Stuff in October 2020

Happy Halloween!

But let’s be real, if you live in the United States of America, or follow American politics, the spooky season is very unlikely what you’re thinking about right now.

In a few days the 2020 Presidential election will take place and while nearly every one of them during my lifetime has been billed “The Most Important — Ever” it does feel like this one carries significant weight for the future of everything, including the niceties of human interaction.

It’s too easy, and sadly a bit fruitless, to exhaustively list why Donald Trump is not deserving of a second term but I’ll try to sum it up: Vainglorious and morally bereft, he’s allowed the incredible power of the office to be usurped by a cartel of evil geniuses and empty-hearted grifters.

That’s as negative as I’ll get as we zoom toward November 3rd, so I’ll use this space to tell you why I’ve already cast my vote for Joe Biden.

The Vice President’s nearly fifty years in Washington is frequently wielded as a weapon against him, and I understand the general anti-established rhetoric that threads through the country, but where some see corruption I see a patriot dedicated to public service and his fellow man. The dude could have easily left the Senate for a lavish gig in one of Delaware’s many corporate HQs, but didn’t. That “deep state” (simply called “bureaucracy” before 2016) experience will be beneficial in navigating the current DC landscape, which is a hazard of thorns and pitfalls for a President. As an old white man, Joe is certainly a maven of gaffes and cringy shit, and that’s a problem, but what I find admirable, particularly in contrast to his opponent, is the 77-year-old’s willingness to apologize, atone and move forward. I find that to be an indispensable quality for those looking to achieve and progress.

Riffing off that, I celebrated my 34th birfday over last weekend. It’s fascinating how getting a year older used to be the most exciting day of the yeah, and now, eh.

Kind of a quiet month for me, in terms of media intake. It felt like this one flew by. Here’s what I’ve been up to.

Books

I switched my reading habits up a little and picked up some non-fiction from the library. Finished Transgender History (Susan Stryker) a few weeks ago, which is an extensive, matter-of-fact overview of the gender revolution. Though it’s primarily concentrated on trans activism and the figures who have clawed for social equality, I read it more for a historical recounting of individual queer folk. I found the book to be an informative water cannon of a side of life too many people willfully, even gleefully, ignore.

Right now I’m moving through Written in Blood: A History of Forensic Detection (Colin Wilson & Damon Wilson), a quality accounting of the origin story of cops. No seriously, if I’ve taken anything away from the book so far it’s how civilization’s sense of justice, and what we can do to actualize it, has come a far, far way in the last 500 years. People used to murder each other for petty grievances, and, if they weren’t a dumbass, skate on it. We’re a long way from utopia, but no use turning back now.

Movies

I think the most significant thing I’ve watched this month was Borat 2, which was decent. The first movie is a cinematic achievement, a true classic of the 00s, so big shoes to fill, and the sequel mostly hit the same bewildering notes, if not harder. I think my favorite part were the two conspiracy dudes that were legitimately nice guys who lived in decent digs, but they just so happen to despise huge segments of their homeland. America, she’s full of contradictions and complexities.

TV

Plenty of good entertainment out there, PLENTY, however only a small portion of it knocks me on my ass and makes me go “what was that?” Fargo has repeatedly done that to me, to a point of near-frustration. How the hell is it this good all the time??

I’m three episodes into Season 4 and love how the show is still able to scrape together all the myriad quirks of a Cohen Brothers murder dramedy and reassemble them into dynamic plots, fierce set pieces and fun characters. Of note, Jessie Buckley’s Nurse Mayflower is right in the vein of all-star franchise villains V.M. Varga and Lorne Malvo.