12. For News Letter Only
Since my last post, not everything has gone as I would have liked.
In chronological order, a terrorist attack in New Orleans, horrendous fires in Los Angeles, Donald Trump’s 2nd (or 3rd if you’re bad at facts) term, and a freak south coast snowstorm (which delayed the wrap of my current film project thus ruining my spectacular birthday party plans (Feb. 1!(a Saturday! (right after wrap!)))), were all less than ideal (to varying degrees (obviously)).
But to let myself wallow in despair would not only be disrespectful to the far more direct and literal victims but would also be counterproductive, and the last thing I want to do is produce counters. But if I must, I’ll at least inlay a silver lining. To do this requires de-simplifying what might otherwise seem like unilaterally good or bad occurrences (you know I hate binaries).
Terrible though they were, the destructive fire and ice have prompted tremendous solidarity from the South and West coasts, Trump’s new term will no doubt motivate a massive wave of progressive action, and admittedly, there are worse ways to spend my birthday than working with a team of talented creative friends.
Now, to continue finding positivity in contradictions, here’s a list of awesome things.
1. This Wobble Stool – Basically a fidget toy for the whole body. Because you need more instability in your life. And movement can help you be still.
2. Planet Earth (or Blue Planet or Life, etc etc) – Yes, those David Attenborough narrated documentary series. I haven’t heard them talked about in ages, but there’s a reason that 7 of the top 20 of IMDb’s top 250 TV shows are these kinds of docs. They’re beautiful and breathtaking, simultaneously grounding you and taking you out of your real life. And it’s bizarre how soothing it can be to watch animals murder each other. Hopefully these docs don’t start to feel like a memorial for the planet soon.
3. Last Chance to See – If ever there was a genius at using humor to pry joy out of the bleakness of reality it was Douglas Adams, and one time he zoomed in from the Galaxy to write a non-fiction travelogue of his journey to find the last living members of endangered species. The result is beautiful and heart-breaking but also hilarious.
4. Flow – This animated animal epic was created using free open-source software but is stunning beautiful and inspiring. And despite having zero human words (hurray authentic quadruped representation!), it’s also a powerful tale about teamwork, trust, and breaking down social barriers. Plus it’s less than half the length of most of the other major awards contenders this year, which could have used…
5. Intermissions – Dear lord, sometimes it’s great to take a break. Kudos to The Brutalist, a politically pivoted update of The Fountainhead, for breaking it’s epic runtime into two parts with a 15 minute rest/concession/chat/text break. I wish several of the year’s other massive movies (Dune, Wicked, Nosferatu, The Substance, A Complete Unknown) had done the same thing. Taking a pause to think, rest, chat and breathe absolutely makes for a better overall experience. And obviously, this does not just go for movies. With that in mind, here’s a two parter…
6. Claude: For Creativity – Yes, AI poses a threat to writers and other creatives (don’t be naïve; it does!) and I certainly don’t suggest passing off AI work as your own. But there are some amazingly beneficial uses. For example, you can plug an entire screenplay into Claude (which I prefer because of their ethical parameters and privacy features) and use its analysis to identify areas of your work that are confusing, prejudiced, derivative, etc. It’s like having an incredibly knowledgeable (but not especially unique or creative) friend who genuinely doesn’t mind reading your work and giving infinite feedback. Now go get some popcorn cuz…
7. Claude: For Introspection – I’ve rambled before about my daily microsprints and mini-diary entries, and if you’ve got any similar sort of reflective journals, especially ones that span a long time frame, that’s another thing that can be plugged into Claude (or another AI if you’re more reckless) for feedback. Based on a year’s worth of journal entries, I asked Claude ‘What are some things the author of this diary might not realize about themself?’ and the answers were, well… Nothing really. Except that I’m apparently insecure about conceding any lack of self-awareness. And that I use sarcasm as a defense mechanism. Psshhh…
8. Alan Moore’s Writing for Comics – This self-deprecating ramble of a writing guide by the loony, bitter, incendiary genius behind Watchmen and V for Vendetta is surprisingly practical and insightful. And then becomes even more fascinating when the final chapter, written 15 years after the rest of text, picks apart everything he’s said previously. And amazingly both of his contradictory perspectives are valuable.
9. Unmatched – Like a board game version of Super Smash Brothers but with an astonishingly broad swath of characters to pit against each other. Not only do they have Marvel and Witcher expansions, but also a fascinating array of characters plucked from global folklore, and they’ve done a spectacular job of finding a diverse cast of combatants, because clearly the makers of this game believe that things like Diversity and Inclusivity make the world (or in this case brutal hand-to-hand combat, so perhaps this sort of undermines my point) a better and more interesting place.
10. Political argument – I emphatically disagree with the sentiment that people should keep their politics to themselves. I’d much rather people with different views talk and even argue about them. Yes, most Facebook debates devolve into name-calling, but I've also seen people realize AND ADMIT the error of their beliefs mid-argument. And I think these tiny incremental changes are worth it. But in case it gets messy.
11. Viva Paper Towels – Sure, these are disposable, and therefore not the best for the environment, but they’re so absorbent that they make spilled milk a lot easier to not cry over, and they’re so soft that they can function as post-bidet wipes. I buy them in bulk. Thanks Bezos! Sincerely. But also you suck. Yeah, these papers viva from asshole to-
Now, staying on theme, I’ll egotistically end that diverse, discordant contradictory list to reroute attention back to myself (just like Claude predicted I would).
Remember that party that was supposed to be on February 1st (before a truly magical natural disaster ruined it)? Instead, I think I’ll have a party next Friday. Of course, it won’t be a birthday party (except it kinda will). Instead the theme will be Contradictory Chaos. Movies & music, liquors and mixers, chips and dips. All will be mismatched. Outfits too. And I don’t just mean ‘business casual’ or ‘shabby chic’. An anti-dress code if you will. A non-rules rule. Everything must clash (amicably).
And if you happen to be in New Orleans, shoot me a message or just drop in, cuz I’d love to commiserate and celebrate with you!
Otherwise… I hope you’re all doing wonderfully, and that if you aren’t, if you’re struggling, I hope there’s some silver lining to the shittiness of it all. Hell, at the very least an interesting chapter for that autobiography someday, or maybe just an email.
And now… I’m gonna go get older.
Cheers to you all!
David X Bush
(the X is variable)