The Challenge of Change
Why can't everyone just be nice?
Sometimes I fantasize that it will be super easy to pass my bill and get everyone in the country an ID. After all, it’s so obvious. No IDs = homelessness, unemployment, despair. IDs = none of that plus more money and happiness for everyone. It’s a simple equation. But then, reality shows up to bite me in the butt.
This week I went to DC to testify in a DC City Council hearing to try to make it easier to get IDs in the District, where it has gotten increasingly more difficult over the last few years- a thing that they did on purpose, believe it or not. After three hours of testimony about how much an ID, or the lack of one, impacted the lives of people who were unhoused, DV survivors, immigrants, patients, literally everyone, the DC DMV director testified and made it wildly clear that he just absolutely does not care. It was shocking to me, not just because he couldn’t really name a single reason, but because I have such a difficult time understanding how a person can look at another person and think “you’re not my equal”. And I know, this is wildly naive, I am aware of ALL OF HUMAN HISTORY, but it’s still so confusing.
Since I started Choose the Bear, I have spent a lot of time trying to figure out how it is possible that men can hate women so much. I mean, they all have mothers? Do they hate their mothers? Was there a bad mac and cheese incident that they just can’t let go? Do they really think their moms are so stupid that they need everything explained to them slowly and repeatedly before they’re sent back to the kitchen? And, if not, how can they look at other women and not see them as at least as human and their own moms? I just completely do not understand and it makes understanding pretty much everything else about the patriarchy impossible for me.
There is this scene in The Legend of Tarzan, not a movie I am putting on my recommended watch list, when Christopher Walz first meets Djimon Honsou and Walz has the audacity to think that he is the superior one and I’m just like, really? Are we looking at the same men?
All that to say, the world is a confusing place and can’t we all just get along. Since the answer to that is no, I’ll just have to keep fighting.
Choose the Bear this week features Dominique Fluker, Lifestyle Editor for ESSENCE and basically one of the more fabulous single ladies you are going to have the pleasure of meeting. This was a fun conversation about one woman’s very exciting lifestyle and how much joy and excitement you can fill your life with when you’re living single.
Find it wherever you find your podcasts.
What to Do With Yourself
Watch
The Midwich Cuckoos (AMC+)- I think we have established that there is nothing creepier than children, except when they sing slowly and in a group, and Midwich takes that and really runs with it. This reminded me of that horrifying Torchwood mini series Children of Earth which was not about creepy children but about creepy aliens who want the children and that I once made the mistake of bingeing until late at night and then did not sleep for three days. Midwich is not that good or that horrifying but it is very good and very creepy.
The Devil’s Hour (Prime)- I don’t know how I slept on this but OH MY GOD THIS SHOW. I actually discovered that Prime has a desktop app (who knew?) because I had to download this show and watch it on the plane. Pro tip- the app does not download shows very quickly but Delta has finally woken up to the joys of free wifi so this did not present a problem. Devil’s has one of the most original premises I have ever encountered, it stars PETER CAPALDI, and just prepare yourself to immediately roll into season 2 after you finish the first season. The last half of season 2 is not as good as the rest, they make the female lead pretty stupid and everything gets a bit hammy but it is still worth watching. And yes, there is a creepy child.
Kings of Tupelo (Netflix)- For those of you who don’t want terrifying children in your nightmares, I present Kings of Tupelo. I have to admit, I have no idea what is happening in this docuseries. It’s as wild as the excellent Cocaine Cowboys but not as coherent, if you can believe it. Possibly because it is set in Mississippi and there are a lot of Elvises? There is some selling of body parts but also… look, I don’t know or understand it but it does need to be watched and discussed. If you really miss Tiger King and you want something more southern and with less animal abuse, this is the show for you.
Listen
Death of an Artist (Podcast)- This excellent pod is all about art, artists, and how their passing impacted their art. Season one is about Ana Mendieta and season 2 is about Lee Krasner and Jackson Pollock. This pod is absolutely riveting, even if it does have the most commercials that I have ever encountered in my life. Seriously, they should be paying us to listen. But it is absolutely worth fast forwarding through the ads for this really excellent storytelling.
Carrie: The Musical (Spotify)- Did you know there was a Carrie musical?? Did you know it was one of the biggest Broadway flops in history? DID YOU KNOW THERE IS A SOUNDTRACK? Watch this excellent YouTube vid about the history of this wild musical and then listen to the revival soundtrack which is actually so good.
If the Fates Allow: A Hadestown Holiday Album (Spotify)- I am not a fan of Christmas music (if you’re not All I Want for Christmas or Christmas in Hollis I have no time for you) but if you are a fan of holiday shmalz and a fan of Hadestown, which, even if you don’t know you are, you are, then the extremely talented Fates have made a Christmas album just for you. Enjoy.