Three things for your Friday!
Hello readers!
First, a quick matter of business: if you’re a subscriber, please take my quick READER FEEDBACK SURVEY, which you’ll find linked at the very end of this post.1) And let me extend a Mississippi-River-catfish-huge thanks to those of you who’ve responded!
And now:
Inspired by Austin Kleon, “writer who draws,” I have a list for you, consisting simply of “things that I thought worth sharing.” He can’t get mad about my using this idea, because (one of) his book(s) is titled Steal Like an Artist.
I’d enjoyed reading one of his books during Early Pandemic, but hadn’t thought to look for or follow him beyond that. Until recently, when a former professor and mentor of mine got me (back) onto him when he recommended the writer/artist’s Substack. And so, to steal another of his ideas—one that I thought could help me do something tactile and get outta my head—please allow me to share…..
1) A blackout poem!
While Kleon did inspire me to try some blackout poetry, I knew The Ruminator in me2 might have trouble ripping up a book. But yesterday at the library, it dawned on me that I could find one in the “Used/$.50” section.
Approximately two seconds later, I picked up a book that happened to have this phrase on the jacket copy:
“She has this unbelievable ability to be a liar. She is soulless.”
The Truth About Hillary, (2005).
Ka-ching went my quarters into the donation box.
So, this morning, I ripped out a random page, and with Sharpie in hand, went line-by-line looking for/waiting for certain words to “float up.” And, just as with the one time I’d done this previously at a bookstore event, I was amused by the Rorschach test-slash-Ouija board feel of the exercise:
2) Visiting a new woman- and immigrant-owned restaurant
Last week, I got to meet the owners of Delicias Catrachas, a recently opened Honduran restaurant in Davenport’s Hilltop neighborhood. On the evening that my friend Katie and I were getting together to celebrate our shared June birthdays, I suggested this place—and, for once in my LITERAL LIFE, I ended up arriving early. So I introduced myself to the women behind the bar, hoping I could practice my (very limited) Spanish. Luckily, that attempt did not deter them from speaking with me.
(Ed note: yes, hometown readers, it is sad but true that I was my mother’s worst-behaved, and therefore poorest student, at CHS.)
Yaneth and her two daughters, Sandra and Karla, agreed to let me take their pic:
I learned from our chat that they moved here from another Iowa town (Waterloo, if I remember correctly), and that Catrachas (if I understood correctly) is a name or nickname for people from their part of Honduras.
They were so sweet and friendly—and even surprised us with dessert.
And by the way, I suppose it’s worth pointing out that this meal took place on the same night that Davenport would hold its “Red, White, and Boom” fireworks celebration. So I ended up celebrating the version of America I believe in, which acknowledges that all of us, unless we are indigenous, are immigrants. I hope you kinda boycotted enjoyed the Fourth, too.
3) A Netflix rec especially for GenX
Have you seen The Four Seasons? This show about midlife and marriage, co-created by and co-starring Tina Fey, has already been out for awhile. But I just sat down recently to watch one episode—and ended up unintentionally binge-ing the whole thing over two nights.
As I was midway through, I found myself thinking I miss Tina Fey.
She’s been a hero of mine since she first appeared on SNL. I miss being able to tune into a weekly show (that I watched on an actual TV) for her reliably on-point critiques of society. But then, I realized: hey I’m getting that right now.
The classic midlife (and marriage) crises are familiar, but the cast’s delivery, and Fey’s involvement, give it a pointedly modern take, on topics like “open” relationships, mortality, and…mushroom coffee.
One of the particular delights for me was Will Forte’s performance. As I’ve been going about my week, I keep thinking back to the painfully hilarious “frozen shoulder”/ “emergency Kohl’s pants” scene. It’s a perfect example of the show’s relatability, (I was once married, after all), and the believable way a real-life couple might act in the same scenario. Forte’s Jack showing off for a younger woman—or just innocently enjoying a moment of youthful nostalgia? Fey’s Kate simply sharing a funny anecdote about Jack—or emasculating her husband in front of others?
The show has some elements that, at first, made me skeptical, but as I kept going, I L’d, truly OL, more than once.
And then, at the end, I cried. Damn it.
That’s it folks! May your weekend include good coffee, something good to read, and at least 1 hour that is not scheduled.
Reader responses make my world go round!
Or if you don’t wanna comment publicly, you can email me.
Survey reminder: Take a quick sec to fill this out? I want to hear from you.
The Ruminator
Thank you to the amazing Iowa Writers Collaborative for including and supporting me.
The Four Seasons was so great!
I've been looking for something new to watch on Netflix. Will check this out!