Mini Curiosity: Joy

Find It Where You Can Get It

Originally, I planned a post interrogating my internal cop. But in our season of rapidly rising fascism and eroding First Amendment rights, I wasn't striking the right tone for a reflective post on internalized policing. I'll continue revising this short essay until I find the right feel. Until then, I thought I'd share some things that are giving me joy during these heavy times.

​In no particular order, here we go:

• Your Favorite Scary Movie: How the Screams Films Rewrote the Rules of Horror by Ashley Cullins — The Scream ​franchise is among my favorites, up there with Star Wars and James Bond. Cullins takes readers behind the scenes during the making of the franchise from initial development of Scream to the current production of Scream 7 ​(plagued by politics). I love these movies. Every Halloween, starting mid July, I rewatch all the films in order. My favorites include the original, Scream 2 (Laurie Metcalf!), Scream 5 (Dewey! And Kirby!), and Scream 6 (crowded terror!). AND KIRBY IS COMING BACK FOR SCREAM 7! Please don't make her the killer.

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• The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City — While Beverly Hills was my Real Housewives gateway when it premiered in 2010, and New York will always be my favorite, I love the eerie atmosphere of Mormon Utah and this cast of truly unhinged (highest compliment) women. It's camp! This season opened with a Blair Witch-inspired camping trip to Provo, with the women (and production???) circling the only cast member to skip the outing. Big mistake. Big. Huge. ALL! THE! DRAMA! My current favorite cast members are Whitney Rose (lovable pot-stirring dumdum), Mary Cosby (church leader married to her step-grandfather), and of course Angie Katsanevas (fellow Greek and queen of a hair salon empire).

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• Run, Bambi, Run — This true crime podcast tells the story of controversially convicted murderer and prison escapee Laurie "Bambi" Bembenek, a Playboy Bunny turned cop. Yes, exactly! As a listener, I want an off-beat true crime story. Like, Dateline and Investigation Discovery are not for me. They're too 20/20, if you know what I mean. I want quirky characters, high production value, and a complex mystery to unravel — and Bambi is perfect. Also, I prefer true crime that is critical of law enforcement, as is the case with ​Bambi or the fantastic HBOMax documentary on Karen Read's first trial. (You can probably assume who I believe is responsible for John O'Keefe's death.)

 

• Touching More Grass — Last week, I finally deleted my Instagram account for reasons. I ditched Facebook and Twitter a few years ago, keeping Instagram as my last social media tether. But in less than a week, I've noticed I'm not worried about what I may or may not be missing. (Maybe this is also just me approaching 40???) I'm lighter, more relaxed, more engaged in my day. I no longer doomscroll. (What I do miss about Instagram, however, is Bravo gossip and gay comedian thirst traps. Ahem, Joel Kim Booster and Jay Jurden.) And while I currently maintain a LinkedIn profile, as soon as I find a new full-time job, you can bet I'll delete that account, too. (Anyone wanna hire me??? I'm a thoughtful colleague who loves creative problem solving.) Though, I do still use Reddit for fountain pen news and have Discord to chat all things Bravo with my fellow Garbagios. 

 

• Intentional Hangs with Friends — As I slowly whittled down my social media presence and decreased my screen time, I realized I needed to be more intentional in my efforts to connect with friends in person, instead of getting life updates via timelines or TikToks. (It's unnerving how social media can make you feel simultaneously connected and disconnected.) As a social introvert, it feels strange exercising this IRL social muscle, a muscle that atrophied during the pandemic and has never fully recovered. Sometimes, I dread the commitments earlier me made, but then when I'm present having coffee or walking with a friend, I feel reenergized, more engaged. I get to hear what's happening in their lives, learn about their curiosities. I get to listen and ask questions. 

 

• Fountain Pens, Duh — I appreciate how the complex, coordinated process of handwriting slows down my constantly pin-balling brain, focusing my attention on the writing task at hand: outlining a workshop (see below), writing a cover letter (hire me???), or drafting an essay (on pesky internal cops). Everything I write starts in a notebook or on a post-it before I commit it digitally. And journaling by hand helps me brain dump, process challenges, and explore new curiosities. Currently, I have a Lanbitou 3088 inked with Monteverde Horizon Blue and am using it for marginal notes in Nico Lang's American Teenager: How Trans Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era. 

• Other things bringing me joy: rewatching Red, White & Royal Blue and Fire Island (love a queer romcom), jogging on the treadmill (a foxy pharmacist recently complimented my calves), and binging ​Ladies of London with evening mochas (what is a good night's sleep anyway???). 

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Of Possible Interest

On Friday, October 3, I'm presenting a workshop on navigating Human Resources for queer and trans folks at the North Dakota LGBTQIA2S+ Summit. I plan to cover why HR system are not meant to work for or support marginalized people, how to document harassment and discrimination, and explore some local, state, and federal (LOL) resources. After the workshop, I'll write up the biggest takeaways. Check out that post in November. 

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 Total Blackout Pen Cover [Sharpie]