The world is on fire, California is a crucible

I am here to confirm that music is still magic.

Enjoy this hot new playlist. It’s really, really good. The thrill of discovering a new artist never gets old. I hope someone on here gives you that rush.

Two of these songs have a great “WOO!” in them. We will always have a societal need for quality songs with a great “WOO!” in them.

Two of these songs are sung in languages other than English. Does anyone speak Russian or Swedish by any chance?

One of these songs is a cover of a song you definitely know.

Check it out. Let me know your favorite song on there.

Tracklist:1. Downhaul - “Off and On”2. Deep Sea Diver - “Billboard Heart”3. Hey, Ily - “(Dis)Connected”4. oldphone - “a sunset / the trees”5. worlds greatest dad - “Twenty Deer”6. Megan From Work - “Girl Suit”7. So Totally - “Welcome Back”8. aesthetics across the color line - “Co6aka”9. 2nd Grade - “Made Up My Own Mind”10. phoneswithchords - “Poor Progress”11. Merce Lemon - “Birdseed”12. Haunt Dog - “Mug”13. I Love Your Lifestyle - “Torpa”14. Cuni - “YDNMA”15. Bartees Strange - “Sober”16. Pacing - “stacy’s mom”17. CLIFFDIVER - “dayz gone”18. Ben Quad - “Your Face as an Effigy”19. Sam Paley - “Downer”20. Bright Eyes - “El Capitan”

A certain former President

I don’t know how close anyone follows political news, but I (for better or worse, by which I mean worse for sure) can’t get enough of it, and one of the candidates in a basically tied race for President is really losing his mind. Yes, the same guy who’s been saying crazy shit for years is getting worse, and fast. Just in the past week, his rhetoric has escalated sharply and I think the chance of violence after the election, regardless of who wins, just keep ticking upwards. The way the legacy media sanewashes his words means that most people are underrating that chance, and if you’re just seeing headlines you’d think he’s just doing his old schtick. It’s so much worse. The mental decline is on full display, day after day.

Every 48 hours he says something that would have been completely disqualifying in any sane world. You’d be rushing to get help if he was your grandfather. If you were hiring for just about any position at any organization in the entire world, you wouldn’t consider him as a candidate for even a second. Yet here he is, so close the being the most powerful person in the world. Again.

I don’t know if this escalation is because he’s simply desperate for attention over everything, because he’s scared of losing (and realizes that’s very possible even though he’ll never admit it), or it’s just a natural progression of his flood-the-zone-with-bullshit strategy mixed with some real thoughts about potentially losing. Either way, it’s real and it’s terrifying. It’s scary to think of how far he’ll go to win this. The limit does not exist. The other day he whined that police can’t be as rough as they’d like, saying that "one rough hour, and I mean real rough…would end [crime] immediately." He knows what he’s doing, just like he knew what he was doing leading up to January 6. He said he wanted a “fight” back then but said afterwards he only meant it figuratively which we all know is bullshit. He got exactly what he wanted that day. I hope he doesn’t get what he wants with Kristallnacht (Donald’s Version).

He’s been President or running for that office for over nine years and still doesn’t have any real solutions… because he just doesn’t care and never will. Any time he gets pressed on anything, which sadly is almost never, he just bloviates and obfuscates. He’s got nothing but a thirst for power and revenge. Well, one thing he does have is a plan to deport millions of immigrants that would cost taxpayers ~$30 billion, leave huge holes in the workforce, and eliminate the ~$100 billion they would pay in taxes. Oh, and it’s completely monstrous and sadistic. But he’s a business genius. Sure.

It’s all so gross and I’m tired of having to think about him. It seems like a pipe dream but he needs to lose this election by a lot, and then just fade away. Prison, *****, golfing every day, whatever. I don’t care. Just shut up and go away.

Hurricanes and cops: two things we need less of

Even if you do follow the news, the latest hurricane to completely wipe houses and bridges entire towns right off the map is barely a story. Climate disasters keep getting worse, we know some solutions that could help, but there’s no help coming. (Mutual aid link.) If you’re an Israeli and you need more ammo though, coming right up buddy. Is that enough? Are you sure? Okay here’s a little more just in case. Just like a parent putting extra snacks in their kids lunchbox.

This quote is haunting: “climate change will manifest as a series of disasters viewed through phones with footage that gets close and closer to where you live until you’re the one filming it.”

Luckily, North Carolina has some brave officers who made sure that an 18-wheeler full of bottled water was protected from people who were desperate for water. Just another reminder that the police are not here to protect or serve us. Imagine telling desperate, thirsty people they’re stealing rather than making a decision as a fellow human and choosing to help them in their time of extreme need. Nope, gotta protect the merchandise.

Sad girl hours

I can’t help but internalize and take on all these big problems of the world. It’s like they’ve teamed up with my personal grief and created a cage of swirling mist around me. I feel frozen and afraid to move because I can’t see anything beyond it. Sometimes light makes it through and I try to soak it up when it does but it’s always gone so fast. I feel the weight of it all sitting squarely on my chest, making it hard to breathe at times. It’s an internal/external trap. Most days I feel like I’m trying to act like myself rather than just being myself. The performance of it all is so draining and I have no energy left for anything else. I’m just exhausted.

Let’s end with some high notes

Moo Deng Moo Deng Moo Deng. The MLB playoffs. MUNA covered Vanessa Carlton. FEST is soon. I Saw the TV Glow. The colorful New England leaves in crisp autumn air. I married the greatest person in the world. So many homies are opening for Foxing. I look forward to cracking open some cold 7UP Shirley Temples whenever they’re released. I hope they’re good.

Mooooooooooooooooo Dennnnnnnnnnnng.

Love you.