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Clapping Is Not Mandatory

As a single working parent one of my evergreen struggles has been with consuming versus creating. So many ideas floating around in my head. I want to create all the things! Or realize more of them, at least. But I just haven’t got it in me. Sure, I can swing the occasional side hustle, if I force myself into turbo mode. But after putting the bulk of my energy and focus into work all day then taking care of the household in the evening it can be tough to have any juice left over. It’s too easy to sit back and allow myself to be entertained. And there is entertainment/edutainment galore out there. That problem has only gotten worse, actually, with all the highly specialized avenues and so much of it feels like it was made JUST FOR ME.

Five far too entertaining things:

  • Recently I devoured Martha Wells’ Murderbot Diaries: “a fantastic story about what it means to be human: Murderbot tries to steer clear of exasperating humans, but keeps getting pulled into trouble.” I am Murderbot.
  • Stopped by the MIA for their free third Thursdays series. It was too bananas to get into the Egypt exhibit (thankfully I saw it preview weekend) but while there some bold work by a Philadelphia painter caught my eye. Somehow I hadn’t heard of Bob Thompson before.

    Thematically, Thompson was inspired by the dichotomy of good and evil as well as the relationship between men and nature.

    Right up my alley. And it reminded me somewhat of current artist Stacey Rozich, whose work I adore. And may have tattooed on me one of these days.

  • There’s so much buzz about the Coen Brothers new movie, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. My son was baffled when I mentioned it is on Netflix now but also playing in theaters, on a limited release run. The preview was compelling enough I plan to watch it tonight but the kid is not on board.
  • Digging the new Surviving Y2K podcast. In 1999 I worked in IT for a huge insurance company, QA testing for the Y2K problem. Professionally and socially I was surrounded by developers and other IT types so I was in the know and not too worried about it. But I was also 25, single, heavily pregnant and full of anxiety. I didn’t need any additional stress about the end times. This morning I tried explaining Y2K to my now 19yo son but his eyes glazed over.
  • Last night the Allusionist’s Live fall 2018 tour was on its last stop, which happened to be here! Not only did we sell out the venue, we outdid the tour stops in Chicago and LA for turnout. Take that larger metropolises! It was a lovely evening. Helen Zaltzman and her husband Martin Austwick were just as charming live as they are recorded. I adore her style of edutainment. And the venue - The James J Hill Library - was magnificent. The material covered was largely the same as in the most recent episode “Allusionist 89. WPM” a story of feats of speed and endurance, of record-breakers, of champions… Typing champions”

Speaking of podcasts and creativity, I submitted a story to the Longest Shortest Time’s Hillary Frank but I’d nearly forgotten about. Until I received this email:

Hello from Penguin Random House Audio. I’m the producer working with Hillary Frank on the audiobook edition of Weird Parenting Wins.

We are seeking your help with the pronunciations of your name. If you have a minute, could you please record a voice memo and email the MP3 file to [snip] and [snip]? You can also leave a voicemail or send an email to us with the phonetic spelling. Many thanks for your help with the audiobook!

That’s pretty neat. But I don’t think I get a free copy of the book. And speaking of books, some of us Strange Girls will be putting together a zine. Stay tuned for that. Before then our next Strange Girls Night Market will be Saturday, December 15th at Artspace Jackson Flats in NE Minneapolis.

Lastly, I’m participating in the redditgifts Secret Santa 10th Annual Extravaganza! I’ve heard fun stories about it before but just listened to Endless Thread’s episode about it. It reminds me of the exchange I used to participate in with friends from an old beloved music message board (RIP MRMB). I enjoy the sleuthing involved to find out a little more about someone you don’t know or know well to get them a gift they will appreciate.

The Allusionist podcast, live in St Paul

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