Directory of Moments

A Personal Bullet Point Journal

Week of Dec 13, 2020

[Content Warning: contains brief, casual mentions of alcohol, substance abuse, body image issues]

• Stayed up all night for the final portion of Polygon's charity stream and tweaked my sleeping schedule. Going to bed around 10a-2p, waking up around 5p-9p. Kinda helped me curb binge-drinking cuz my brain doesn't 'know when I'm allowed to'.
• First snow of the season Wednesday night. Took a break from my work day to put up the tree my sister got me. Listened to A Charlie Brown Christmas on vinyl and then Mannheim Steamroller as the snow fell and I fluffed the tree. Took a small, very quiet walk. The headlights of a garbage truck across the street silhouetted the falling snow.
• Began watching the Action Button Doom review from Tim Rogers for the first time. I am drawn to the format of people telling (seemingly tangential) personal stories which relate to a larger theme or piece of media. Just a big ol' sucker for a good personal yarn.
• Shaved my head Friday morning, like Eleven from Stranger Things. Thought it might make me look/feel more femme. It kinda does! But also makes my old face look a little lumpy and puffy. I will enjoy the lower maintenance.
• Delivery from the local record store. Listened to the first side of newly-acquired Talking Heads' Remain in Light as I made pastrami-on-rye and gyrated my body in odd ways that David Byrne might appreciate.
• Stardew Valley with Bob Ross on in the background.
• Decorated the tree and wrapped a few presents late Friday night. Mannheim Steamroller and a few folks on Twitch kept me company. Made my favorite potato & chickpea curry while listening to Aseul's New Pop. Added kidney beans this time; they contributed more flavor than I expected, probably won't do again. I forgot to add heavy cream before serving; the best part. :( Paired it with Lost Palate from Goose Island brewery, a hazy IPA with strong flavors of mango and cinnamon, and a heart-warming story behind it.
• Some freezing rain in the late late night. Began Act III of Kentucky Route Zero with 'The Entertainment' interlude. Got so sleepy that I couldn't begin Act III proper. Theme of selling and trading debt might be worth remembering when I pick it back up.
• Finished wrapping presents. A 'simulated broadcast' of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer on in the background, including vintage commercials from the era. Capitalism was a nightmare back then too, surprise.
• Four hour "nap" on the couch. Can't help but think of my maternal grandma when she was living alone in Belmont Shore, sleeping on the couch more often than her own bed, Lucy reruns or static on the television.
• Made roasted carrots and white cheddar mac n cheese (roasted carrots are legit a dessert), listening to Sufjan's 'Songs for Christmas' for the first time. Surprised I hadn't dug in earlier, but this is my very first Christmas alone, at my own place, so I was probably hesitant to introduce it to the Christmas playlist previously. Enjoyed this mundane line from 'Come on! Let's Boogey to the Elf Dance!'

K-Mart is closed

so is the bakery

everyone's at home

watching TV

• Began reading the first short story in Hamlin Garland's 'Main-Travelled Roads', originally published 1891. I ordered it sight unseen when Belt Publishing was moving warehouses and having a sale. It's much more aware and critical of gender roles and masculinity than I would have expected from its period so far, though I suspect that's partially why Belt Publishing picked it up as part of their Revival series. Nearly a decade ago I was into a pretty saccharine/nostalgic/romantic brand of Americana, and I'm glad to find more critical works as part of the genre now.

References

Action Button Reviews Doom on YouTube

New Pop by ASEUL on Bandcamp

Kentucky Route Zero on itch.io, or your platform of choice

'Simulated Broadcast' of Christmas Specials on YouTube. Content Warning for what looked like some racist caricatures as I passively watched.

Songs for Christmas by Sufjan Stevens on Bandcamp

Belt Publishing and Hamlin Garland's 'Main-Travelled Roads'