Welcome to another issue of Open Tabs, where I share the media I’ve been consuming recently, and links for your enjoyment!
Hello!
Time seems to compress month over month—weeks go by faster, and the hours in each day seem shorter, somehow. My daily routine is exactly the same as it always is, and yet it takes up more time, leaving me more exhausted for no logical reason…
And the Spring allergies have hit, so I am currently struggling to finish this newsletter with itchy eyes, but I’m powering through, with Tennis’ “Pollen Song” on repeat.
Now onto the roundup…
Reading
Combahee River Collective Statement: A Black Feminist manifesto, that solidifies the groups’ place in the movement. It’s a short text, but manages to outline a very firm yet expansive perspective that is truly intersectional. Decades later, it still reads as more radical (and inclusive) than most ideas of “feminism” in our current landscape.
Minority Report by Mary Gaitskill (New Yorker): Gaitskill revisits her most famous short story, The Secretary, with an updated and extended version that brings us into the #MeToo era. We go later into the protagonist’s life, and get more details about how this experience (sexual assault in the workplace) affected her. At first, I was a bit confused as to why Gaitskill felt rehashing the story was needed, but there was a lot more added beyond the initial story. (But, this also feels like a response to current modes of morality, which demand everything be spelled out for the reader, which I do think is a tad unnecessary.)
Imagination of Disaster by Susan Sontag: Sontag writes about disaster in sci-fi (specifically sci-fi movies of the 1960s). I’ve been thinking a lot about dystopian media (more on that soon), and Sontag elucidates a particular thought I’ve been circling. “These films reflect world-wide anxieties, and they serve to allay them.”
Missouri clinics book transgender patients before emergency restrictions kick in (STLPR): Missouri is writing and passing anti-trans legislation with alarming speed. The latest is implementing new restrictions that will prevent most people from accessing the gender-affirming (and life-saving) medical care they depend on.
Watching
Sex and the City: Love at the End of History (Youtube): Post-feminism, the end of history and late capitalism, Sex & the City, My Year of Rest and Relaxation…another great Brooey Deschanel video essay.
Dune (movie): 2 1/2 hours…I believe something happened, but I’m not sure what.
You (season 4): No offense and no spoilers, but I did not like the direction they took.
Love is Blind (season 4): I watched the latest season and you bet I was waiting all week for new episodes every Friday. Somehow this show never gets old.
Beef (Netflix): Funny, unhinged, sad, cathartic…and that last episode still got me fucked up.
Florida Man (Netflix): I only watched a couple of episodes and I don’t think I’m going to watch anymore, but I’m mentioning this because Abbey Lee Kershaw’s character is giving Style Icon, and it deserves attention.
Listening
Pick Me Up, I’m Scared (podcast): I’ve mentioned this podcast many times before, but I just really enjoy it. My favorite episodes recently were about the Black Panther Party and astrology.
Women Resisting Terror in Iran (fiction/non/fiction): Writer Porochista Khakpour (along with the podcast hosts) talks about the history of the Iranian revolution, compulsory hijab, and more recent women-led protests after the murder (by police) of Mahsa Amini (which have led to torture, detention, and death of protestors) in Iran. This episode is from October, soon after the protests began, but this is very much ongoing.
Mercurial World (album) Magdalena Bay: This album is a few years old but I’ve been listening to it a lot lately. Hyper- electro- synth- pop.
More Music: New Tei Shi EP and Unknown Mortal Orchestra album have also been heavy in my rotation.
In Memphis, Police Reform Falls Short (Vice News podcast)
Googling
Solarpunk
Weelaunee Forest
can eating too many crackers make you depressed
SB 49 MO
collective consciousness
can pollen kill you
Books on my Radar
Peach Blossom Paradise by Ge Fei: I bought this before I could even publish this newsletter lol Really looking forward to reading this!
Hajar Press: I really want to buy everything this small press has published thus far.
After the Tall Timber by Renata Adler: After reading Pitch Dark, I’m more inclined to pick up Adler’s non-fiction than her other novel. I think I’ll really like these essays though. She definitely has a journalist’s mind/writing style.
Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson: I loved Open Water and I’m really looking forward to Nelson’s next release. (Publishing in July)
Roman Stories by Jhumpa Lahiri: I haven’t read much from Lahiri yet, but I’ll probably pick this up soon after it’s published in October.
Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton: New Zealand, guerrilla gardening, I’m sold (waiting 12 weeks for my library hold). I abandoned The Luminaries while backpacking around New Zealand, but I’m excited to reacquaint myself with Catton’s work.
Other
Open Edu (Slow Factory): This is a good platform to find short courses/discussions on topics around climate justice and related topics.
Substack Notes: Substack just released a new Twitter-like feature within the app/reader. I was initially excited to use it for short-form content and updates, but it seems like it’s going to quickly devolve into…well, Twitter (people harassing other users).
Thanks for reading today’s issue of Empty Head. More book reviews and essays are coming soon, so be sure to subscribe if you haven’t yet, and share with anyone who might like these roundups.
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