- Quarter Life Crisis
- Posts
- Culture consumed before and during Spring Break
Finally, FINALLY I had spring break! I spent the week driving out to visit my parents and brother in Indiana with some stops along the way.
I thought this list would be longer, but I actually spent most of the time crocheting and introducing my mom to old Game Changer episodes…
Cameron Esposito: Four Pills
If you’ve read my newsletter for a while, you know I have bipolar disorder, which posses some interesting benefits and challenges to being creative. That’s the subject of comedian Cameron Esposito’s new special Four Pills (which they also directed), for the excellent comedy streaming service Dropout.
Except…it doesn’t seem this way at first. Even knowing the subject matter going in, I was like “huh, this feels like a usual comedy special.” Several wacky anecdotes pepper the first half or so of the special. And then, you realize as things get darker…they’re describing symptoms of hypomania.
There’s a little bit of directorial trickery to emphasize this, but just the words hold up, too. I found it rather moving. It also had me reflecting on how I feel like my mind is different with my medication too, but that was a choice I made to be safe. Maybe I’m not losing my creativity or my intellect. I am just a different flavor of person.
Cameron was also on the excellent podcast Depresh Mode with John Moe, which is a great companion to the special.
Doctor Who: “The Robot Revolution” and “Lux”
I have a long history with Doctor Who, dating back to 2011 when I was in seventh grade. I am not going to rehash any of that. I’ve been generally enjoying this new rebrand with Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor, and this season has stepped up the game. “The Robot Revolution” introduced Belinda Chandra and opted for a largely off-world introduction story, which is unusual, and while the political commentary may have been more winky and fun jokes than anything thorough, I did largely enjoy the episode.
And then “Lux” was right up my alley in terms of meta Doctor Who and creative ideas. Cartoon come to life! The Doctor and Belinda crawling out of a TV! The two dimensional jokes! I don’t want to spoil too much, but if you’re a fan, I would make some time for this season.
P.S.: I heard good things about “The Well”—I just haven’t seen it yet!
Julien Baker & Torres, Send a Prayer My Way
I do not listen to country music, much to my mother’s dismay. Much of it just reminds me of a certain culture I’m just not a part of, especially being queer. But Julien Baker is one of my favorite artists, so of course I’m going to listen to the country album she made with fellow indie lesbian Torres. And it rules. I’m still breaking it down, but I’ve spend a lot of time with the five singles, and “Dirt” is maybe my new favorite Julien Baker song. I also love “Bottom of the Bottle” and “Sugar in the Tank” and “Goodbye Baby” and “Off the Wagon”!! And I’m still getting into the others. Their voices blend great together and it’s just so lovely for space for these artists—who are from the South—to exist in country.
Updates from Me
I’ve been chopping away at early Phoebe Bridgers releases on my Patreon. (I’m doing a bit of a member drive, too…paid members will get these posts early! Help me with my unexpected car expenses!) You can read about “Waiting Room” here and the Killer EP here. Next up: Lucy Dacus’s first record!
My short story now has a retitled home at Nimblewitlit (formerly Whirligig Lit), and you can read it here still.
My website, which will become a hub soon for The Sound of Our Collision edited posts, renews next month, and I’ve almost hit my Ko-Fi goal that covers that renewal! If you enjoy my writing and want to chip in, here is that link.
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