D&F 12-6-21
Greetings from hangover town, population: me. Friday meant whiskey and celebration with Helen for her birthday. Much fun was had, and a lot of chaos was sewn. Other than the hangover, the only downside was how cold the bike ride home at 2am was.
With the fear of new variants rising, I don’t think I’ll have many opportunities to party any time soon, so I guess I’ll try to treasure this hangover.
At the party I was talking a bit about my long-term goal of kicking it in a seaside town in Japan to setup a little bike shop or B&B. I don’t know if that will be feasible, but it’s definitely not a unique dream. There’s a real peace about a small aging town, and the energy in the younger folks who resettle there is always chill and kind. No one moves to a shutter town to get rich or chase fame, so it feels like the pace is relaxed. Who knows how I would handle the expat life, but I’ve done enough International travel to know that I’m pretty happy to meet new folks and spend time alone.
This week I read two entertaining pieces from an author on sapphic anthems and heterosexuality. As a fan of most of the bands represented, it was a good reminder of just how much of my community isn’t represented by the popular music of white cis lesbians. In the world of electronic music at least, there are quite a few trans women, and while it makes sense that many of us are not a fan of our voices, I hope for more trans lady indie rock too.
On the topic of queer voices, it looks like China decided only state-sanctioned homosexuality, uncritical of the party, would be allowed. One thing I just can’t fathom is the white leftist idealization of China. While I think “the state” or governmental structures of a country can be applied to foster equity and societal good, often it’s coopted by greed and the singular voice of the normative majority. Whether that state claims to be communist or capitalist, I can’t be an uncritical fan. I think our duty as people who share a planet is to hold all state powers to the highest standard and call out when they’re creating oppression or silence.
As a single lady I found this piece interesting, as not many folks I’ve chatted with seem to understand the societal implications of singleness. When I watched the movie Unstuck in Time, which I accidentally mailed a link to earlier this week I loved how much he talked about building an extended family (his term for chosen family). Most of us end up single for some period of our lives, especially women, so finding and fostering a family of friends is truly vital for surviving and thriving. I’m lucky to have known some of you reading this right now for a decade or more, and I hope we get to be old and weird together for a long time to come.
Links
- Just look at this dastardly dude:
- This is the moment you dream of, the special moment:
- If you think you know how bikes work, you’re probably wrong.
Closing
Well, after a very short birthday letter, and a butt-send earlier this week, it feels nice to be back in the swing of my normal length and links. I’ve heard it’s good to have seasons of a newsletter, but for me, writing this every week is a nice release valve for all my pent up musings and half-formed jokes. When I first stopped using Twitter last week, I really wanted to find some other way to get my fix of shitposting, but the cadence of a weekly post isa better fit that keeps me from sharing the mostly undigested thoughts I did before. I think it’s working!
As the year closes-out soon, I hope you get to take a look back at the highs and lows from 2021, and hope for a better 2022. Until then, stay safe, stay hydrated, and keep being cool, space cowgirls~.