I’m deeply sorry for the lack of Staunchly last week. I was visiting DC, but I really thought I could do it all—confront my past in the city of my most intense professional traumas *and* send out a low-stakes weekly newsletter. Lesson learned!
Read More(Originally posted: 4/7/18)
Well, nothing says, “Weird week!” like a tardy, Saturday-morn Staunchly…
Read More(Originally posted: 3/30/18)
RIP Stacey Dash’s Congressional Run: 2/26/2018 – 3/30/2018. You burned too bright for this world.
Out of respect, all flags across North Long Beach and San Pedro will be flown at half-staff until further notice.
(Originally posted: 3/28/18)
After Trump was elected, I started hoarding color. I always loved a bright, polychromatic physical space, but now I craved it. Suddenly I was acutely aware of color’s restorative impact on me. I realized how even the littlest hint—the spine of a book; a composed grouping of craggy, elliptic crystals—had the potential to bring me joy. Color seemed a cheap, infinitely accessible luxury in a world that was getting darker everyday.
Read More(Originally posted 3/16/18)
On Monday, I got in my first car accident in 10 years. The accident totaled my car, which I’ve had for 12 years now and wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye to. I know it’s a bit silly to be sad about a car, when there are so many things to be sad about, or imbue a piece of machinery with any sentimentality. But I also recognize this mass of metal, with its wonky gearshift and pen-stained seatbelt and ghosts of La Croixs guzzled and tears spent and harmonies attempted, played a significant role in my becoming.
It took me far and brought me back and I don’t know if there’s much more to say about it.
(Originally posted: 3/9/18)
Cynthia Nixon’s potential run for governor of New York has me rethinking my retirement from electoral politics. Cuomo has been a disappointment, and his dismissal of Nixon as a lame celebrity lacking in both agency and civic sophistication was obnoxious and frankly sexist. Plus, I think we could all use a break from dynastic politics and shady leaders who protect misbehaving men, right?
(Originally posted: 3/2/18)
A lot can happen in two weeks. Here are the three most important things.
1. Fergie broke the national anthem. But was it actually good? (No).
2. Stacey Dash announced she’s running for Congress. Look, when I said I wanted the sassy best friend from Clueless to represent the neighborhood of North Long Beach in Congress, I meant Wallace Shawn!!!
3. The trailer for the tenth season of the Real Housewives of New York dropped and IT. IS. EXPLOSIVE. This season has everything: new faces, debilitating alcoholism. A murder mystery! The haunting jewel tones of Dorinda’s Berkshire house decor…The US government’s deadly negligence in the wake of Hurricane Maria’s destruction…Luann assaulting a cop!
(Originally posted: 2/16/18)
I hope you all had a lovely Valentine’s Day. I spent it beginning The Sopranos for the first time, swapping a phenomenon that celebrates bodies finding bodies for one that celebrates bodies finding trunks (or riverbeds).
(Originally posted: 2/2/18)
Hope you had a lovely week and that the vileness of the State of the Union did not seep into every aspect of your life.
Just an FYI that the speech was an hour and 20 minutes long which is almost the exact length of Night at the Roxbury. So, to be clear, instead of staring at that offensive face for 80 minutes you could have been watching Night at the Roxbury.
(Originally posted: 1/26/18)
Is it just me or are things looking up for 2018?
Sure, Senate Democrats folded like linguine on the government shutdown and helped put the lives of 700,000 DREAMers at risk (tip: if you’re looking at Senator Schumer for moral courage, maybe shift your gaze), but—but!—Murphy Brown is coming back to TV. Meryl Streep is joining the second season of Big Little Lies. And Casey Affleck won’t present at the Oscars this year (making it easier for Hollywood to forget that only four months ago it was perfectly okay with industry-rampant sexual harassment).