Do not be deceived by appearances. He is a lunatic.

There are aspects of Virgil that are lovely and sweet, and aspects that haven't changed since the day he first arrived in our home, put his head in my boot, and peed. Let's just say that he has his quirks, and one of them is a hatred for any and all mail carriers that is - and I mean this with zero exaggeration - completely insane and utterly pathological.

I don't understand it. He sees the SAME. PERSON. EVERY. DAY. And yet every day (EVERY DAY!!!) he reacts to the sight of our mail carrier like she is one of the horsemen of the apocalypse, and has just arrived on our doorstep with the intention of making him into a throw rug. He somehow grows six sizes larger and turns into a horrifying attack creature, snarling and spitting and clawing at the window, absolutely desperate to do something to her that definitely involves her death. I even know when she rounds the corner at the very end of our block, because he has a very special bark that he reserves only for her, and what that bark means is I WILL END YOU, LADY, IF IT IS THE LAST THING I DO.

I don't watch Stranger Things. I know everybody loves it, and I'm sure I would love it too - I love everything horror-related, and have a soft spot for kids-banding-together stories like It and Stand By Me - but I just haven't gotten on the bandwagon yet.

I'm going to have to do this sooner rather than later, though, because I now own the most amazing sweatshirt ever that just so happens to say "Stranger Things" on it, and I suspect that I'm going to have the conversation ("Do you watch Stranger Things?" "No, not yet, I --" "Oh my god, you HAVE TO!") everrrrrrry single time I wear it. Basically I'm going to start watching the show to minimize the frequency with which I have to interact with people on line at the grocery store.

Target's new Stranger Things collection - which includes apparel, a Blu-Ray set that looks like an old VHS tape (!), action figures, accessories, and more  - was released on October 15, just in advance of the Oct 27 premiere of Season 2, and it's phenomenally well done (or at least the clothing is). The vibe is spot-on '80s, the prices are solid ($15 for t-shirts, $21 for sweatshirts, etc), and the fabrics are so, so, so soft.

@extraontop drew me in my natural habitat. Love it; love her; love her work.

Serious question: I'm working on an interesting new project, and am hoping to connect with people who may have worked with or for Ivanka Trump's company at any point in the past (in any context at all). If you or someone you know fits the bill and would be willing to chat - anonymously, if preferred - I'd really love to connect. (You can email me at jordan@ramshackleglam.com.)

NYT food columnist Melissa Clark on her morning routine: "I don’t do yoga, I don’t have a restorative turmeric beverage and I don’t do any meditation." I want to be friends with this woman. (How I Get It Done: Melissa Clark, via The Cut)