things i'm diggin' (July 2, 2024)
Most of my WiPs are about really heavy stuff, so I thought I’d cleanse my palate, so to speak, by making a list of some of the media, etc. I’ve been into these past few months. (Anything marked with an asterisk is a reread or rewatch.)
Reading
A Field Guide to Getting Lost (Rebecca Solnit)*
Alphabetical Diaries (Sheila Heti) - A really interesting literary exercise that still manages to be an enjoyable read. I related to a lot of it, in the way that almost anyone’s diary has relatable moments—just those human feelings that we rarely discuss aloud but that we all experience. Thanks to
for recommending this one.The Blue Clerk: Ars Poetica in 59 Versos (Dionne Brand)
The Boatman’s Daughter (Andy Davidson)
Drinking Guinness With the Dead: Poems 2007-2021 (Justin Hamm)
The Faraway Nearby (Rebecca Solnit)*
I Love You So Much It’s Killing Us Both (Mariah Stovall) - This book blew my mind when I read it back in March. If you’ve ever been obsessed with punk music, or annotated a mix tape, and especially if you’ve ever been in an intense, codependent friendship, or if you just love great writing—READ IT.
Liberated: The Radical Art and Life of Claude Cahun (Kaz Rowe)
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)* - Obviously this is a reread. I was obsessed with The Chronicles of Narnia as an older kid/tween. In fact, when I was 12, I wrote a novella that was basically a Narnia ripoff but like, make it modern/’90s alternative, and I managed to win first place in a writing contest with it! Anyway. My 12 y.o. kiddo is reading this book for the first time as part of a summer reading challenge, and I decided to reread along with him.
Lou Reed: The King of New York (Will Hermes) - Probably the most in-depth look at Lou’s life and career there’s ever been, and extremely well-written to boot.
Modern Poetry: Poems (Diane Seuss)
Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk (Kathleen Hanna) - I’ve been wary about reading musicians’ memoirs ever since reading Kim Gordon’s, as I spent most of my time with that one wanting to chuck it across the room. Yet I still have the compulsion to read every memoir by any musician whose work I've loved. Fortunately, I did not feel like chucking Kathleen’s memoir across the room. It was engaging from start to finish, and I was happy she addressed the problems of racism within riot grrrl. My only criticism is that she did not address any of the transphobia/transmisogyny/Michfest stuff. I still think the book’s worth a read.
Sleepless Nights (Elizabeth Hardwick)
Some Strange Music Draws Me In (Griffin Hansbury) - This is another novel that blew my mind. The writing is gorgeous and lush and full of description without feeling bogged down or bloated; it’s a queer/trans coming of age story, but it’s also about music and friendship and family, and though it deals with a lot of difficult stuff, it also has so much queer joy in it. I love it.
Stranger By Night: Poems (Edward Hirsch)
Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt: A Memoir in Verse (Brontez Purnell)
Watch Your Language: Visual and Literary Reflections on a Century of American Poetry (Terrance Hayes)
Wise Children (Angela Carter)*
The Woods All Black (Lee Mandelo) - I read this book all in one day—really in a matter of a few hours—partly because it’s a novella, partly because I couldn’t fucking put it down. It has everything. Gore, revenge, history, southern gothic, a T4T romance, and even monsterfucking. 10/10, highly recommended.
Watching
A Bit Fruity (YouTube channel)
All of Us Strangers (film) - I just. I don’t even know what to say about this movie. It busted me wide open. I was sobbing throughout most of the film. I adore it.
Doctor Who (TV show) - I am living for Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor.
Ladyknightthebrave (YouTube channel) - Particuarly the videos about The Twelfth Night and Much Ado About Nothing.
Shanspeare (YouTube channel)
Some More News (YouTube channel)
The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk (play) - A brilliant and beautiful love story inspired by the art of Marc Chagall and his relationship with his first wife, Bella.
The Good Place (TV show)*
Wise Children (play) - A fantastic musical adaptation of Angela Carter’s novel of the same name.
Listening
Ana Tijoux - Vida (favorite track: “Niñx”)
B.C. Gilbert and G. Lewis - 3R4 (A 1980 side project featuring Bruce Gilbert of Wire. It’s atmospheric and very strange, in an oddly soothing way. Thanks to my friend Matti for recommending this.)
Cara Beth Satalino - Little Green (favorite track: “Outlaw”)
Einstürzende Neubauten - Rampen (apm: alien pop music) (favorite tracks: “Ist Ist,” “Before I go”)
English Teacher - This Could Be Texas (favorite tracks: “R&B,” “Albert Road”)
Fontaines D.C. - “Starburster”
Genesis Owusu - Struggler (favorite track: “Tied Up!”)
Hot Water Music - VOWS (favorite track: “Chewing On Broken Glass”)
IDLES - Tangk (favorite tracks: “A Gospel,” “Dancer”)
The Iron Roses (favorite song: “Revolution Summer”)
Kim Gordon - The Collective (favorite tracks: “I Don’t Miss My Mind,” “I’m a Man”)
Micah Schnabel - The Clown Watches the Clock (favorite track: “4 Vignettes from an American Strip Mall”)
Model/Actriz - Dogsbody (favorite track: “Donkey Show”)
Mt. Joy (favorite song: “Highway Queen”)
Pork Belly - I’m Okay, You’re Okay, Everything is Okay (favorite track: “Superstar”)
Soup Activists - Mummy What Are Flowers For? (favorite tracks: “Chaos Girls,” “Megaslimax”)
Spiritual Cramp - Spiritual Cramp
Superfriend - “Fall for You” (They’re a Milwaukee band, and I heard this song on my favorite Milwaukee radio station, and I said: “Holy Weezer, Batman!” But like, Pinkerton and Blue Album -era Weezer, when they were good. And then I looked up the band and it turns out they named themselves after an unreleased Weezer track, so they definitely wear their influences on their sleeves.)
Tami Hart - Thanks for Saying Hi
Tobacco - Fucked Up Friends 3
Yard Act - Where’s My Utopia? (favorite track: “We Make Hits”)
various artists - Ain’t No Grave: A Tribute to Traditional and Public Domain Songs
various artists - the heavy dub playlists from Illegal Sound Club
Other
art journaling (I just got some watercolor crayons and I’m loving them.)
Camp NaNoWriMo (Are you doing Camp NaNo this year? If so, add me here and we can cheer each other on.)
catching fireflies with my 6 y.o. (and then letting them go immediately afterward)
long bike rides
long walks