How’s a Sitting Duck Supposed to Feel?
A second wave threatens to snuff out even more of us, but at least there’s some good shit on Netflix.
When I stare at the number long enough, it threatens to actually sink in. Look at it with me: 250k. It’s hard to fathom we’ve lost that many people to a fucking virus and an incompetent leader who should be brought up on just as many wrongful death lawsuits, but as a wise man once said in the 80s, welcome to the pleasuredome.
For what felt like the longest time after 9/11, I would gaze up at the top of the Empire State Building each time I came within a reasonable distance of it, half expecting to see a plane to fly through it. After mentally shrouding the gorgeous landmark in a safety bubble, I would scan around to clock the direction I might run, taking note of stores and subway entrances nearby that could serve as sturdy fallout shelters.
Who knew we’d long for the days our PTSD would come from a distant source of evil and hatred? Instead, our own government has forced us to regard each other as both foreboding forces of darkness and precious landmarks that could come down at any minute.
The fact that we’ve elected a benevolent leader is cause for optimism. I’m trying my best to let the concept of optimism sink in. I almost forgot what it felt like.
Thanks for indulging my momentary plunge into the place where sadness meets irony. As I said, the world is caving in but hey, there’s some good shit on Netflix (and other channels).
Gratitude List, Thanksgiving Week, 2020
Dash & Lily (Netflix) is a cute-ass little love letter to Christmas and New York City. It sparkles like tinsel and if you need to lose yourself in something sweet for a couple of hours, it’s got fewer calories than sitting down to an entire Entenmann’s coffee cake.
Almost every blue-state living middle-aged woman spent April rage-blasting Fiona Apple’s “Fetch the Bolt Cutters” in her metaphorical Suburu. One track on the album, “Shameika,” is a tribute to the girl who gave Apple the courage to flip-off the haters in middle school. This amazing piece in Pitchfork shares the cool story about how Shameika and Fiona were reunited, Shameika’s own musical endeavors, and reveals a Fiona X Shameika collab.
Now that she’s up for a zillion Grammys or whatever, I finally gave Pheobe Bridgers the time of day. I’m at the point where I need some kind of evidence of an artist being impressive before I gaze over my readers at them. She’s like a Xanny Woodstock Billie Eilish under the influence of Sufjan Stevens. I’m only mildly impressed. Am I wrong?
This sharp article for the New York Post, by Ada Calhoun, points out the importance of Kamala Harris’ victory (like I mentioned last week) for Gen X. “Kamala Harris isn’t just historic because she’s the first woman, and first woman of color, to be elected vice president,” Calhoun writes. “She’s historic because she represents the first time a middle-aged Gen Xer has ever won anything.” Here’s hoping it leads to more wins for us — we really need some.
Until next time…stay gold.
x
Addendum: Sorry this post is a week late. I was getting ready to publish when I found out I lost my cousin. We were close. I’m working through the heartbreak. The next post will be timely, promise.
