Blog: NAB Aftermath

Packing up for the NAB show was stressful, but ended up being simple. I needed clothes, a book, and my computer along with the associated cables. But what I wasn’t certain about were my allergy medications. Being the over-thinker, I wasn’t sure if I could bring them.

According to TSA, you are allowed to bring medication onto an airplane. But you must allow TSA to screen the bottle. There is no limitation to how much you may bring.

This was my downfall. As soon as I hit ground in the desert that is Las Vegas, I was already suffering from coughs and sneezes. Once I came back, I immediately seemed to come down with a cold. The past several days have been nothing but Day/Nyquill dosages, lots of orange juice, and water consumption. I couldn’t think straight enough to try and write something for either my novel or this blog. Which somehow feels like this current week is out of whack. But I’m trying my best to keep it easy while continuing to produce more chapters and reviews.

There’s not much more to it than this. I’m still dealing with a bit of crud. And that isn’t the end of the world. But it does leave me without energy. We’ll see how tomorrow fairs.

Review: NAB Show 2022

The National Association of Broadcasters is the world’s largest convention, hosted in Las Vegas, Nevada. It features what is supposed to be the latest and greatest of the big-bad tech firms, as well as the same exact thing from upstarting under-dog-type companies. And quite frankly, it’s a bit of a jumbled mess. Let me expand on that.

For full disclosure: I interviewed for a tech company that is on the front lines of NDI technology. What that is can be covered another day. I was asked if I would be at the show, and scrambled to be able to show up. Since I am a writer and podcaster, I figured I would go for those purposes as well. It felt like a win-win; to meet perspective employers in person as well as find future production help.

The first day was pretty great! Everything felt so random and in-your-face and novel. I even found my perspective employers. Great, one thing already checked off the list. I figured I shouldn’t plan anything the first day and just roll with it. That turned out to be a good idea, because the next day I was constantly looking at the map, trying to figure out what anything meant.

There are designated spots for seminars, presentations, and sudo-TED talks. These are Zones with buzzwords as titles, such as “Intelligent Content Experiential Zone,” or “Capitalize Experiential Zone.” The words Create and Experiential are in half, and are often confused for each other. I sat through twenty minutes of a speech meant for “the future of platform experiences.” It was the most vague vocal self-congratulatory masturbation I’ve ever sat through. This isn’t to say any one person isn’t intelligent or isn’t developing anything new or inspiring; but to say we know where the future of platforms is going just feels asinine.

Let’s move on to another issue I found: the Map. There was an app this year, which cut down on paper usage. But unless you had good cell phone coverage, you couldn’t see where you were clearly enough. And because the Zones were nothing but buzz words, I could never tell if I was in the right place. I nearly missed one event hosted by a YouTuber, who recommended beginner gear for live-streaming a podcast.

The map doesn’t add much to the experience. It only shows how confusing and terribly-laid out the booths are. Much like Who’s Line is it Anyway?, the numbers and letters don’t matter and everything is made up. One booth could be A-223 and be lined up next to A-530. I’m convinced the folks in charge of NAB wrote numbers and letters on strips of paper and through it up in the air like confetti. Where they fell, that’s where a company would go.

Before NAB is completely written off, there were some definite positives here. I met some amazing people from big and small businesses. One or two from Adobe, while also meeting people from BirdDog and ATOMOS. But the most interesting for me personally was a company that started up in 2019.

Showrunner Industries Inc takes the storyboarding idea and makes it digital. Depending on what’s needed, multiple people can throw out ideas. Television shows are the heaviest inspirations, though they claim novelists and other formats are being used with this software. More information on Writers Room Pro. As a Scrivener user who writes novels and the occasional screenplay, this is very intriguing.

To wrap things up: NAB has come back strong from the pandemic, though with some definite disorganization. Networking at a convention like this is anxiety-inducing and random. Not great for someone who is neuro-divergent. But I accomplished what I needed to get done. Still, I give NAB two and a half stars.

Pronouns

When I came out the first time, pointing out my gender wasn’t on the radar. What good are words when standing in front of someone is obvious, right? If this rings true to you, congrats I guess. Not everyone has that previlige.
The second time I came out, it was to myself. And it began with realizing my pronouns. That they weren’t anything masculine, they weren’t “male.” I was Assigned Male At Birth (or AMAB), but that didn’t align with my brain or how I felt inside or anything. For Female, replace the M with F. I haven’t stopped coming since then. That has gone on for nearly ten years.
Speaking a certain set of words aloud can give you power, more energy. Or as the drag performing community puts it, “gives me life.”
To state ones pronouns is to break a preconceived notion about you. An assumption is broken by the foremost expert: you.
I present male. Some would even call me “masculine.” But that’s not how I see myself. I am adjusting my own view of myself to reveal the truest “self” imaginable.
So what might be my “gay agenda” with correcting pronouns? The serious answer: nothing, because I am an adult who knows how I should be addressed (m’lady is my preferred way of address in case you’re wondering).

My joke answer: to see absolute chaos and bring down capitalism. Coming out was such a serious process that I no longer want to take anything serious again.
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words have weight, too. It doesn’t matter what generation someone is from. I take someone seriously when they introduce themself.
And yes, “they” is perfectly valid to describe a known and unknown subject. Most of the time we are not writing formal essays. But it’s good sense to be formal enough and use the proper pronouns.
Thank you for sticking with this stream of consciousness. This isn’t a review, and may not be a true blog. But if nothing else, please take someone seriously when we state our pronouns after our names. Words have power. And with that power comes the responsibility to get pronouns right.

Review: The Painted Ladies Tour

I found out that you can tour one of the Painted Ladies the first time visiting Alamo Square Park.

The term “Painted Ladies” refers to Victorian and Edwardian houses being repainted in three or more colors that enhance the architectural details. This practice began in the 1960’s. This doesn’t specifically apply to the seven houses in famous commercials, movies, and tv shows. But when you hear Painted Ladies, most think of the background of the intro in Full House, or the beginning of The Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978).

When I visited the Alamo Square Park, I noticed everyone there were taking pictures and sitting to face the houses. As if the Tanner family were about to walk out and wave to their fans. It was surreal, and I found myself doing the exact same thing. Groupthink is very surreal sometimes. I walked over to another part of the park to take a picture that I believed approximated where Bob Saget and the rest of the family sat for their picnic, the Painted Ladies perfectly in the background as if joining them for sandwiches and tea.

Two of the Painted Laides have Instagram accounts. The Pink one has a sign in a window displaying this fact, so I looked it up (@PinkPaintedLady) and saw a second one (@BluePaintedLady). Blue shared that there are daily tours. So I had to take a tour.

To take a tour of one house covers the lifetimes of generations of a family. You learn the intricacies of the house, yes, but you also learn the quirks and traits of family members that once took charge of these Victorian Era houses. They may have all started out the same: Redwood Cherry, the same or similar molds, so much flourish and beauty. But these houses have adapted to many owners and so much more construction projects that it would be difficult to keep an accurate account of them all.

Enter George Horsefall. He is the historian that keeps up with it all. And does a wonderful job of it. And that’s what makes this tour a five star experience.

But I’m cutting myself short in this review. In most cases, you need to cover the actual history or material discussed. Not the vague statements I’ve provided you, dear reader, today. Well, I don’t want to steal the spotlight from what George loves to do. The price for entry at 4pm is more than worth. Plus, he invites you to have a glass of wine if you’re willing to share your own story. I can’t think of a better thing to do: sipping wine while listening to someone else’s condensed life story in a Victorian living room after a tour.

Blog: BART & MUNI

Prep List: Water bottle, book (for those who already know the lines), phone, cash/card, ID, Clipper app for BART transit, MUNI app (this connects to Clipper)

I decided to travel into San Francisco again. This time to the beach! But this would require getting onto busses. And I don’t much care for busses.

To give some context, let me tell you about my hometown’s primary method of public transportation. It’s buses. And it’s seen as “only those who can’t afford cars use public transportation.” At least, that was what I heard from terrible family growing up in the 90’s. That must have stuck by me when my mom tried to get me used to it. I just didn’t like it and felt like it was too slow.

Whatever the case, I never learned how to navigate public transport until I went to New York City for the first time. Another story for another day, as that trip is worth telling one day. But right now, I live in Oakland, California.

I tend to travel to places chaotically, which generally gets me some so-so or very fun results. And I like that, but for this trip I expected planning would benefit me. And after the morning I had planning to go to NAB in a few days, I was already in Planning Mode.

I got onto the subway from my stop in Oakland as per usual. But I got off at the first stop in San Francisco, which is Embarcadero. I went up an escalator and found it to be in front of the Muni Lines, where you can quickly go west into the city. While this city is walkable, I’m a slow walker that likes to look up at buildings. Buses and trains are essential for me.

I had to download the MUNI app, which thankfully didn’t take long. I needed to fill out information on who I am and provide my card info, and I was past the turnstyle in less than 5 minutes. I wanted to go to Golden Gate Park and decided on the N Line (the red line). To get an idea of how long the train would go, I figured going to the end of the line would be good. All in all, with BART and quickly transfering to the N, it took about an hour.

Most of the way over there are just apartment complexes with stores underneath. It was fun to see the different restaurants around, but I wanted to see the Park and the ocean. The end of the N Line is Ocean Beach. I have more photos of this on my Instagram account (@sweeneylenscreative) since I cannot post more than one photo on these blogs at a time.

I walked up the beach until I reached Golden Gate Park, where I walked to the Queen Wilhelmina Garden and the windmill there. I was pretty tired at this point, as I hadn’t had any food or water since lunch. So I got onto the 5R Fulton Rapid (the pink line) above the Park.

I realized I would got past the Painted Ladies, and went to Alamo Square Park (blue circle). I ended up taking a tour of the Blue house (another post by itself). From there I got back onto the 5R line and made my way back home. I was exhausted.

Review: Area 15's Omega Mart

Las Vegas is known for more than adult entertainment such as casinos and gambling. There is an entertainment center called Area 15 about a mile off of the Vegas Strip that contains a number of entertainment venues. As one can imagine, this is a play on Area 51. And yes, things get weird inside the beige warehouse. I got to experience one of them.

Omega Mart is a very unique supermarket. The last stop for quality but the first in savings. And it’s a lot of elements that form a massive, live, immersive experience. What begins as a quirky satire of the supermarket slowly devolves into a story of conspiracy and familial backstabbing.

The creators of Omega Mart have put a lot of time and energy into a project that is difficult to describe in words alone. The use of nonlinear storytelling serves to keep you exploring for quite a while. I was there for about three hours before I had to leave because of hypoglycemia. I would recommend you bring a water bottle and some snacks if possible. This experience was amazing, but definitely takes some time.

Tickets run a high $50 for entry. For some this is fine, especially if you stick around for the entire day. For others, this is a bit high. I hadn’t planned anything else for the day so I paid nonetheless. Omega Mart may need to be the main reason you visit Vegas with this price tag. It’s worth mentioning that the price tags on every item aren’t fictional; you can buy anything at the store. This happens to be part of the experience and the gift shop rolled into one. I hate marketing, but for once I have to tip my rainbow top hat to their marketing tactics. All the same, this isn’t a place I could visit every weekend. This is a special occasion.

The employees in all the different locations are the best part of the experience. They offer help on the task at hand or can guide you where to go next. I had a full conversation with one employee about all of the Pride-related items in stock such as “Canned Pride” and “Gender Fluid” soda.

Though I am admittedly giving a largely positive review, not everything about Omega Mart is positive. In researching a bit more on Omega Mart and it’s social media, I discovered there have been some major disputes between employees and the management since opening day. It’s probably worthwhile to form a separate entry just for these misgivings, since what’s stated in this sub Reddit sounds like what I would say about a former position I held at Elvis Presley’s Graceland. Fair warning: as with any sub Reddit, this is a rabbit hole of complaints.

The Omega Mart experience is one that provided a lot of fun and even more to explore. I definitely want to go again, but also want to check out the rest of Area 15. Though I’ll certainly have to save up for the plane tickets and the entry fee for next time. The present issues and ongoing troubles are the flip side to how much fun I had at the place. Because of this, I give Omega Mart three stars.

Blog: AT&T Router Mystery

The AT&T Fiber router is a modern technological oddity. Fiber internet is considered the future of internet access. Which is all fine and good. But when it only blinks red, there aren’t many things that could possibly be wrong. Right?

When I first got my router, it looked kinda cool. It’s a big white box with all kinds of ports that I’ll never use. If it’s meant to be used for fiber internet access, then why all the extra ports? I haven’t had to directly connect an ethernet cable to a router since the early oughts! And work, but that’s a different story.

In any case, I let customer service know, and all they knew what to do was to send a router. But when that showed a blinking red light, too, I had to call again. This time I caught a lovely chap with a cockney accent that I was definitely not accustomed to hearing.

Listening issues aside, we both figured out that the line wasn’t reaching all the way outside. Another technician was set to arrive. And that turned out to be true! The 1500’ cable that lead to the outside was snapped in two.

So who am I to criticize a big box conglomerate? I am but one of millions of opinionated voices, and I now have access to the internet; that’s who I am. Why does a “future cable” have to be so thin and vulnerable? I’ll have to do some research and find out. I’d like to know more about this.

Blog: Bay Area Rapid Transit

San Francisco is known for many things: many kinds of civil rights activism, tech companies, and for having an outrageous number of people living on and around the peninsula. I hadn’t thought much about public transportation while planning to move to Oakland, California. But that became an undeniable aspect of living here once I began driving through the area. Enter the Bay Area Rapid Transit system (or BART for short.

BART is a complex system of subway trains that serve as an artery for the Bay Area. The real artery are the ridiculously complex system of interstates that form a type of webbing around the city. I once thought Los Angeles was bad… But according to people I meet, don’t get caught in afternoon traffic, which occurs daily between 2-6pm.

Since I now live here in Oakland, I figured I should get used to the subway system. After all, I’ve commuted around New York City a few times. How difficult could this be?

This past Saturday was my first chance to go from Oakland into San Francisco. The first thing I needed was a Clipper card. The entrance I went to didn’t even have a kiosk, so I had to walk to another one. There were several kiosks, though the first one I tried didn’t function properly. Once I had the card in hand, I went underground. And the escalator went past the first set of tracks.

I was surprised that there are two levels. This allows for four trains to simultaneously operate at the same time. So knowing which set of tracks to go up or down is crucial.

Once on that first car, I stood next to one of the sliding doors. I wanted to have a front row view of the places we would zoom past. And at first I wasn’t disappointed. Then we went underground. So I had to put my phone up. I wouldn’t get to record going across the Bay Bridge like I expected. That was all in darkness.

Here’s where things may not be as exciting, let me go ahead and tell you. I had absolutely no plan to go anywhere specific. This was because I wanted to allow mistakes to be made; and boy-howdy do I have an odd sense of direction when it comes to subway systems. Maybe it’s because, up until now, I’ve never lived in a city with a decent transit system. Memphis only has buses, which aren’t very reliable in my opinion.

I stopped at the Mission District first. Since I had no prior idea of what I could do there, I quickly hopped back onto the subway. And I hit the Financial District. There I got to see the first trollies (too crowded, will go another time), a couple of people evangelizing on the streets (they have powerful speakers), Chinatown, and even a couple of the piers. I’m not very active, but it was a lot of fun walking around listening to music or a podcast and just looking around. My Apple Watch said I walked about 7 miles, which I think it included the train rides. Still, that’s several miles of walking!

I only made one mistake getting back home. The lower tracks seem to be the correct terminals in order to get between San Francisco and Oakland. But that’s what this trip was for: to make mistakes and learn from them. And since I’m autistic (see previous blog entries), this was nerve-wracking at times. But with my noise-cancelling headphones and focus on the maps, I got through this easily enough. This first time was fairly confusing, though I think I’ll get used to it quickly enough as I go more often.

There’s still so much more to say about BART. The good, the bad, and the ugly. But for this first go-round in the metro area, I’d say this was a success. This first trip makes it so much easier to travel; for me and for friends and family that visit.

Review: The Couch Prince

Recently I purchased a futon. This piece of furniture is emblazoned with a fairly vibrant purple that is reminiscent of the late and great Prince. As such, this futon is given the moniker of The Couch Prince.

The Couch Prince was obtained from the web site most widely known as Wayfair. The description of this futon was, indeed, way out there. The fairness of the price is up for debate, however, as the exact specifications were a smidge misleading. The description had the label of “Queen,” which seemed convenient at the time of purchase. But what defines queen-sized in the mattress world?

The only number that seems to matter to Wayfair is the fact that the futon length is 66”, which isn’t quite six feet. I am several inches short of being a giant, and do not approve of my feet to be left hanging off the side of my bed. 

When the futon is set to the resting position, it is a Twin at best. Additionally, this couch is meant for someone smaller than myself. And someone with tiny hips. Something to add to the positive column is that it has cup holders. Which my wide hops might smother if I lean over too far. 

Overall, I’m not sure I would recommend this futon. But the color demands your attention, much like the late Prince did with their wild antics and spectacular discography. I give Prince five stars, though the purple futon gets two stars; mostly because it reminds me of Prince.

Review: The Restaurant Industry

Recently I went to a Red Lobster, and I’ll never go back again. Not because of the food but because of the waiter complaining. The food was something else to talk about. He went out of his way to tell every table that, “we are short staffed since nobody wants to work.” And he would proceed to laugh as if this was a joke.

Even before Covid-19 hit the world and devastated many industries, I heard this phrase in one way or another. Which isn’t true. Other journalists and bloggers have stated that many who have quit did so because they don’t want to put up with shitty management anymore. And I agree.

Though I got out of this industry several years ago, many experiences have stuck with me. Certain reflexes, phrases and shorthands, and customer service has a permanent place with me. But most importantly: being empathetic to my fellow human beings. Which almost feels ironic since many patrons tend to show just how shitty they can be when going out to eat. And they rub it in your face when they barely tip (if at all).

The first restaurant I worked at after being chased off from Graceland (yes, Elvis’s mansion, the poorly taken-care-of private museum) was Central BBQ. Here I learned phrases like “heard” and “corner.” I also learned little bits of customer service as a food runner. Oh, you didn’t get your sauce? It’s right over here. Another time: Sorry folks, you need a receipt in order to claim a table. You can’t sit down before. I once said this next one on the spot without thinking about this prior: Be careful… Everyone stared up with concern… It’s dangerously delicious. Sometimes you walk a fine line for the sake of humor. I’ll skip my cashier experience there this time.

There were two other restaurants I worked at with insane managers that never took a day off and must have been on something to function. They didn’t care that much about new workers and treated me like I was disposable. Which feels great when you inevitably decide to quit.

But some of the friends I made along the way made much of these places worth working at. I met some great people that either knew what to talk about to keep the busy times interesting; or were quiet and always looking out for everyone so they don’t get in trouble for some stupid reason.

So in my teeny-tiny experience with working in the food industry, I learned who to trust. Which is almost always just yourself. And that seriously needs to change. This should have changed years ago, before the 2019 pandemic. When people leave in droves, I assure you Red Lobster Man that it’s not because we don’t want to work. You just aren’t looking out for us; financially, in a managerial way, or on a basic human level.

If you are a manager and believe you have never made a mistake, you will never retain employees for long. And I’ve had managers that believe this. Here’s a tip for the people in charge of restaurants, as well as patrons: do better. Much, much better. Treat wait staff like actual human beings. We’re tired of this shit. This industry is a 2.5 star experience on the best of days. During brunch or a busy lunch day, it’s a one star experience.

Review: Moving

if there’s one thing universally scowled at even more than deciding where to live, it’s moving one’s stuff there. Moving a large amount of furniture and Disney knick-knacks is never an easy task.

Do you move it? If so, how? Or is it best to let a professional take care of it? Are you a minimalist; hoarder; stuck with your deceased parents’ stuff; meaning to declutter? It’s all, quite frankly, overwhelming. And, also frankly, none of us feel like we should give a damn about moving stuff at all.

Author’s note: I like the Gone With the Wind joke “frankly I don’t give a damn” a bit too much. Not entirely sure why that is…

No joke, I moved into my new apartment in Oakland, California on April 1st. A sunny Friday where my biggest priority was to get every box out of my truck and into the new 600+ square feet studio apartment. Thankfully I quickly found an elevator that would allow me to bring my red little wagon up to the fifth floor and avoid stairs. But what about utilities? Where does everything go once brought in? Oh yeah, we don’t have shelves yet. Or the Prince Futon - another story for another day.

Now, where did I put… everything..?

I have never been able to afford a service, but maybe I will once I move out of this new apartment in a year’s time. The service is many hundreds of dollars, but those hunky dudes generally do a great job and get a big house of furniture cleared within hours. I’ve heard this takes a lot of pressure off of a homeowner’s shoulders. I have yet to experience this.

What’s great about trying to be a minimalist while on the road: everything stays packed up and you can forget about it. What’s not great: you now lack certain things like dishes, bowls, bookshelves, et al. But now you get to set everything up.

Oh, and don’t forget that the internet router must be confusing - also a review for another day.

I have yet to hear a story that I would consider truly positive. My own experience in a new city, in a new part of the United States isn’t technically a “nightmare” comparatively, but this still hasn’t appeared without its kinks. I give Moving one star. Or maybe one truck.

Blog: ITDOV

March 31st marks International Transgender Day of Visibility.

I am a trans/non-binary person. And yet I pass as a male. I largely feel invisible. Even when I come out, I still get ignored. I’ve griped about this before, but I really don’t feel like I can anymore.

l am privileged in that I am white. I still get to “pass” as a guy, even when I don’t want to. Not every Trans person has the option to do so. I have enough of this privelege to try and shout out folx who really need help. I am always learning of more and more organizations and individuals that need life-saving medications and surgeries.

Just because President Joe Biden says he sees us, doesn’t mean everything is alright. Plenty of us still have to fight for our right to live. Here is a link tree from a friend’s Instagram. I’m going to look through this list and see if I can donate to someone or some organization.

There are still anti-Transgender bills in Texas, Florida, and Tennessee, among other states. We are not the greatest country. If we can’t get rights for everyone, then none of us have rights.

Review: Rom-Com

The phrase Romantic Comedy, or Rom-Com, used to bug me. Let’s explore that.

There’s no denying that Romances and Comedies are, at large, successful genres. So one would think that combining the two would be an even bigger success. Right? The answer to that gets a mixed result. What begins as a simple question turns into a mix of results, feelings, and opinions. A simple yes never seems to suffice. “Yes, because…” or “No, because…” generally follow.

Romantic Comedy… is a subgenera of comedy and slice-of-life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount out obstacles. —Wikipedia entry

I used to say the phrase, “I hate it because it sucks.” Which is one of the biggest cop-outs one can possibly state. There was a period of time where I wondered why nobody wanted to talk about movies with me. And it was because of that cop-out answer. There’s just no room for someone else’s opinion in a conversation you or I just closed.

The Rom-Com subgenera has always felt foreign to me. Possibly to do with the screwball scenarios and just how lightly we’re taking the emotions of these two people’s lives. Plus, they always felt forced to me. None of it made sense and it just felt fatalistic. Like these two fictional people had no autonomy of their own. (I just came up with the storyline of Stranger Than Fiction (2006).

My brain was just plain determined not to like this kind of movie. Until Love, Simon (2018). This movie is, at its core, a Rom-Com. I didn’t want to like it. But I did in the end. But why?

The most obvious aspect was the fact that Simon is gay and he’s going after another guy. But it was more nuanced than that. The comedy was more restrained and felt more natural. It didn’t feel forced in the initial viewing. And it felt like each character had personal autonomy. So I guess it has to be LGBT for me watch?

But another reason this phrase used to be obnoxious was the contraction. “Rom-Com.” For some reason my brain just doesn’t like it. It rubs me the wrong way. And if you say it too many times, it loses all meaning. Which is probably what happened when my parents introduced me to movies such as Titanic (1997) at a young age.

Romantic Comedies are beginning to grow on me, as much as I don’t like to admit it. Though the catch is: it needs to be LGBT. With a sigh, I have to give Romantic Comedies four stars.

Review: Camping

There’s nothing quite like escaping the modern world, make a crackling campfire, and staring up at the stars in the middle of the night. With a group or by yourself. It’s many things to many people; an escape, a gateway from the modern world, and (unfortunately) inaccessible for some.

When I was 15 years old, I was able to make a trek at Philmont Scout Ranch in northern New Mexico with my Boy Scout troop. This was my first taste at hiking in the backcountry. These are designated areas where no permanent man-made constructs are allowed, and nature is allowed to thrive with minimal human interaction. It’s where I began to learn the principles of Leave No Trace and nature conservancy. I began to learn about myself. How much blisters can truly hurt, especially on your sixteenth birthday. How much I liked to complain about things when they didn’t go the way I expected. And how much I enjoyed stories and campfire songs.

At first glance, there are tons of options. Honestly too many options. And that doesn’t even touch all the gear that’s “required” in order to stay in any of the National and State Parks. The idea of camping should focus on having fun and safety is sidetracked by companies selling all kinds of specialty gear to certain demographics (whether they know this or admit to it is another story entirely). Sometimes it feels like the ability to stay in the woods has been cut off by some unknown entity, which is most likely the modern world.

I turned 16 years old while on the trail at Philmont Scout Ranch. I didn’t know myself yet, but I would in the coming years. My “self” easily became lost in the grander of the universe and a nature that is greater than humans. But all too soon I traveled back to the modern world and it’s politics and intricacies. I would learn what others expected of me. And being able to look up at the stars allowed for this break in my life. This sense of wonder and awe.

Camping is becoming more difficult to achieve because of many elements. Who can go camping, how much money you have, as well as time, and how busy are each camping sites? It should be a five star experience, but has become much more complicated than it should be. I give Camping three stars.

Blog: Queer Film Theory

Did you know that I have an LGBTQ+ movie review podcast? Probably not. I’ve been so busy these past few months moving to the West Coast from Memphis that I haven’t have time to record.
So I’ve taken a break. Which sucks because I’m itching to watch more LGBTQIAA+ movies. The commercial, the indie, and the downright low budget.
Each episode I talk about my personal opinions of a film or movie (there’s a difference to me) and ask the question: how gay is this? That is a lot more subjective than you may think. If you’ve heard but never met me, you might think I’m some average joe. But I am Josie: writer, producer, and a transgender/non-binary person who constantly questions my self, the world around me, and the cinematic choices of others.
What makes me different and why should you listen? I bring insight to each movie with historical contexts, deep dives on many directors, and bring others from the Community in on the discussion when possible.
I can’t rate my own podcast since I’m biased. I think it’s wonderful! But I’m always looking for ways to improve. Luckily I have a great editor who helps with this process.
new episodes are coming soon! Please listen to Queer Film Theory on Spotify.

Review: Blizzards & Ice Storms

Memphis is woefully unprepared for severe weather conditions. Mostly it’s local politics that deny that we even have this type of weather. But the electrical grid hasn’t been updated in a long time. Growing up, such events get names like hurricanes on the East Coast. The Ice Storm of ‘94 being one of them. Though Memphians don’t know how to handle these conditions, we at least have a sense of humor about them.

Growing up there was a phrase that is terribly outdated and insensitive today: “Memphis weather is schizophrenic.” This is to say that the weather can swing from spring day to a winter night to a summer-like morning.

In 2021 Memphis had a blizzard. At that time I had a Mazda2 that was tiny and unequipped to deal with large amounts of snow. In early February snow began to fall. Though we are used to a couple of inches, the snow continued to fall. And the temperature was steady over that weekend. The next couple of days proved the same. The snow didn’t even ice over! But it didn’t.

My work tried and failed to open that Monday. Two hours in we closed and I had to leave my car in the middle of a frozen parking lot to ask a coworker for a ride home. And I was promptly locked into my apartment. Time, sanity, and the use of water were lost for over a week. The only thing that brought me back to the concept of sanity was to marathon a bunch of movies.

Flash forward to 2022. I’m about to move out of Memphis. The last thing I wanted to do was plan a movie marathon like last year. But a couple of days beforehand there was heavy rain for most of the night before the temperature dipped into the low twenties. And everything iced over.

This time the power kept cutting off. Tree branches began to break off from the sheer weight of the ice, coming down onto power lines. Over 100,000 households were without power. This went on for several days as well. And yet, in spite of all these complications, I still had a movie marathon with friends. This time I cooked for everyone.

Being prepared for terrible weather is difficult. But during theses crises it is good to seek family and friends. To come up with names for the cursed weather, to joke and eat in a communal manner, or to watch silly movies with each other. We need each other to deal with these tragedies. To distract each other. To help each other through it all.

Both blizzards and ice storms receive one star each, but they don’t have to be after the fact. As long as we stick together and help each other.

Review: Coffee Shops / Cafè

Coffee shops are one of the biggest things that people love to complain about. They are places that cater to caffeine snobs and pastry patrons alike. But the number one thing I hear is about stuff.

Wether to go the eclectic route or go for minimalism seems like a real split down the middle. The main thing I love about eclectic coffee shops, though, is the social aspect. There’s a cafe in Memphis, Tn called Java Cabana (Java for short). I’ve met some of the best friends there. Why? Because people talk loudly there and interact with each other. Two of them was because they were talking and I noticed a Bo Burnham sweater and just HAD to say something. And now we can’t stop annoying each other. Because that’s what friends do.

Java isn’t really a place to study or write. It’s a former Elvis chapel-turned-cafe. It cultivates thinking out loud and conversations with others. Sometimes there are crazies there. It’s a constant of human lives interacting with each other. This is a place of power and energy that attracts others towards it; all walks of life converging and greeting each other. Neil Gaimen describes this perfectly in his 2001 novel American Gods. There is one other coffee shop similar to this called Otherlands. It’s fantastic and should be checked out if you haven’t.

Then you have what some call the opposite: the minimalist coffee shop. One can summarize them quite easily: white and black/brown, wood and often-times metal, several plants surrounding shelves on the wall, tables and chairs, and the baristas. I occasionally hear older folks complain about these, how there’s no character. They are also the same complainers that never go to coffee shops in general and have no idea why they complain about this.

Minimalist coffee shops most definitely have character! You just have to pay attention. Or maybe you’re too busy writing your Great American Novel, or finishing a paper, or perhaps people watching the androgynous baristas look great and work well with each other (City & State in Memphis is another cool one to check out). Places like these are wonderful because it feels cleaner and less cluttered so you and I can get our current project finished finally. Much of the time there isn’t much to eat, but really the main focus is on the caffeine. These are the best places to try something new! This is where the best baristas work (personal bias), and give the best recommendations.

I have a difficult time bringing to mind a singular story at either of these types of places. And how could I? Meeting up with new friends at a cafe after our Kettle Bells class; meeting the local homeless characters at Java and learning how to deal with them; becoming one of the several regulars that drinks one cup of Joe and laughing at stories for hours on a Saturday. No matter where you go, no matter what city, you just don’t know what you’re going to get along with that cup of coffee. There are experiences that are simply priceless.

To the curmudgeons that love to complain about the price of coffee these days, I permanently ignore you. And I’ll group all coffee shops into one category now, minimalist and eclectic. The price of coffee might be high to some, but the rating is even higher. I give all coffee shops five stars.

Review: Shawarma

In February of 2021 Memphis experienced a blizzard. Many cities are well equipped for such a weather phenomenon. Memphis is exceptionally bad at preparing for any and all weather events. The year that Memphis was swallowed whole by the great white blizzard, I was trapped inside my apartment for a week. And to make life extra spicy, I had no water.

Time progressed. I attempted to write, to journal, but all I seemed capable of doing was “be.” Apparently in the even of of a total lock-in, I immediately get cabin fever. Which isn’t the best plan, admittedly. Neither had I planned for this to happen, nor did I want this to happen. But as they say, “well, here we are.” And there I stayed for about four days (I think, things got fuzzy after a couple of days).

But I had an idea. To watch all four Avengers movies. And it brought me back from the event horizon of sanity. This felt like such a fun idea that I wanted to do this again the next February. Which did happen, but after an ice storm. Different story for a different time.

This time, I would make Shawarma. Why? Well, Tony Stark mentions it toward the end of the first Avengers movie. And learning how to make shawarma had me curious to the origins.

First of all, the meat is cooked vertically, which makes sure that fat isn’t cooked out of the meat. If the lamb or other meat is cooked horizontally, the fat will eventually fall off and add fuel to the fire. This doesn’t always allow for an even cook. While the meat looks funny while slowly rotating, the purpose is a lot more efficient than I once believed.

Secondly, shawarma has its roots in kebabs and gyros. The initial idea came about by what many believed was a man name Iskender Efendi around 1870. He created shawarma in the Turkish city of Bursa. He first called it the kebab, but the Middle Eastern dish evolved from there.

The ingredients and method of cooking was kept a secret until a few decades ago. Thank goodness, because I had fun cooking it. Although I didn’t have the proper bread at the time of learning this dish. I have since decided that I am an uncultured American who needs to be more strict with my culinary aspirations. This barely scratches the surface on this fascinating culinary history. More can be discussed on the history and method of cooking.

Shawarma has a rich history. Far richer in history than the pop culture referenced in the Avengers movie, and rich in flavor. Whether you are at a restaurant, food truck, or cooking at home, this is one of my favorite Middle Eastern dishes. This really should be more widely known and appreciated. Though I shamelessly admit my bias. I give shawarma four stars.

Review: The Anthropocene Reviewed, by John Green

John Green is an emotional writer. If you are a fan of his other novels, then you may already know this. His novels range from Looking for Alaska to Turtles All the Way Down and I presume they are good young adult fiction novels. I have personally read one of them in its entirety, The Anthropocene Reviewed.

I tried reading Paper Towns almost a decade ago when I was in a Cinematography film class. A teacher’s assistant showed us the ropes with all the fancy gear at our disposal. I had absolutely no idea what was happening, but I loved just about every moment of it. This was like being taught the behind-the-scenes of magic. In fact, it was exactly that: the magic of movie-making.

The scene in question is when Quentin Jacobsen (main character) is visited by Margo Roth Spiegelman (his love interest) and they have a conversation about how fake the town in. There is a vague historical explanation within that dictates the novel’s title, but it is not a history worth getting into here.

John Green, like myself, easily gets carried away by these small details that seem to dictate our lives. He drowns his characters in them and lets them stew over them throughout. Eventually, though, these small concepts lost in the weeds, joining the background so that the central characters take stage for the rest of the novel. And I find myself writing in a similar emotional fashion as his.

But I wouldn’t know that without having read this non-fiction review book. Oh, and the podcast of the same name. In the fashion of earnest Yelp and short book reviews of yore, author Green brings you on a historical journey through places and concepts that probably haven’t been given a lot of attention before now. He adds his own humorous twist that generally include how much he loves other people and concepts with his whole being. He also, maybe without realizing it, perfectly describes his anxiety in many chapters.

I bring up his anxiety so that I may (cowardly enough) take center stage. Because I, too, have anxieties. It is through his descriptions of fears that he knows he can overcome them in spite of himself. He gives away little details of great importance. For instance, he had plans to become an Episcopalian priest and instead became a father and an author. I grew up Episcopalian, though I never had aspirations to join the priest-hood. But I can say that I’m aiming for author-hood.

All these comparisons are here to spell out one thing: this book has become a comfort book. Something I can come back to and read a chapter by itself. Or even flip to a random page and read a random excerpt. While filming the scene from Paper Towns was something new for me all those years ago, this book feels very familiar. The book is practically travel-sized and always ready to read. Green let’s me know that, fellow author or not, my anxieties are worth looking at and understanding. How do you work on yourself if you can’t look at your own anxieties?

In many ways, he helps me want to better myself. Emotionally, and in terms of writing. I have found my voice, and it’s full of emotion. Just like his. I give The Anthropocene Reviewed five stars.

Review: Golden Gate Bridge

The Golden Gate Bridge is a marvelous, rusted, wondrous orange behemoth. On one hand it’s a visual phenomenon, the kind that requires millions of pictures a day. It is a structural diva that demands without saying a word. On the other hand, I’m sure it’s a nightmare for those just trying to get to work.

12 March 2022 Seeing the Golden Gate Bridge after nearly ten years. Photographer: Josephine Lynn

I do not know much of the history of this bridge. But I might look it up. Searching structural engineering history isn’t my usual thing to do, but it keeps things interesting. Besides, I have a book that ends in San Francisco, so mechanical history might prove useful in the future.

It’s astounding how many people can fit into such a tiny part of this state. Driving around, whether for apartment hunting or for tourism, you begin to see just how many rolling hills there are. They jut up like a mountain peak would, and makes it difficult to lay a foundation onto.

Today I needed a break from searching apartments. I looked up the best places to take photos. But really I just wanted a place to stop and not have to do anything for an hour or so and have a good view on top of it. Searching the Bay Area Discovery Museum gets you a decent parking spot and a pretty damn good view of the Bridge. Just like most of the sites will tell you, you have to get there early enough. If you wait until the afternoon, then forget about it. Apparently I’m an expert now. So there.

I sat there and texted loved ones and even made a joke with my former supervisor. He got a kick out of it. That’s what days like these are for: relaxing, goofing off, creating jokes. While not everyone may agree, I think the Golden Gate Bridge is a beautiful man-made addition to the background.

One of these days I’ll have to take a sunset photo of that Bridge. I give the Golden Gate Bridge four and a half out of five stars.