears. Think eye contact with that person across the club. No thoughts, just good times. I know I’ll never hear this in the club, but if I do? Know all bets are off.

The British are Coming (and I invited them)

I don’t know if it’s my upcoming trip to London or what, but I’m loving my U.K. gals extra hard as of late. I was a heavy supporter of Jorja Smith’s debut album Lost & Found (2018) and kept up with her singles since then but right now I’m locked into “Crush” by AJ Tracey ft. Jorja, of course (she may be a feature but she makes it to the collage, not him). I’ve been a FLO gyal since “Cardboard Box”, two of my top Ama Lou songs have to be “NORTHSIDE” and “All I Can Say”, and I’m still in shock that I didn’t get tickets for Rachel Chinouriri’s North American tour but I’m not giving up just yet. All I’m saying is our gals across the sea know what’s good and you should definitely give them a listen!

Lastly, I want to give a shoutout to my cover girls who stunned this month: Doechii for the Cut, Tyla for British Vogue, Rihanna for Harper’s Bazaar, and Solange for Document Journal. Honestly, these all speak for themselves so not much to say, but of the 4 shoots I was most gagged by Doechii’s Pouf Wing Leotard created by Miss Claire Sullivan, and Tyla’s chain look which is completely custom and the necklace + headpiece are literally purses attached to her—the nerve. Tens tens tens across the board!

Let me know how we enjoyed the first edition of the reference point, and we’ll tap back in next month!

from me to you,

Ianthe