The “One of us” Edition :: Issue #093

 

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Rusty's Electric Dreams

Rusty’s Electric Dreams, an inbox zine by Rusty Blazenhoff
Issue #093 :: The “One of us” Edition :: 07:13:2016

One of us…

Hey, I gotta keep this short today… but if you go to Dixie de la Tour’s Bona Fide Storytelling this Friday at SF’s Verdi Club (and you totally should!), check out the Bang-O cards. I wrote them!

 

Rusty Blazenhoff
p.s. Happy 33rd Anniversary to Archie McPhee!!

Praise: “A vote for Rusty is a vote for you.”
–Victoria Heifner of Milkfed Press

This space intentionally left in

As seen on the Internets

 

Catbus

:: Full-size Catbus from My Neighbor Totoro at Japan’s Studio Ghibli Museum
:: http://nerdist.com/full-size-cat-bus-studio-ghibli-totoro-miyazaki/:: Memory hackers on PBS Nova
:: https://youtu.be/xS_OiKvoqbo Thanks, Allison!

:: Oops: “Jim Bakker’s Christian amusement park is now a post-apocalyptic ghost town”
:: http://io9.gizmodo.com/jim-bakkers-christian-amusement-park

:: Last disco ball maker in the world
:: http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/meet-the-last-disco-ball-maker

:: Ouch: “Etiquette Tips for Women Who Insist on Aging”
:: https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/etiquette-tips-for-women-who-insist-on-aging

:: Doc Pop’s Executive Yo-Yo
:: https://www.kickstarter.com/docpop/the-executive-yo-yo

:: Cannabis-infused ice cream
:: https://www.merryjane.com/cannabis-infused-ice-cream-a-popular-treat

:: Lo-cost cosplay Thanks, Lane!
:: http://imgur.com/gallery/jiBVa

My Andy Warhol story

Ok, here’s my Andy Warhol story, which isn’t really about him, or me. It’s more about how much the world has changed since I was a teenager.

When I was 15 years old, we moved back to my homeplace of Cape Cod from a 2 1/2 year detour to the Southwest. The integration back wasn’t smooth. Having missed valuable social-bonding time in middle school, I was marked as an outsider in high school.

I turned to art.

While the other girls were covering their lockers in “hot celebrities,” I was covering mine in the artwork of Keith Haring, William Blake, and Andy Warhol.

Not too long ago, I got thinking about the day I was standing across the street from Andy himself.

In April 1986, there was a lot of hubbub in town because Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver were getting married at a local church. That church, Saint Francis Xavier aka the “Kennedy Church,” was just down the street from where my grandmother was living at the time.

I expressed interest in going to see the spectacle (I mean, c’mon).

We walked down to the church. It was a zoo. By the time we got to a spot where we could see, we had missed all the big names arriving in their limos. Just as we were about to turn back, Andy Warhol and Grace Jones arrived…fashionably late. The best party: I didn’t know they were going to be there!

For a 15-year-old fan of Mr. 15 Minutes, it was kind of perfect, all things considered.

Ok, so, I got my first real camera when I turned 16, which means I don’t have any documentation of my own. When I remembered that day, I googled the wedding to see if there were any professional photos out there. Before I could find any, I came across an amateur photo, uploaded in 2011, by a stranger.

That photo is right. here.

I had been relying on my own brain to remember. Here’s the thing: I remembered a lot. Because it was so special to me, I carefully made a space in my head for the memory. I can still do that. If I don’t have my camera on me or can’t use it for some reason, I pay attention extra carefully to make sure I make a real memory.

Today, there would have been photos from every angle. There would have been videos and Snapchats and Facebook posts and everything else. As Amanda Palmer says, “We are the media.”

Is this a good thing? Or should we be making more digital-free opportunities to create real memories?

Holy cow, the world has changed a lot since 1986!

<insert rocking chair icon here>

Real thing you can actually buy: yay!


Tortilla Towel

Artist-in-Residence: Epiphany Jordan

 

A Network of Care

Hey! Check this out! Epiphany was the special guest this week on Robot Overlordz, a podcast about the future.

An excerpt from Epiphany Jordan’s A Network of Care:

“What happens to those who don’t find themselves paired up, two by two? Do they stand outside the world of relationships, looking in like a homeless person looking at people enjoying a fine meal? If they are lucky, they find themselves with a strong community of friends and family they can call on, but that’s not always the case. In the United States, the number of single people is at an all-time high. While some of them may be in relationships, many find themselves in utter control of their own fiefdoms and fulfilling the roles of breadwinner, caregiver, decision-maker, cheerleader and planner for themselves and others.” [Read more…]


Epiphany Jordan knows firsthand how skin hunger keeps us feeling alone, ashamed and isolated in our bodies. Over the past three years she has been studying both the biological mechanics of touch and oxytocin, and the cultural/social environment around it. Her Austin, Texas-based Karuna Sessions allows her to embody compassion, providing other humans with tangible emotional support and deep physical stress relief via platonic touch.

Events of note

 

Dill Pickle flavor ice cream by Archie McPhee

United States
[Now until 8/19] Tiny Book Show, a touring bookmobile of little books handcrafted by artists and writersAlameda, California
[7/15-7/16] Vau de Vire Society presents The Soiled Dove at The Taxiway at Point Alameda

[7/22] Vespertine Circus: Midsummer, 8 PM to 10 PM

[8/3, 8/10, 8/17, 8/24] Intro to Cultivating Compassion with Heidi Bennett, at Julie’s Coffee & Tea Garden, 5 PM to 6:45 PM

[8/6] Free Edwardian Picnic Dance: 1906 at Lincoln Park, 10 AM to 4:30 PM

[11/5] The 23rd Annual Le Bal des Vampires at Alameda Elks Lodge [Tickets]

Berkeley, California
[Until 7/17] Don Reed’s East 14th at The Marsh, Berkeley

Burbank, California
[7/13] Laura House at Flapper’s, 9:30 PM

Las Vegas
[Ongoing] Akhob, an immersive “Ganzfeld effect” experience by artist James Turrell at Louis Vuitton [by appt only: 702-730-3150]  HIGHLY recommended!

London
[Until 7/30] Bompas & Parr’s Alcoholic Architecture: “a walk-in cloud of breathable cocktail as part of an installation that explodes drinks to the scale of architecture”

Los Angeles

Cool Places to Buy Weird Shit in Los Angeles

[Dates in Summer and Fall] Krampus mask-masking workshop

[7/22] See Jane Sing with Jane Lynch at Largo, $30, 8 PM [Tickets]

[7/31] Summer Soda Tasting 6 at Galco’s Soda Pop Stop, 5 PM to 8 PM

[8/14] BrunchCon LA at The Reef, 9 AM to 3 PM Thanks, Josh!

[Begins 9/13] 8-week long Neon workshop at Lili Lakich Studio, 6 pm to 9 PM

[Until 9/4] “Portrayals And Perceptions Of Gays In Hollywood” at The Hollywood Museum in the Max Factor Building

[10/1] Dolly Parton at Hollywood Bowl [Tickets]

[10/8-10/9] David Lynch’s Festival of Disruption at Ace Hotel via

[12/5-12/8] Henry Rollins at Largo

Mountain View
[9/24] Dolly Parton at Shoreline, 8 PM [Tickets]

New York City
Quirky NYC by Oriana Leckert:
“From Bumper Cars to Torah Taxidermy: A Guide to 25 of Brooklyn’s Most Unusual Museums”
“From Elevators to Outsider Art: A Guide to 16 Under-the-Radar Museums in Queens”

[Ongoing] Sleep No More at The McKittrick Hotel
[Ongoing] Jungle-Ized by Sound Collective, Free
[Ongoing] The Ferry Play on the Staten Island Ferry, $1.99
[Ongoing] More NYC events

[7/16-8/7] Mushroom Cure, “Inspired by a scientific study showing that hallucinogenic mushrooms may cure obsessive-compulsive disorder, Adam Strauss embarked on a program of vigilante psychopharmacology.” [Tickets]

[11/10] Allee Willis is performing in New York City [More details as I get them]

Oakland

[Until 9/25] Altered State: Marijuana in California at OMCA

[Until 9/9] Kaiser Center Rooftop Garden Concerts, Fridays, 12 PM to 1 PM, Free Thanks, Jewelz!

[7/16] Cooking Cannabis with Aunt Sandy at Oaksterdam University, 10 AM to 2 PM

[7/29-7/31] Yard Sale of Epic Proportions at Bunnydome

[8/9] Heather Gold’s YARN at Octopus Literary Salon, 7 PM to 9:30 PM [Tickets]

[8/31] Mike Doughty (Soul Coughing) performs a Living Room show, $35

Palm Springs, California
[7/8-7/11] Yes and Yes Yes (YxYY) at the Ace Hotel, a “summer retreat for anyone who considers themselves a thinker, maker, creator, nerd, or weirdo.” [Tickets]

Paris, France
Editor’s note:
I had the good fortune to spend the night in an artist’s yurt. My photos from that visit are included in this show…in PARIS!
[Until 8/29] Habiter le Campement, Cite de l’architecture & du patrimoine au Palais de Chaillot

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Help!

Portland, Oregon
[8/11-8/15] World Domination Summit [Tickets]

[9/8-9/11] XOXO 2016 at the Revolution Hall [Register]

San Diego
[8/18-8/21] Tiki Oasis: “Monster Island”

San Francisco
“Best storytelling events in the Bay Area”
Upscale vs. Frugal SF
[Ongoing] Elsewhere Philatelic Society
[Ongoing] More SF events

[Through Sept] Midwayville, a mixed reality popup carnival at SoMa StrEat Food, 7 PM to 12 AM

[Until 7/18] Flower Piano 2016 at San Francisco Botanical Garden, A must see! [Schedule]

[7/13] DorkbotSF 88 at Monument [Info]

[7/13] Fireside Storytelling: What Doesn’t Kill You at Chez Poulet, 7:30 PM

[7/14] What You Talkin’ ‘Bout Allee Willis? at Vitellos E-Spot Lounge, 7:30 PM [Tickets]
[7/15] What You Talkin’ ‘Bout Allee Willis? at Vitellos E-Spot Lounge, 7:30 PM [Tickets]

[7/15] Bona Fide storytelling at the Verdi Club, 7:30 PM
[7/15] Bawdy Storytelling: It Seemed like a Good Idea at the Time at the Verdi Club, 10:30 PM

[7/16] Drones & Drinks at iHangar, 6 PM to 1 AM [Tickets]

[7/16] GlowCon, a “new convention celebrating LEDs and everything that glows” 2 PM to 2 AM [Tickets]

[7/17] Dark Garden Annual Corset Rummage Sale, 11 AM to 6 PM

[7/17] National Ice Cream Day at SoMa StrEat Food Park, 11 AM to 5 PM

[7/17] Mark Growden’s The Sunday Sing Thing, a “weekly, drop-in community singing project” at the Polish Club 6 PM to 7:30 PM

[7/20] Nerd Nite SF #74: Game of Thrones Geology, Flute-Making, and Epigenetics at Rickshaw Stop, 7 PM

[7/22] CCA MFA in Comics Presents: An Evening with Mariko Tamaki, 6 PM to 9 PM

[7/22] The Grand Newstand’s first anniversary and Kiosk Fest kick off, 6 PM to 9 PM

[7/22-7/24] J-POP Summit at Fort Mason Center [Tickets]

[7/23-7/24] Kiosk Fest

[7/23] The Murray Invitational. A Bill Murray Art Exhibition and Golf Party at Public Works

[7/23] Hugbomb by WhyTheNose?- 24 Hours of Worldwide Trust at SF Ferry Building

[7/23-7/24] The San Francisco Art Book Fair 2016 at 1275 Minnesota Street [Preview on 7/22]

[7/24] The Cannaisseur Series presents: Summer Soiree, 5:30 PM

[7/30 Learning to VJ with gifSlap at Gray Area Art & Technology Theater, 4 PM to 6 PM

[7/31] 3 O’Clock Rock (kid rock) show with Meshugga Beach Party and The Jet Stars at Treasure Island Flea Market, 12 PM

[7/31] Worldwide Skipping Day 2016

[8/5-8/7] Outside Lands, Golden Gate Park

[8/10] Fireside Storytelling: “Nerve” at Chez Poulet, 8 PM

[8/12-10/1] The Speakeasy: illicit bar, crooked casino, immersive theatrical experience at a discreet location near you [Tickets]

[8/13] Daylong Retreat with Michael Taft, 10 AM to 4 PM

[8/21] The New Pornographer’s at Stern Grove Festival, Free

[9/14] Fireside Storytelling: “Storyteller’s Choice” at Chez Poulet, 8 PM

[9/21-9/22] Dent: Space at Innovation Hangar

[10/1] Release party for Chicken John’s The Book of the Un at 111 Minna

[10/12] Fireside Storytelling: “Games People Play” at Chez Poulet, 8 PM

[10/13] Brian Wilson presents Pet Sounds: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary, 8 PM [Tickets]

[10/15-10/23] The Natives Are Restless: “From overthrow to uprising, an epic tale of Hawaiian resilience” at The Palace of Fine Arts [Info]

[11/9] Fireside Storytelling: “Caught in the Act” at Chez Poulet, 8 PM

[12/14] Fireside Storytelling: “Hot!” at Chez Poulet, 8 PM

[10/2017] 50th Anniversary of the Summer of Love

San Jose, California
[7/23] Blacklight Slide

[9/24] Art Party 2016 — An Occasional and Irrational San Jose Arts Fest, 6 PM

Santa Clara, California
[7/16-7/17] California Extreme, an “annual celebration of coin operated pinball machines, video games and other novelties you once found in game arcades. All games on display are set for free play.” Hyatt Regency Santa Clara Thanks, Jonathan!

SF Bay Area
[Ongoing] Best swimming holes in the SF Bay Area

[10/7-10/9] Art Car Fest [Crowdfund]

Santa Fe, New Mexico
[Ongoing] Meow Wolf [Read this] [Tickets]

[9/2] The 92nd Annual Zozobra

Seattle
The Obscure, the Charming and the Odd: Mark Pahlow’s Guide to Seattle
[Until 7/16] The “Archie McPhee” Dill pickle flavor at Full Tilt Ice Cream, Seattle

Stockton, California
[Until 7/17] Ephemerisle “an experimental floating celebration of community, learning, art, seasteading, and differing forms of governance.”

Sun Valley, Idaho
[4/19/2017-4/22/2017] Dent 2017, a creative retreat for people who want to “put a dent in the universe,” as Steve Jobs once said. (Highly recommended!)

Tomales Bay, California
[7/30-7/31] Bioluminescence Kayaking-Salty Sound, “a 24 hour camping trip located on a kayak only group camp site”

HEY YOU, YES YOU

If YOU would like to co-curate an issue of Rusty’s Electric Dreams, I’d love to hear your idea! Please email your awesome plans to: rusty@blazenhoff.com.

Know about a cool event? I can’t be everywhere and know about everything, so share it with me! I’ll do my best to include it in the next issue.

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”

–Oscar Wilde

“I tell you what freedom is to me: no fear.”

Rusty’s Electric Dreams is a weekly inbox zine by Rusty Blazenhoff.

These personally-curated missives are beacons to signal and celebrate the global tribe of “those who understand,” “the Others“.

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