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Current Curiosities
[Reading] Ghost World by Daniel Clowes [Listening] "Jackson" by Trixie Mattel and Orville Peck [Watching] Harriet the Spy WE ARE THE MUSES I've never really been a country music fan, though there are a few exceptions. I grew up listening to Patsy Cline and Dolly Parton. (I watched Straight Talk and Steel Magnolias every time I was home sick from elementary school.) Other than that, I actively avoided country music because of its conservative undertones and eventual reactionary overtones. In middle school, I began exploring The Chicks when they released "Goodbye Earl," but it wasn't until 2003 when Natalie Maines spoke out at a London concert against George W. Bush and the impending Iraq War that I began listening more closely to The Chicks. To this day, Taking the Long Way remains one of my favorite albums in my vinyl collection and "Not Ready to Make Nice" is my go-to destress song. The song parallels (in a small, make it about me way) the frustration and confusion I often feel when speaking up about queer and trans issues in the workplace and then experiencing the reaction to it. The song also requires engaging complex systems requiring full focus on breathing, posture, and lyrics. Again, "Not Ready to Make Nice" is the perfect destress song. As a senior in high school, I had the opportunity to play drums on stage at a Shania Twain concert. I'd never really listened to her music before, but recognized a few tunes from the radio. During the day-long rehearsal, I bonded with her incredibly kind and patient fiddle player. I played on "(If You're Not in It for Love) I'm Outta Here!." Having untreated anxiety (which remained unaddressed until I turned 30 - uff da), I didn't fully appreciate or enjoy this unique experience in the moment. I was terrified of the full stadium and shook the whole time. But I paradiddled and maintained the beat. After the concert, I began listening to Shania Twain's catalog, and you know what, she's got some bops! Now, I look back on the experience proud of myself for carrying on. In college and graduate school, I developed a habit of listening to Patsy Cline's Greatest Hits while driving home after good first dates. Honestly, I'm not sure why. Maybe it's her longing, her bittersweetness? IDK. Maybe that's why there were so many first dates? Ope. Maybe it's the hint of something hopeful and playful in Cline's voice? Probably. Patsy was my post-date confidant. (I understand why Kyle Richards allegedly fell for a country crooner!) The Chicks' Gaslighter carried me through the dark early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, while I lived in southern rural Minnesota. At the time, I was managing fellows in a center focused on community and civic engagement at a prestigious liberal arts college. (God, I love working with students! They are brilliant and creative and full of optimism!) The office was hella dysfunctional, and having recently moved, I had no local friends (you know, social distancing and masking). So I participated in many (too many?) FaceTime and Zoom happy hours with family and friends spread across the country - and I listened to The Chicks on repeat. While replaying "Gaslighter," "Sleep at Night," and "Tights on My Boat" and reflecting on the songs of Patsy Cline I grew up with, I began to notice these country-singing women are strong, real life steel magnolias. I also realized that their music was speaking to my lingering pre-pandemic heartbreak. Before the pandemic I was in an on-and-off relationship with a nurse I met while teaching at the University of Kansas. Every time, I'd set new boundaries or attempt to disentangle myself from his manipulations, he'd find new ways to pull me back in. As I listened to "I Fall to Pieces" or "Here You Come Again" or "That Don't Impress Me Much," I understood men are shit and I deserved better. A tale as old as time, I believe a teapot one said. These ladies of country music began to build me up as the pandemic dragged on and I considered a move back to Fargo to be nearer my nieces and nephews and Greek grandma. Then in 2025, I was DOGE-d out of my role as a senior researcher (grant writing and community engagement) at an environmental research center after my Department of Energy grants were canceled by Trump and Musk. During my down time, I revisited Cowboy Carter, which had come out the summer before. While I updated my resume and applied for jobs, I streamed and spun the the second album in her trilogy nearly every day that summer. The eclectic mix of subgenres and featured artists lifted my spirits during this period of unemployment. At the end of that summer, I took a job at a local hardware store, and have enjoyed meeting folks in my neighborhood and seeing queer and trans customers feel a little more at-ease in a space, much like Country music, that's not always safe for us. [I remain hella underemployed. Anyone want to hire a sunny, team and goal oriented engagement leader, former educator, and dog-walker?] Through these country singing women, I've (re)learned to hone my resilience, lean into courage, and choose my peace - and to be fully present during the good times. Because the good times, like men, can be fickle. As Dolly once said, "The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain." I've seen a lot of rain, but I've also witnessed some stunning rainbows. Anyway, here are a few country songs that have caught my attention lately:
Thank you very much for your time. If you have recommendations or curiosities, please fill out this nifty contact form. Sending y’all supportive, well-caffeinated vibes, Creighton Today’s Pen(cil): Silver Fox Tools Titanium Mini Sharpie Caddy
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Current Curiosities
[Reading] Star Wars: Darth Maul - Son of Dathomir by Jeremy Barlow and Takeshi Miyazawa [Listening] "I Wanna Be A Cowboy Sweetheart" by Ruby Leigh [Watching] The Real Housewives of Orange County THE WRITING LANDSCAPE I’m a huge fan of Field Notes notebooks. (I used to be a Moleskine gurly, but the paper quality is meh.) I like the simplicity of Field Notes - the sturdy pocket-size kraft paper covers with thick paper, and three simple staples. (Staple Day, the day you reach the middle of each notebook exposing the bent staple legs, is silly and fun to observe each month.) Also, they fit perfectly into and hold up to the wear and tear of pants pockets! I'm partial to the graph (not lined, blank, or dotted) editions because the little boxes contain my all-caps writing with Sharpies and smooth cursive with fountain pens. Speaking of writing utensils, the paper holds up relatively well against the wetter, more diffusive inks of Sharpies and fountain pens. Again, it's the simplicity I appreciate. Like, I'll never be a Traveler's Company notebook user (no judgment) even though folks swear by them. I just do not like being constrained by a particular system with proprietary refills and endless accessories. It's too much. And the only real Field Notes accessories are book darts and rubber bands (to gather my Sharpies, post-its, and lip balm). Recently though, I tried something new with my notebooks. Nearly all Field Notes are portrait style (like most notebooks), but the other day I went rogue and turned mine landscape (like a check register; Gen-Z, google it). It was life changing. Now, there’s more room to write on one line, to continue thoughts without text-wrapping or carriage-returning as often. When open, I put post-it note to-do lists and other ephemera on the backs of the upper pages and write on the lower pages (because Sharpies and fountain pens do still bleed through depending on the speed of my writing). My Field Notes notebooks are less formal journals, more commonplace books. I brain-dump and to-do list, brainstorm and record. I try to complete at least one notebook per month, which can be daunting as I have small yet neat handwriting (even with a Sharpie). Occasionally, I'll take my Field Notes to a coffee shop and cosplay Harriet the Spy. I'll observe the other patrons, practicing description or dreaming up backstories based on scant visual clues. In college, I had a peculiar writing professor who assigned the class this activity as a weekly exercise. The first few times, it was uncomfortable, but eventually I relaxed and realized there's always more to the story, always room for curiosity. As a teacher, I had my own students do a variation on this activity, requiring them to investigate a subculture they did not belong to. I wanted my students to combine different kinds of research (interviews, observations, and databases) and situate themselves as active participants in their projects instead of relying on the passive and pretensive objectivity of the sciences. During this project, I encouraged my students to keep a little notebook to record observations and insights, note questions and curiosities. Some did. Some didn't. Analog isn't for everyone. These were always my favorite projects to grade. As a reader, I learned about beekeeping and bellydancing and the campus quidditch team,* and as a teacher, I witnessed my students' curiosity inform in their writing. My Field Notes are a landscape of thoughts and lists and curiosities and bits of horoscopes and post-its and kitschy vinyl stickers. My Field Notes are one way I exercise curiosity and explore the world around me. Anyway, here are a few of my favorite Field Notes editions: Thank you very much for your time. If you have recommendations or curiosities, please fill out this nifty contact form. Sending y’all supportive, well-caffeinated vibes, Creighton Today’s Pen(cil): Herbin Fountain Pen with unknown blue cartridge * Yes, that terfy ÜberKaren inspired an adorably nerdy campus sports club. Current Curiosities
[Reading] Stuck Rubber Baby by Howard Cruse [Listening] "Daddy Lessons" by Beyoncé and The Chicks [Watching] Ride or Die MAGA AND THE REAL HOUSEWIVES Since Spring 2023, I've belonged to a private Real Housewives Discord, and I've enjoyed every silly take, lighthearted squabble, and the community composed of fellow lovers of all the garbage (complimentary!) Bravo produces for us. I dabble mostly in The Real Housewives franchise and Top Chef (God, I love Kristen Kish so so much as the new host!), and I avoid the "boat shows," the MAGA McBees, and the heterosexual darkness of Vanderpump Rules and it's bleak sequel The Valley. (Bravo, please bring back Backyard Envy and Garrett Magee's slutty lil mustache!) More often than not, we as a Discord community agree on the villains and the current heroes, who've yet to enter their villain eras. Some villains are easy to coalesce around. For example, the OG from the OC Vicki Gunvalson, from Bravo's first iteration of the franchise, The Real Housewives of Orange County (RHOC), is a classic Real Housewives villain. Vicki, a mother of two and insurance boss, often makes queer/transphobic comments, openly supported Trump and his three wildly racist presidential campaigns, and allegedly lied about her then boyfriend's fake cancer to garner sympathy from her suspicious cast mates. Vicki's history of problematic behavior over 14 seasons made it easy for an audience of mostly women and queer men to paint her as the Ur-villain of The Real Housewives. Eventually, Vicki became too toxic even for Bravo, so the network let her go before bringing her back for two seasons of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip. Then at BravoCon in 2025, Andy Cohen gave Vicki back her orange for the twentieth season of the show. Now, do I like Vicki as a fellow human? Absolutely not. She is garbage (pejorative). Do I like seeing Vicki terrorize her cast mates? Emphatically yes. Vicki brings a certain chaos that adds life to an otherwise stuffy franchise. Another über-villain is Ramona Singer from The Real Housewives of New York City (RHONY). Ramona, an original RHONY cast member, revealed her darkness over the course of thirteen seasons. Ramona, queen of crocodile tears and quick, meaningless apologies, made a name for herself by attacking Bethenny Frankel (who went from hero to menace over ten seasons) and other younger cast mates. Ramona's descent into villainy culminated in the infamous Black Shabbat dinner co-hosted by new cast member and former Fox News contributor Ebony K. Williams. At the dinner, Ramona interrupted the prayer and made many insensitive (that's putting it lightly) comments about Italians and Jewish and Black people. After that disastrous season, Ramona and the rest of the cast were put on pause while Bravo retooled the show. Also of note, during the pandemic Ramona became a semi-regular fixture at Trump's Mar-a-Lago with her ex-husband Mario. Like Vicki, Ramona was featured on two seasons of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip. Then Ramona was promptly disinvited from BravoCon 2023 for allegedly using the N-word when talking to Bravo producers. Unlike Vicki who went from working mom everywoman to the Karen of Karens, Ramona always flirted with villainy, which led to her own downfall. And the audience collectively breathed a sigh of relief when Ramona finally got the boot. When RHONY returned, the audience was introduced to bonkers (complimentary, mostly) new women like Jenna Lyons, Sai De Silva, Raquel Chevremont, and absolute queen Jessel Tank. Erin Lichy, an uptight waspy Jewish woman, was also part of the cast. The audience immediately turned on Erin, who is a Trump supporter and donor to his "stop the steal" fundraising campaign. Erin also responded with typical cishet white woman fragility to criticisms from fellow cast mate Ubah Hassan, a stunning, sharp-tongued model. Erin represented a relatively benign (when compared to Vicki or Ramona) villain who the audience loathed. Aside from her Trump association and basic cishet white womanness, Erin's only real crime was having the personality of a used teabag. Yet the audience loved to hate her. After two seasons, Bravo again needed to recast RHONY with Erin returning for Season 16. (No good summers left Princess Carole Radziwill, a friend of Ghislaine Maxwell, is also returning to the franchise after a six year hiatus.) While Erin never went full racist, queer/transphobe in the vein of Vicki and Ramona, the audience will again inevitably deem her the villain and rightly so for her political contributions and other recent wild public statements. (Or maybe it will be Carole?) A few weeks ago, Bravo's newest franchise finished its stellar freshman season. The Real Housewives of Rhode Island (RHORI), featured Italians and Lebanese cast members reminiscent of the golden early days of The Real Housewives of New Jersey. (Bravo, we don't need RHONJ back. RHORI fills that void perfectly.) From the jump, Alicia Carmody became a fan favorite with her ditzy persona and endearing love of crackers (pronounced crackahs in her thick Rhode Island accent). Alicia is a Trump voter and donor, which is problematic yes, but it's not as horrific as the filmed behavior of Vicki or Ramona and is on par with the benign malevolence of Erin. However, I think Alicia should be placed in the same villainous category as overt bigots Vicki and Ramona even though her actions are more covert and because she hasn't as of yet said anything openly racist or queer/transphobic on film. Alicia’s Trump vote, like that of Vicki and Ramona and Erin, helped to create the environment in which Trump could strip away women’s bodily autonomy, in which Trump's ICE stormtroopers could invade Minneapolis-St. Paul killing two people (see also Houston, TX, and Biddeford, ME, among too many others), in which Trump and Evangelicals could target trans people and their access to healthcare, in which Trump could start a seemingly unending war in Iran and on and on and on. Alicia’s vote for Trump is both functionally and materially violent, racist, and queer/transphobic. Alicia’s vote has real world impacts and creates real harm for marginalized people. In this way, Alicia is just like Vicki and Ramona, but so far she’s better at not getting caught on camera. Alicia is nearly universally loved by my fellow garbage (complimentary) Discord members for being a kooky dumdum. I'm the rare acceptation and find her reception puzzling and inconsistent when compared to other Trumpy franchise villains. Honestly, I do not understand why folks willing overlook the very real consequences of Alicia's Trump vote while laying that same albatross across the necks of Erin, Ramona, and Vicki, among others. Again, on the scale of mega (or MAGA?) villainy, Vicki and Ramona win that hella dark race by a Deep South country mile. But the gray areas inhabited by Alicia and Erin still represent potential villainy. After all, you need darkness to make gray. Please note, I'm not judging anyone for watching RHORI, RHONY, and RHOC. I watch and enjoy them all! But I do think we need to look deeply and critically at who these women are and how they impact the real world around us. Anyway, if you're curious, here are my current favorite cities:
Thank you very much for your time. If you have recommendations or curiosities, please fill out this nifty contact form. Sending y’all supportive, well-caffeinated vibes, Creighton Today’s Pen(cil): Sherpa WTF Sharpie Cover P.S. Bravo, please also bring back Ladies of London: The New Reign. The cast was perfection (minus Margo, obvi). Current Curiosities
[Reading] Star Wars: Darth Maul - Black, White & Red [Listening] "The Trees Saw Everything" from Vibe Check [Watching] Widow's Bay (Matthew Rhys - swoon) A CASE STUDY IN ALLYSHIP On 18 April 2025, Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan confronted ICE officers, there to arrest undocumented immigrant Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, by referring the immigration agents to the chief judge's chambers because their administrative warrant wasn't adequate to arrest him. Flores-Ruiz was in court to face battery charges, and ICE used his attendance at the hearing as a trap to detain and deport him. Judge Dugan's actions allowed Flores-Ruiz to slip out of the Milwaukee courthouse, ensuring his right to due process. I am not defending Flores-Ruiz's alleged crime of battery. Rather, I am acknowledging the importance of the rule of law (when ICE, CBP, and the Trump Administration behave lawlessly every day) and highlighting what real allyship through action looks like. Judge Dugan placed her body between Trump's ICE thugs and their target. Judge Dugan put her career and her reputation on the line to defend the rule of law and to protect a member of a marginalized community actively targeted by Trump's violent white supremacist policies. Judge Dugan demonstrated more than allyship through her actions. Indeed, Judge Dugan exceeded basic allyship becoming an accomplice. Basic allyship requires little personal or professional risk, which is why (cishet white women) allies* are often deeply disappointing. Being an accomplice requires risk - risk to person, risk to profession, risk to reputation - in order to disrupt the status quo and ensure liberation for marginalized communities. The ACLU of Kansas succinctly analogizes the difference between allies and accomplices: [A]llies are more like cheerleaders, rooting for [marginalized groups and their liberation] from the sidelines without significantly participating [but] accomplices are out on the field, playing the game with members of the community and taking action to further the cause of [marginalized groups and their liberation]. We don't need more cheerleaders. We have enough. We need more fellow players. We don't need more allies. We have enough. We need more accomplices. In these dark Trumpy times, it's not enough to be an ally - you need to be an accomplice. CODA For her actions, Judge Dugan resigned her position and was tried and found guilty. Though she was spared jail time, Judge Dugan was fined $5,000 for her actions as an accomplice. U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman, showing his pre-Boomer agèd cards, said Judge Dungan was a good person who made a bad decision. But we need more good people, more accomplices like Judge Dugan who are willing to make bad decisions if we are all going to survive the next two and a half years of Trump and his goon squad. Thank you very much for your time. If you have recommendations or curiosities, please fill out this nifty contact form. Sending y’all supportive, well-caffeinated vibes, Creighton Today’s Pen(cil): Metallic Sapphire Sharpie** * I am calling out cishet white women specifically because A) they often claim to be allies without actually doing the work of allyship; B) their proximity to cishet white patriarchal power often overrides their alleged allyship; and C) cishet white men will never truly be allies because their power is always already corrupting. Cishet white women are where we can see potential movement; that is, cishet white women will become accomplices only when they renounce their blind allegiance to white patriarchal power. (I believe I'm now firmly in my Magneto era.) ** Uff da, I'm really on a Sharpie kick lately, which means I'm probably seeking stability, permanence in the chaos of our current political moment. |
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