Maybe it’s because I’m feeling nostalgic, but I want to start by saying that I’m here to wake you up because September is ending. The final stretch of 2023 is among us and we’re only going to be moving faster and faster through the holidays. Halloween is always fun and I’m hoping that I’m in a better mood than I was last year. I am reminded of what September as a month symbolizes. It’s the start of Fall when things become more internal and complicated. Maybe it’s just a “last in line, first in mind” mentality that has stuck with us for centuries, but it’s also when we get the dopest media.
I guess I open with a Green Day quote because I’m realizing something fairly surreal lately. Next year will be 20 years since “American Idiot” was released. Given that it came out near the beginning of my high school experience, it’s one of those records that holds a significant place in my heart and will give me a lot to think about in the months ahead. Other than that, Eljohn Macaranas has brought to my attention that Lorde’s “Pure Heroine” is turning 10 this week. It’s crazy to think that there’s no shortage of things reminding me that, yes, I am getting old.
I feel like last month I ended with a bit of an existential crisis. Maybe it’s because August symbolizes the end of a moment like December will. I can’t help but feel self-reflective during these periods because that’s how I am. My life is thought of as a series of stories within a larger text. I make sense of it by breaking things down into themes. Maybe that’s why I am mostly able to see September as the start of another chapter. It’s one that started almost immediately with an excellent outing to see Bottoms (2023) with an enthusiastic crowd. I can’t yet say that I love it, but there’s always something validating about sitting in a theater and having people recognize Rachel Sennott’s brilliance. I am even happier that it managed to expand in theaters as it went along. I also got to see the trailer for Poor Things (2023) and I’ll just say now… SIGN. ME. UP. I am here for Yorgos Lanthimos in general, but here he looks to outdo himself with a Frankenstein mythos that is just as bizarre and kinky as I’d expect. Given that The Favourite (2018) is my favorite of his so far, this is a welcomed event to circle on my calendar.
Am I feeling any better? I suppose so. To be honest, my mood has been constantly fluctuating so I am concerned about happiness lasting. I have been nearing the positive side more often than not, so there’s that to look forward to. I think a lot of it is simply that I’m trying to fix my bad sleeping habits. While imperfect, I have been finding it easier to slip into that dream state at night and I’m getting closer to my goals. I’m staying productive and trying to appreciate the people in my life. So far, it’s been working out for me. Not every day is great, but right now I carry some joy for what’s to come.
To begin with, I think that it’s great news that The W.G.A. Strike has led to some agreements. I am one of those who is actively scared of what artificial intelligence can achieve. It’s there in Chat GPTs that can threaten to clone your work without concern of ownership. I’ve always been hesitant to give in to new technology because I generally believe it creates a codependence that is often unhealthy and can lead to psychological issues. As someone who may have suffered from that between 2020 and 2021, I can say that stepping away for a while has been beneficial to me. That isn’t to say I’m totally above it. Right now, I sometimes use image generators to see what they can do to Bob Marley. Why? There’s just something amusing about the Rastafarian legend being at a McDonald’s or zoo.
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| No Burger, No Fries |
Sorry for trailing off there. I am concerned with creators getting the money that they deserve and I hope their plans work. As we move further into a streaming era, things are only going to become more muddied, and I want to believe that figuring things out now will be for the best. A lot of common infrastructures aren’t updated often enough, and it’s nice to see writers and actors not budging from earning a fair living. I am on the side of suggesting that if anyone deserved reckoning, it’s studio heads who would essentially be glorified button pushers. While they have important jobs, eliminating their work staff would make them useless since almost anyone can use Chat GPT and A.I. to make a hollow story without any heart.
On another note, I am sometimes grateful to live in California. For as much as this year has been terrible for The LGBTQIA+ Community, our governor is at least on the right side of history. He is passing legislation to keep schools from outlawing books that have queer figures in history books. Sure, that hasn’t stopped smaller levels from protesting or sending threats (on one occasion murder), but California is at least maintaining some compassion for a community that is in desperate need of acceptance right now. I’m grateful for the schools nationwide where students walk out to protest bigoted legislature or the dreaded potential of a Prager U education. Given that these plans are pushed by people who get kicked out of Beetlejuice performances (for vaping and having sex), rack up criminal charges by the day, and think “guilty by association” means you’re fair game for impeachment despite zero evidence, it’s really frustrating to see how obviously these hate crimes are done by people just trying to have us ignore their lack of productive contributions.
I know that I’m starting a little feisty, but I just want to see things turn around for the better. It is sometimes strange to show up to women’s volleyball games and stand for “The National Anthem.” Yes, it symbolizes something wonderful, and I love the freedoms we do have, but some days it feels like the whole thing needs to be sat down for a few minutes and have a serious conversation about what it means to be American. Land of the Free. Give me your tired, your weak, and your poor. You know, the inclusive melting pot rhetoric that was pushed on me as a child. The land of compromise, but only in the dead of night with a special invite. I understand a lot of it was always misdirecting, but the notion of moving towards “a more perfect union” feels like it should be more perfect than it was five years ago.
Anyway, back to women’s volleyball. This is really the first season I’m going to as a graduate of CSULB, so I am excited to support the team from the other side. I have been to a handful of games (including tonight against Hawaii in our great Pyramid) and watched many more on ESPN+. Maybe it’s bias, but I love what we’re achieving in the short run. The Pre-Big West Season has been wonderful to witness. We’ve taken down Texas. That’s right, last season’s number one ranked team. We’ve beaten USC and Arizona in a sweep – marking the first time in almost two decades that we’ve achieved a sweep against ranked teams on the road. I have nothing but pride for the team and hope this is shaping up to be an excellent season.
I’ve seen a lot of great teams over the past month. While I do imagine that I will be scaling back on attendance in the months to come, I am thrilled to have been at games against UCLA and Cal Poly that were so intense and fun. There’s nothing like spending a Friday night in that room with everyone ready to watch the miracle shots happen. The interims are also fun, as we have a student section who goes along for the ride, even chanting “My left stroke just went viral!” when the DJ puts it on (“Humble” gets such great reception at games). Wiz Khalifa’s “Black and Yellow” may be our unofficial theme song, but it’s fun to see what everyone latches onto. I’ll admit that we’re maybe not the best ranked in the NCAA, but the hope of seeing how far we’ll take it will keep me coming back. I even saw part of the men’s basketball team at a game, so I love the collegiate support.
Elsewhere, I want to briefly give a shoutout to The WNBA, which has been mounting a fun run to The Finals in a week or so. I am currently betting on The New York Liberty to play The Las Vegas Aces because both have been putting in good seasons. The Liberty especially are on track to have one of the best turnarounds of any team, and I’d love to see them go further. Their match-up against The Connecticut Sun has been tense to watch and has really proven why I think they’ll take it all. The Aces are a great team full of dominant players, but they don’t seem to play as many challenging teams. The Liberty has to stay in top shape and change things up on the fly. I think the results will speak for themselves. I’m also happy to see Breanna Stewart get MVP after a much-deserved and historic season. Always a good time watching her.
Finally, The NBA is very close to being back up and running. I don’t have much to say at the moment, but I wanted to comment on the Damian Lillard trade. Maybe it’s because I got back into basketball the season that The Portland Trailblazers had an amazing team (2018-2019), but I always felt bad that they could never close things out. I respect Lillard for sticking around as long as he did, but it makes sense to try and find a second chance with another team. I’ll admit that I don’t think he’ll be the primetime figure for The Milwaukee Bucks, but he’ll be a great supporting figure. I mean with all seriousness The Bucks are one of the best teams going and I want to believe this is what Giannis Antetokuomnpo needs to tighten up the team. Lillard is too much of a hard worker to simply let ego drive him.
Though speaking of, the Lillard trade came out of NOWHERE. It’s one of those once a season surprises that genuinely makes you excited for the game. As dumb as it sounds, I maybe haven’t been this curious to see how things will go since Kevin Durant got moved to The Phoenix Suns. You want to believe that the new chemistry will work. With all that said, this is a reminder that James Harden is still on the table. While he’s free to go wherever he’s allowed, I pray that it’s not to The Los Angeles Clippers. They’re MY team and I am still defensive of people saying that Paul George was bad last season. Also, we already know Harden’s relationship with Russell Westbrook and I can’t be having bad blood screw things up yet again. Not after Westbrook tried to carry us through the first round.
But yes, I am looking forward to wherever this season takes us. I will be seeing The Clippers play The Denver Nuggets in the near future for a preseason game. The one commentary I will give is that this is my second time seeing this match-up during preseason, and I want to believe I’ll finally get to see: A.) Nikola Jokic; and B.) Kawhi Leonard actually play. I still remember being in their gift shop the last time I was there and some stranger picking up his jersey and saying, “This should say does not play.” Anyway, the rules are changing, and I imagine that it’ll force The Clippers to not bench their entire starting line-up for no reason again. Though, on one more note, I would love to see Peyton Watson play at the game. He’s from Long Beach, CA and to have him win a championship in his first season is awesome.
Moving on to other subjects. Among the noteworthy movies I have seen this month, I want to give a quick shoutout to Blue Beetle (2023), which may not be the best made superhero film of the year, but it’s the most likable. I am happy to see D.C. make a film that is so indebted to the Hispanic identity and reflects the American diaspora that encompasses. I’m sure it’ll become a cult classic in time, especially since I don’t think it was considered a hit. Still, I had an amazing time, and it was very funny.
Also, Corsage (2022) starring Vicky Krieps is very much worth your time. It’s one of those contemporized biopics that warps the framework to reflect their personality through artistic decisions. What it ultimately creates is a surreal trip into the mind of someone with a very complicated view of the world. It’s comedic, especially early on as she finds herself dissociating from her queenly duties in favor of something more fun. It’s a question of womanhood and what it means to be growing old. I loved the film and think it’ll only grow on me with further viewings. What’s odd is that Hulu has been getting a lot of amazing newish movies lately, and I also want to recommend Sanctuary (2023) which has one of my absolute favorite performances of the year by Margaret Qualley. It’s incredible what she does, and I adored every minute.
On the TV front, I don’t have much to say. I have watched part of the live-action One Piece series and think it’s really fun. It’s got a vibe on par with that A Series of Unfortunate Events series they did several years ago. It’s more about wacky hijinks and visual oddities that rub me the right way. Also, I may or may not have initially watched it because people have suggested the original Luffy was asexually coded. Given that he has a yellow straw hat (a play on the beanie?), I want to imagine this is their way of confirming it.
Also, I feel like Netflix is pressuring me into watching Sex Education. I was not hooked with the first episode and was worried that it was going to be contrived “teens exploring sexuality” stuff. I’m sure it’s more than that, and I recognize its value against more sanitized art like Heartstopper, but I just don’t care about horny teens that much. I suppose the one saving grace was going to be the asexual character who made the rounds as a TikTok audio in 2020, but finding out their lack of involvement in the series has kept me away. With that said, Yasmin Benoit has contributed to the final season, which means I’m either going to have to ignore my aces or figure out a contingency plan on how much I want to get involved.
Last week, I also attended my first professional production of Les Misérables. I should have a review up by this weekend. However, I want to say that it’s one of the best produced performances of anything I have seen. It’s so large and the cast have these incredible harmonies they have to hit. I don’t know that I’ve been able to appreciate it in other versions because of their limited scope. In fact, I’d argue that it explained some problems I had with the final stretch. Every other version has felt like a slog between Jean Valjean leaving the barricades and when he prepares to die. It’s not bad, but it always felt like a fourth act that didn’t hold momentum. This version manages to carry it in such a way that I recognize what doing it professionally adds to the show. It’s definitely unique and I encourage everyone to see this show at least once in their lives. For people like me, the more the merrier.
Jumping over to music, this is probably where I was most referencing Fall bringing about great media. I would like to give a quick shoutout to Teezo Touchdown’s “How Do You Sleep At Night?” I thought that he was great on Travis Scott’s new album, and hearing that he’s a much more versatile artist has me excited by what he’s doing solo. Even the fact that he opens with a desire to see Spider-Man doesn’t stop me from recognizing his ability to mix hip-hop and pop with the punk mentality of the early 2000s. Compared to more polished artists like Olivia Rodrigo, it actually feels authentic. I want to like Rodrigo, but there’s a self-consciousness to her sound that makes it feel produced by a conglomeration. At least she’s taking Chappell Roan on tour. Anyway, Teezo Touchdown has a lot of great poppy moments here even if I don’t think it’s a perfect record. Still, hearing “Mood Swings” over a Taco Bell commercial is one of my favorite moments of September 2023, no question.
Another favorite moment was hearing the song “Dying Star.” It’s a duet between Ashnikko and Ethel Cain. Everyone reading probably knows my adoration for “Preacher’s Daughter” at this point, so I’ll forgo any talk of her. However, I think it’s the only truly great song on “Weedkiller” and I think shows Ashnikko’s ability to channel deeper emotions. The album as a whole feels too bratty and showy. I just wanted her to rope it in and find some humanity underneath. Still, I think “Demidevil” wasn’t the worst thing I heard either, so I believe she has something. However, “Dying Star” is so melancholic and self-reflective that it was an easy addition to my playlist. The harmonies on it are so good. Easy winner of “best song on worst album” for me this year so far.
There’s also Yeule, whose “Softscars” is more dysphoric electronic pop. I’ll admit that I love what she’s doing even if the lyrics are often levels of uncomfortable that keep me from liking her albums. Still, “Glitch Princess” had plenty of stellar moments. “Softscars” is more concrete and captures the anguish of being alive and having a body better than just about anything I’ve heard lately. I love her aesthetic and “Sulky Baby” is on a shortlist of songs I love from this year. Also, while I didn’t love Slayyyter’s “Starfucker,” I somehow became one of her Spotify “top fans” because of one listen and got invited to a listening party. I mostly went for the stories and she’s definitely an insightful and engaging person. I just wish I liked the album more because her earlier work is shameless and fun. With that said, “Purr” is a banger.
And to close this section off, I want to talk about Underscores. As a hyperpop fan, I predictably liked “Fishmonger.” Not enough to put them on the level of 100 Gecs or Sophie, but there was so much ingenuity going on that something had to come of it. I didn’t expect to come across “Wallsocket” and have it be one of my favorite records of the year. While hyperpop feels like it’s been lacking this year (100 Gecs and Alice Longyu Gao being the only real standouts for me), this revives it with one of the most emotionally rich albums I’ve heard in a long time. What Underscores does with samples and glitches is beyond brilliant. I have had “Old Money Bitch” on repeat a lot because the orchestration is next-level brilliant. Given that I also have Mitski’s latest on my Best of 2023 list, September has been very kind to me. Time to see what Dorian Electra does with October.
I suppose as I round the end, I thought that I’d mention another thing that’s interesting about September. Back in March, I was very distraught and unfocused. It got so bad that I impulsively said that I would take a lengthy hiatus from Twitter. The promise was that I’d return in October. The detoxing has been so wonderful and it has me worried about the future of my time on Twitter. Given that I never got on board Threads and haven’t tried BlueSkyy yet, I do wonder if it’ll be as great as I once imagined it to be. Then again, I saw Dumb Money (2023) recently and the sight of Elon Musk in a meme recoiled me. I haven’t had to deal with that level of narcissism and desperation in so long that I forgot how unpleasant it is to see someone try to be cool. There are just so many people on there I like that I think it could be worth it even if Musk has been such a priss that he’s ruined what people liked about the site. For all I know, everyone had a mass exodus and I just never knew.
But I hope to return, even briefly, to Twitter and discover what is left of it. Other than that, my October is going to be about trying to celebrate Halloween and expand my appreciation of the world around me. I went trick or treating last year for the first time since middle school and it was interesting being a “parent” in that scenario. I’m not as much a fan of the artificial pageantry but seeing people genuinely enjoy it was delightful. I’m trying to discover the world, and that was one of the better examples. Still, I hope I find some good witch movies (they’re always in fashion). American Horror Story is always worth checking out and The Exorcist: Believer (2023) may be fun. I may also go down to Long Beach Playhouse to see their production of Frankenstein – a tried and true classic for a reason.
It's just surreal to think it’s October already. Life has been moving so fast that I need to start planning better. I’ve made small progress but with bigger plans in place for the years ahead, I want to believe I am on the verge of “success” in a minor sense. I will get to the point where things start to reveal themselves. I just need to motivate myself and take some risks that I hope work out. It’s a scary time, and that means having to face your fears. It’ll be a rough road ahead, but hopefully, there’s enough going on to point me in the right direction.
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