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It is October. Somehow. Somehow it is October and I do not understand. How is that possible? But it is possible. It is possible and it is the truth of this realm. We must accept or we will go insane.
Anyway. It is October. There are lots of gorgeous reasons to celebrate October. Fall colors for those that aren’t color blind, horror movies and blankets, my birthday, Jamie Lee Curtis, and the end of September.
Now that September has ended, the time has come for the very first of the gangletown Favorite Things edition. This is a publication where I share some of my favorite things from the month before. It is typically for subscribers only but, because this is the first Favorite Things recap, it is free to all.
We need all the good that we can get in this world. Sharing is caring. I believe in celebrating the good stuff whenever possible. So this is me sharing.
These are some of the things that I loved the most in September of 2020.
The Audio Book: “wow, no thank you.” by Samantha Irby
Samantha Irby is a fuckin’ funny writer, y’all. Though she has at least two other books that preceded wow, no thank you., this was my first conscious introduction to her work. She has also written on shows like Shrill which I love. Since consuming this one, I have become a subscriber to her Substack “bitches gotta eat” and I have been loving her updates there as well. 10/10 recommend for anyone interested in a book/audio book of essays that are hilarious, smart, and honest. You can get the book HERE.
Runner up: Untamed by Glennon Doyle
The Song: Head & Heart by Joel Corry & MNEK
It makes me wish that dance parties in Brooklyn weren’t being held hostage by 2020. Whoever is watching the security cameras in our elevators have seen many dance parties between me and the dog because I’m addicted to this one. Honestly, it’s not even worth trying to explain why I love it. Just listen to the song (below).
The Pod: Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers & Bowen Yang
I am insanely late to the game on this show because apparently it’s been running since 2016. And apparently these men are also younger than me which is illegal. But I’ve got to be real about it, I just discovered Las Culturistas in the grand pod-sphere and have been fully binging on the intoxicating gay energy of Bowen and Matt. What I like most about this pod is that, in a year where socialization is at an all-time minimum, it just feels like hanging out with some good Judys that I already know and love. Funny silly gay silly fun fun culture times. I’m invested and grateful. Listen to it HERE.
Runner Up: Scam Goddess
The Album: “What’s Your Pleasure” by Jessie Ware
Once again, I’m am late on this train. All the cool gays are like “of course Jesssieeeee duh” but tbh I just didn’t know. In fact, in a true twist of the norm, my husband actually shared this album with me. SHOCK. Usually it is the other way around because I consume new music constantly. More to the point, this album is start to finish stunning disco sultry moody wiggletimes magic and if I could wear the way it makes me feel, I would look like a glittery million dollar bill. My favorite tracks are “Mirage (Don’t Stop)” & “Spotlight”. Album below.
The Book: How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X Kendi
This is one of the four race-related books that all of us white people bought immediately when the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor. and countless others brought the Black Lives Matter movement back into everyday conversation. I finally finished actually reading it. To be 100% honest, I consumed this one with a mix of audio and physical reading because I found the repetition helpful in actually internalizing the information. The book can be challenging and mildly academic at times but overall the author does a beautiful job of using personal experiences to ground each of the chapters in the real world. You can get the book HERE.
The Art-stagram: @LoveSomeDove by Angela Larsen
I’ve been on a mission to change the things I consume on social media for a few months (2020 has been a wake up call in a million ways) and one of spaces I have chosen to invest more in is visual artists. A friend recommended this account to me and have really fallen in love with it. Each piece of art on the page is daring, strong, and inspiring. I’ve found myself sharing pieces regularly because they capture the moment so perfectly. Check it out HERE.
The Activism: Darien Sutton MD, MBA
Dr. Darien Sutton is an Emergency physician. That in and of itself is enough to earn him a spot on this month’s list of favs. Medical professionals deserve so much more credit than we are giving them at this time in the world. Dr. Sutton has been working in the regular insanity of the ER and mixing that with Covid-19. And on top of practicing, he has spent an exorbitant amount of time educating med students and medical muggles like me by providing an absolutely bonkers amount of content via his Instagram, tv interviews, podcasts, personal essays, and beyond. This is someone who is really stepping out beyond himself to help others. It is inspiring to say the very least. Follow him and check out the archives of his insta-stories HERE for a seemingly un-ending amount of educational material.
The Column: Eric Reads the News by R. Eric Thomas
gangletown has been publishing for about a month and this is already the third time I’ve mentioned R. Eric Thomas. I’M NOT EMBARASSED. I wrote a bit about my fondness for Eric’s work in the Hump Day Motivation a few weeks ago so I’ll keep this brief. Just go check out all that Eric is doing and enjoy it. Find the column Eric Reads the News HERE and check out his other projects HERE.
The Program: Angel by Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt
Okay, y’all. I’m fully prepared to admit that I am bad at actually watching T.V. most of the time. I tend to cycle through comfort shows of yesteryear far more than I do new programming. #Anxious. I’m trying to be better but I have to be honest and say that I recently started a proper watch of Angel. Yesterday while I was doing data input for a bunch of titles at work, I watched (95% listened to…) the episode “I Will Remember You” and almost died with very strong feelings. Angel is streaming on Hulu.
The Random: DOGS IN CLOTHES
I do not like seasons that are not Summer. That said, there is one definite bonus when the weather turns and that is dogs in clothes. Just last weekend, we went to the liquor store mid-day and saw a small dog in a yellow and black GOWN. This gown should have been reserved for a very specific event but, rather, it was being served as just a casual day lewk. It was obscene and beautiful. My husband and I are also new dog owners this year and have just purchased Effie her first hoodie (see photo) and winter coat. I can hear you rolling your eyes and giggling now but, once again, I am not embarrassed. I love dogs in clothes and I refuse to back down.
And that’s the game! These were some of my favorite things for September 2020. The October edition of Favorite Things will be released on the first Friday of November for paid subscribers only.
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