If you’ve been reading this newsletter for any length of time, you know I’ve always got a project going. Probably several. And now that we’re approaching the end of summer, it seemed like a good time to analyze my progress. Is this, perhaps, the ultimate in No One Asked? Maybe even No One Cares. Either way, onward!
Every year I make entertainment-related goals, but this year I kept it very light. Here’s how I’m doing:
-The Criterion Challenge on Letterboxd. I’m actually doing okay on this one, although I’m not even halfway through the official list of categories. What I have been doing is watching more Criterion films and then slotting them into the challenge where I can. Some of my favorites so far include Black Narcissus (please watch if you also love films about nuns and/or films about women losing it when a guy in short shorts shows up) and Midnight Cowboy. Well, Midnight Cowboy wasn’t a favorite, per se, because I was having an actively bad time while watching it, but then afterwards I really enjoyed thinking about it and now I’m so glad I saw it. I know I’m always like, “I had the time of my life!!” while watching a movie, but sometimes you can just really not enjoy the actual feeling you get during a film and still be glad you saw it.
Last night I read Rob Walker’s latest edition of The Art of Noticing, a newsletter I always enjoy, and saw this sentiment expressed in a much better way:
“It's funny, because social media, which now seems like the template for all existence, is all about liking and favoriting,” he said. “But liking something is not necessarily the most important thing.”
Algorithms based on our “likes” serve us more of the same, which sounds desirable at first but is actually quite limiting. “There are other things that can happen,” he continued, “when you expose yourself to a cultural mode of expression, read a novel, watch a movie, read a book, listen to a record. There are other things that happen than just feeling good.” So be “open to those opportunities for positive things to happen that aren't just about liking.”
He freely admits that doesn’t necessarily “like” everything he hears on the Drummer stream — but what he doesn’t like might nevertheless intrigue or challenge or inform him. “I don't have to like everything. But maybe I'm attracted to it because it's unusual or makes me feel anxious or makes me want to dance or other kinds of impulses that get triggered.” In short: “Liking things is overrated.”
There are other things that happen than just feeling good. I certainly wasn’t feeling good while watching Midnight Cowboy, but it did give me a lot of other feelings and a lot to think about. Still thinking about Ratso. Still cannot believe this movie was rated X. Still absolutely haunted by the way Jon Voight already looked like his old man self.
-Instituting a “reading hour” into my day instead of trying to cram all my reading into the post-bedtime hour. I guess I did okay at this at the beginning of the year, but now it’s summer and all bets are off. I do try to build some designated reading time into our days, but luckily my son loves reading and I don’t really have to push him on that front. Summer just isn’t a huge reading season for me because we spend so much time out and doing activities, but I try to model reading around my kid by having a book open as much as possible. Sometimes I tell him what’s happening in my murder mysteries and he loves that. While I’m not looking forward to the start of the school year, this was a nice reminder that soon I’ll be able to build more structured reading into my life again.
Short Story Summer
Short Story Summer was one of the best ideas I’ve had because it was really fun. I’ll just be honest with you…I really dropped off when I got Covid and have been sporadic in reading them since, but I still read way more short stories than I would have without this structure. Some highlights include reading my way through the entire Maile Meloy collection Both Ways is the Only Way I Want It (LOVED a few of these stories and now I need to finally see Certain Women), reading a Kelly Link story my friend Carrie told me to read, and starting an Elizabeth McCracken collection and being stunned by all the things she can do in one story. It’s fun to look back over my list of stories and remember where I was when I read each one. Early morning at the kitchen table! At the library! On the Harvest patio! In bed! This was a fun project that encouraged me to keep reading more short stories year round. Soon I’ll be doing a whole post about my next seasonal project: Franzen Fall, which is just going to be me reading Crossroads in September but I think I’ll do a schedule with a few posts so you can read along if you’d like. Are we ready for a Franzen phase (Franzen Faze)? I think we are.
Peloton
I guess this project would be called Taking Care of My Human Body, and guess what…it’s going strong! I’m a little over one year in and “obsessed” would be a charitable term for how I feel about this app. A reminder that you do NOT have to have any equipment, let alone Peloton equipment, to use the app (and it’s actually cheaper if you don’t care about the equipment workouts). I was using my mom’s 25+ year old stationary bike, but then Jen gave me her old spin bike and it’s really enhanced my experience! When I had Covid and couldn’t work out (partially because of fatigue but mostly because of my frightening racing heart beat), I realized how much I depend on exercise to improve my mood and my mental state. I still did meditations and chill yoga workouts, though, because Peloton has something for everyone. There are a lot of healing meditations that are actually very helpful if, like me, you enjoy repeating a mantra.
When I was feeling bad and unable to even do a brisk walk, I told myself that when/if I felt better I would NOT take it for granted and I’d give my best to my workouts. Well, thankfully, my heart rate went back to normal (it wasn’t even high specifically during exercise…it would just start racing when I was watching TV. Weird feeling!) and I started a Peloton program called Arms with Tunde. Arms with Tunde, I whisper to myself throughout the day. Something about the phrase feels like a poem. I only have two workouts left in my fourth and final week and I’m so proud of myself! Even though she keeps making us do something called “triceps pushups” and I very literally cannot do them! I’m trying my best.
I do a Peloton workout almost every single day…I recently made myself take a day off so I wouldn’t get too weird about it (I’m already weird about it). I’m in multiple Facebook groups and I frequently check the Peloton reddit page (the normal one, pelotoncycle, because there are multiple subreddits but this one focuses on the workouts!). I’m in deep, you could say.
Peloton has been on fire with their artist series this summer. Kacey Musgraves, Cher, Chappell Roan…this app is nothing but fun. I love it.
Summer of Cher
The most important project of all…Summer of Cher. We’ve already covered Suspect, Silkwood, and Mask. The fourth and possibly final (but possibly not!) pick is Moonstruck, because how you can have a Summer of Cher and not discuss her Oscar-winning turn opposite a super hot Nic Cage? The post won’t be up until late next week but rest assured, it is coming. And Cher is still perfect.
But until then, here’s one of my favorite recent Cher moments: when she performed DJ Play a Christmas Song at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Macy’s-heads know that performances at the parade are lip-synced, I guess because of the logistics involved in getting good sound when most singers are on giant floats from, like, Green Giant. It’s hard to sound good when you’re hurtling through New York surrounded by dancers dressed like corn cobs. But I salute Cher for not caring that she’s supposed to keep up this facade because when that guy helps her take off her jacket, she just keeps singing away from the microphone. She’s Cher! She can do what she wants!
That’s it for this week. Thank you for accepting this ultimately very scattered edition of No One Asked. I’d love to hear how your entertainment resolutions and/or summer projects are going. See you soon. xo
Black Narcissus still haunts me. I watched it as a pre teen and it left such a spooky impression. Same with Midnight Cowboy. I also did not have a good time watching, but still think about it 15 years later and agree completely that you can enjoy or appreciate something, without actually liking it.
Also, Cher is obviously, always perfect, in all scenarios.
Before the Thanksgiving parade that song debuted in a Hallmark movie where a group of friends go to a SantaCon and join a silent disco — they put on headphones and that song dropped and I actually said aloud "IS THIS CHER!?!" It was a truly ridiculous and magical moment.