Island of Misfit Posts 05.07.18

I’d like to be one of those disciplined people that send out weekly newsletters but here we are.  But I will probably do these with more frequent inconsistency.

Your Fave is Problematic

A big thing on the internet is Cancel Culture.  Where a piece of what a person says (or maybe that whole person themselves) is deemed problematic and they are henceforth cancelled forever.  Right except, all your faves are problematic.  Or at least held a problematic view at one point in time.
And if they aren’t the type to wipe tweets and all traces of before on the internet then well…at one point in time Twitter will come for you like the sentinels that tore up the ship in the Matrix.

The internet has given us unfettered access to everyone and along with that comes the idea that we own the right to an answer or to an unproblematic semi/pseudo/actual celebrity.  Each of us is allowed to say what we will and will not tolerate in the form of “canceling” of places and people.  And we all have the power to do actual research of who said what and in what context because Google is free and on our phones and knows our lives.  So do the work and make the decision for yourself.

There’s this movie Imaginary Heroes and I forget the ins and outs of the plot but the most important part of it is this quote:

Vern: You know, one of two things happens when you meet your heroes, either they’re assholes, or they’re just like you are. Either way you always lose.

Speaking of problematic faves, Donald Glover hosted SNL and Childish Gambino was the musical guest.  There was new new music and I was very excited.  And in the middle of the show, the new music video link was tweeted out (it’s called This Is America and it is violent, obviously, I’m not going to link to it do your Googles).  Anyway the video has been out a day and it makes me uncomfortable but the internet has dissected it to pieces because we live in a If You’re Not First, You’re Last society.  Anyway I’m excited for new music but I can’t bring myself to pay the $79.95 plus see to see Gambino in the cheap seats. I can’t.  But watch this sketch.  I know in my heart of hearts black ass Michael Che wrote it.

Shop at your local book stores.  Check out events they’re having online.  Get to know the people.  The last Saturday in April was Independent Bookstore Day so I went to see my faves at Brazos Bookstore.  Tom Perrotta (Election, Little Children, The Leftovers, Mrs. Fletcher) was coming to town to sign paperback copies of Mrs. Fletcher.  Except I already had the hardback.  I wanted The Leftovers signed but I had a digital copy.  I tweeted out my woes, as one does.  And when I went into the store, 3 of the clerks said the book I picked up* was phenomenal.  I asked what to do about my Tom Perrotta dilemma and one of the clerks was like “yeah, I saw your tweet! Just buy the copy of The Leftovers and leave it here and he’ll sign it and you can pick it up later.” WHAT WHAT.  AND Chuck Palahniuk has a new book out and they saved me a copy of that too.

*the phenomenal book is Talking To Ourselves

Addy didn’t show much interest in going to see Infinty War and I’m glad I didn’t take her.  I’m not over it or going to talk about it or spoil it.  Anyway on the commercial, she saw the movie was opening April 27th.  She looks at me and goes “if it opened on April 27th, when does it close.” Parenting is a lot of explaining how English doesn’t make much sense, but I wasn’t in the mood and said “I guess it closes whenever the DVD comes out.  So like 3 months.”

She pauses for a second and goes. “Black Panther will never close.”

#WakandaForever

Liz Gilbert shared a post by Ann Friedman (I was reading her newsletter when I was like “I wish I had the discipline to write a newsletter”), “Glennon Doyle is coming to get the white women.”  Read it here.  I would say it’s timely when every other story on the news is how a white lady called the cops on a person of color because they were in the white lady’s space and wasn’t acting to the white lady’s standard but that’s been the way it’s been since…always.

Every once in a while, a song from a commercial is so so good and I have to look up the band.  I mean, that’s how I found Spoon all those years ago.  Anyway, this is my current commercial jam.  Thankful for Spotify and Shazam for finding out this information for me.

Ok full disclosure, I had only listened to it and now that I am seeing the actual video OMG how fantastic.

Until next time…