The “It just doesn’t matter” Edition :: Issue #204, Rusty’s Electric Dreams

“It just doesn’t matter!”

Meatballs


Rusty's Electric Dreams, an inbox zine by Rusty Blazenhoff

An inbox zine for positive deviants and the people who love them
Issue #204 :: The “It just doesn’t matter” Edition :: 01:16:2019

It just doesn’t matter…

You’ve probably heard the stories about how Bill Murray casually, temporarily, invites himself into the lives of everyday people. He’s like a flash mob of one.

He crashes parties, jumps into people’s kickball games, steals fries off of plates, winds up in a couple’s engagement photos. Stuff like that. He sometimes messes with these bewildered folks by whispering to them, “No one will ever believe you.”

His antics have been making the rounds on the internet for a while now. It’s become the stuff of urban legend. Well, this past week I caught a documentary on Netflix about all the crazy stuff he does. It’s called The Bill Murray Stories: Life Lessons Learned From a Mythical Man. (It’s not the greatest doc out there but it’s still a fun watch if you can get past some unintentionally awkward moments on the filmmaker’s part.)

The film deduces that all of his spontaneous “appearances” are a big improv game of “Yes, and” for him. He doesn’t come in and try to showboat, he watches what’s already going on and allows these regular people to lead him into the “scene” first. Then he adds to it. (If this isn’t positive deviance, I don’t know what is.)

David G. Allan, an expert in the wisdom of pop culture, is interviewed in the doc and he concludes that Murray’s overall philosophy can be summed up as, “It just doesn’t matter.” (A line his character repeats several times during a motivational speech in the movie Meatballs.) Allan shows that, in Murray’s long Hollywood career, the actor has generally chosen roles that have a recurring theme of enlightenment. I know. I was surprised too. Watch the movie, even if it’s just for that part.

Anyway, I have decided I want to live more like Bill. I mean, I’m already pretty good at “Yes, and-ing” my way through things. It’s the “It just doesn’t matter” part I need to remember and practice.

Rusty Blazenhoff
P.S. This is a big issue because I’m out next week. Traveling to our nation’s Capitol. Yes, during the government shutdown. No matter, because it doesn’t really.

As seen on the Internets

The World Before Your Feet
Are you ready, boots?: Imagine what you’d see if you walked all 8,000 miles of roads and paths in the five boroughs of New York City. Matt Green doesn’t have to wonder. He gave up his engineering job, his apartment, and nearly all of his stuff and just started walking (and cat sitting). That was six years ago. Now there’s a documentary about his travels. It’s called The World Before Your Feet and it might very well be playing right now in a theater near you.Throw him a bone: He does this on just $15/day. If you want to support his inspirational, and enviable, walkabout, go here.

——————-
:: A-mazing shot: A live fish trapped inside of a jellyfish via
:: http://www.timsamuelphotography.com/fish-trapped-inside-a-jellyfish
:: “I don’t want people to come here, see it once, and then you’ve checked it off your bucket list and can forget it” –James Turrell on his Roden Crater
:: https://www.wsj.com/articles/james-turrells-new-masterpiece-in-the-desert-11547480071 (behind a paywall)

:: Buy a furloughed employee a beer
:: https://payitfurloughed.com

:: Old BART trains might be turned into housing!
:: https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/san-franciscos-older-bart-trains-housing-units Thanks, Moe!

:: Traveling to England? Try “champing” — camping inside abandoned Medieval churches
:: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/in-england-you-can-camp-in-abandoned-medieval-churches

:: This “traffic cone dancer,” whoa Thanks, Andy!
:: https://www.facebook.com/FeltZine/videos/399278900838518

:: Photos: Abandoned Southweast via
:: https://abandonedsoutheast.com

:: Photos: 1980s Florida
:: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/florida-1980s-nathan-benn

:: A bunch of folks are making the move from Facebook to MeWe because it’s less evil (apparently) — I’m there, dipping my toes in the pool
:: https://mewe.com/i/rustyblazenhoff

:: An interview with 24-year Burning Man veteran Eggchairsteve
:: https://www.burn.life/interview-with-eggchairsteve-leader-of-eggs-bar-and-24-year-burner

:: HGTV bought the real-life Brady Bunch house and now there’s a web show about its renovation starring the Brady kids
:: https://www.facebook.com/verybradyrenovation

:: It’s called Kanopy: If you have a library card, there’s a good chance you can use this free Netflix alternative to stream movies (we just got it in Alameda)
:: https://www.kanopy.com

:: Inside a glitter factory Thanks, Tracy!
:: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/21/style/glitter-factory.html

Real things you can actually buy: way!

Glitter Coffins
Speaking of glitter: There’s a company in the UK that sells glitter-covered coffins. Each one is made to order and available in several sparkletastic colors. The Glitter Coffin Company (yes, that’s really their name!) sells ash boxes too.Also, here’s the difference between a coffin and a casket (because I have to look it up EVERY SINGLE TIME I write about one or the other):

image via

Featured Events

The White Elephant sale's White Elephant mascot
[Oakland, CA] Want to avoid long lines at the White Elephant sale? Read up.
Sure, you could go to the Oakland Museum’s White Elephant preview sale but I want to share another way you can get in early: just donate stuff. It’s not really publicized but, when you drop off items to their Jingletown warehouse, you get a guest pass that will let you shop on select dates from Jan. 30 to Feb. 23 (the preview sale is Jan. 27 and costs $18-$20). Sure, it’ll cost you an additional 10% on whatever you buy but you’ll avoid the mad rush on the big sale days in early March and I think that’s worth it.Pro tips: Dress in layers — that warehouse is freezing, wear comfy shoes, go solo (so you’re not rushed), bring a non-messy snack (like an energy bar or nuts), make a list of the things you’re looking for (I need a cheap tea strainer, for example), and remember, cash is king (though they definitely take cards — the lines are just longer to check out)

If you go… gimme a holler, I live about a mile away. Maybe we can meet up afterward and you can show off your newly-procured goodies.

Photo: That’s me and my pal Leslie mugging it up with THE mascot of the White Elephant sale just a few years ago

——————–
Coming to a sky near you (probably)
[1/20-1/21] Super Wolf Blood Moon. Totality happens at 9:12 PM PST

USA and Canada
[various dates] Immersive listings

[various dates] Dan Savage’s Hump! Film Festival

Alameda, CA
[4/20] The Menagerie: Oddities and Curiosities Market at Alameda Elks Lodge, 11 AM to 7 PM, Tickets

Berkeley, CA
[2/7] That Really Happened??? A night of true stories at The Monkey House, 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM

Lodoga, CA
[6/20-6/23] Camp Tipsy

New York City
[1/18] Excursion to the Explorers Club, 11 AM to 1 PM, $35

RED pal Oriana Leckert always knows what’s going on in the Big Apple (*and* she’s now working with Kickstarter)

Niles, CA
[Dates in January] Silent Film Museum

Oakland, CA
[1/18] Burger Boogaloo’s Camp Fire & Punks with Lunch Benefit Show at The UPTOWN, 7:30 PM to 11:30 PM

[1/27] Oakland Museum White Elephant PREVIEW Sale, 10 AM to 4 PM, Tickets
[3/2-3/3] Oakland Museum White Elephant Sale, 10 AM to 4 PM

[2/7-3/2] Best of HUMP! film festival, years 2008-2017 at the New Parkway

[6/6-6/7] Burger Boogaloo, Jesus & Mary Chain, Scientists, Dead Boys, Shannon & The Clams, Billy Childish, and more! Tickets

[10/12-2/16] The Smithsonian’s No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man exhibit is coming to Oakland Museum of California

San Francisco, CA
[Until 1/27] SF Sketchfest, schedule and tickets

[TONIGHT 1/16] Nerd Nite SF #104: Sunfish, Ants, and SF Transit History at Rickshaw Stop, Tickets

[1/18 + 1/19] Porn & Puppets, an absurd variety show at Little Boxes Theater, Tickets

[1/24] Office Space 20th Anniversary Screening at Castro Theatre, 8 PM to 10:30 PM — Q & A with Mike Judge!

[2/2] SFMOMA Night of Ideas at SF Public Library, 7 PM, Free

[2/3] Celebrate Emperor Norton’s 201st Birthday, 12 PM to 5 PM. $30

[3/8] Bay Area Pun-Off, 7 PM to 10 PM

[3/17] Beware the Brides of March, wear a wedding dress and meet at Bar Fluxus, 2:30 PM to 8:30 PM

[4/25-4/27] Best of HUMP! film festival, years 2008-2017 at the Victoria Theatre

Scottsdale, AZ
[4/12-14] Arizona Tiki Oasis, a cool new weekender by Baby Doe and Otto, at the Valley Ho

Seattle, WA
[1/26] MUST-DO: After hours at the Archie McPhee store (!), 7:30 PM to 9 PM

Know about a cool event? Send me the info and I’ll share it with the class!


Bill Murray

Rusty’s Electric Dreams is a (mostly) weekly inbox zine by Rusty Blazenhoff for positive deviants and the people who love them.

Described as, “One of the most inspiring, weird and off-kilter collections of curated kitschy ephemera for the big-brained.”

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