The "Notcha" Edition :: Issue #223, Rusty's Electric Dreams

“You gotta kill the person you were born to be to become the person you want to be.”

― Rocketman

An inbox zine for positive deviants and the people who love them
Issue #223 :: The “Notcha” Edition :: 06:12:2019

Notcha…

It’s been too hot to write this week’s zi…

— Rusty Blazenhoff

P.S. Ok, just kidding. This is a good issue! But it has been terribly hot here in the Bay Area.

As seen on the Internets

Four-legged space friends: Wonderful Soviet space dog collectibles are showcased in photographer Martin Parr’s Space Dogs: The Story of the Celebrated Canine Cosmonauts.

——————-

:: Lynda Barry is a treasure. Follow her on IG and keep your eyes open for her collabs with four year olds
:: https://www.instagram.com/thenearsightedmonkey

:: “World’s surliest grilled cheese cart”
:: https://boingboing.net/2019/06/10/worlds-surliest-grilled-chee.html

:: Moschino’s “haute horror” collection
:: https://www.latimes.com/fashion/la-ig-moschino-universal-studios-runway-review-20190608-story.html

:: Oldie but a goodie: “Early footage of Elton John hammering out the harmony for ‘Tiny Dancer’ (1970)”
:: https://boingboing.net/2017/12/05/early-footage-of-elton-john-ha.html

:: Rainbow party spread via
:: https://cupofjo.com/2019/06/rainbow-party-spread

:: Make:/Maker Faire is gone (for now); Gareth Branwyn writes on its magic
:: https://boingboing.net/2019/06/08/thinking-back-on-the-special-m.html

:: Who’s the most looked-up person on Wikipedia in your neck of the woods?
:: https://pudding.cool/2019/05/people-map

:: An unaired animated fitness ad by Gary Panter
:: https://boingboing.net/2019/06/10/watch-cartoonist-and-pee-wee.html

Real thing you could actually buy: yay!

It’s Pride month, so…: 1977 saw the debut of “Gay Bob,” the world’s first mass-produced gay doll. The creation of Harvey Rosenberg, a former New York ad exec, this blonde-haired creation stands 13 inches tall, has a single earring, is dressed in western duds, carries a man bag, and was boxed in a closet. (So, you know, so he could come out of it.) Rosenberg, who didn’t identify as gay, sold over 10K of the dolls through mail-order ads in “magazines aimed at the homosexual community.” If you were wondering, yes, “Gay Bob” is also anatomically correct. Kazowey! via

Real things you can actually buy: no way!

Into the Weird: East West Market in Vancouver, B.C. wants people to remember to bring their reusable bags. So, they redesigned their plastic bags to make them too embarrassing to carry. Except they also made them a little too awesome and now everyone wants a set!

Featured Events

[San Francisco, Dates until 9/21] Artist Kasey Smith keeps a map of all the ghost signs in San Francisco. You know, the old handprinted advertising signs on the side of buildings that were just never painted over. And now she’s hosting Tenderloin Ghost Sign Walking Tours from now until September 21. Not to be missed! Tickets are $15.

——————–
Anywhere
[6/15] Attaboy’s Game of Shrooms, leave and/or find fun(gi) art

USA and Canada
[various dates] Immersive listings

Austin, TX
[6/29-6/30] This is an event my dear friend Maggie Duval is co-producing and it looks terrific: True Fiction: The Art and Craft of Nonfiction — A Masterclass with Mark Dery

Bay Area, CA
[TBD 6/29] The Wanderer’s Union, a long-distance wandering club will embark on their 24-hour event known as “Raccoon” (“You can travel by foot or public transit only. Wear comfy shoes.”), 12 PM to 12 AM, FREE

Hayward, CA
[8/18] Bell Plastics Annual Public Open House, 10 AM to 5 PM, Free, All ages

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

Marin, CA
[7/3-7/7] Marin County Fair (the best one in the Bay Area, imo)

New York City
[7/8] Lost Horizons Night Market

Also, see what RED pal Oriana Leckert has picked as the must-go-to events in the Big Apple

Oakland, CA
[Until 8/24] SIGNMAN: John Law, a retrospective of John Law’s work at Pro Arts Gallery
Related events:
[6/21] Mark Pauline and John Law in conversation at Pro Arts, 7 PM to 9 PM
[6/27] Don Herron and John Law in conversation at Pro Arts, 7 PM to 9 PM
[7/16] Julia Solis, Ron English, and John Law in conversation at Pro Arts, 7 PM to 9 PM
[7/25] William Binzen and John Law in conversation at Pro Arts, 7 PM to 9 PM
[8/24] Closing reception, 8 PM to 10 PM

[6/21] Garden of Memory at Chapel of the Chimes, 5 PM

[7/7] Dennis Evanosky conducts a walking tour of Mountain View Cemetery, meet in front of Chapel of the Chimes in Piedmont, 10 AM to 12:30 PM, Tickets

[7/28] There’s going to be a Monster Bash and Municipal Band Concert at the bandstand near Lake Merritt’s Mid-century Monster, 12 PM to 3 PM, Monster tees and schwag will be available for purchase

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

[10/17-10/19] Autumn Lights Festival at Lake Merritt Gardens
[7/30] Artist submissions deadline

Ross, CA
[Until 7/21] Exotic Aquatic, After losing everything in the wildfires over a year ago, light artist Erick Dunn is back with a new show at the Marin Art and Garden Center! Save the date: On July 13, he’s hosting a closing party.

San Diego, CA
[8/7-8/11] Tiki Oasis: Catch the New Wave, Tickets

San Francisco, CA
[6/13] I Want My MTV, ’80s documentary film showing at Roxie Theatre, 7 PM, VJ Alan Hunter will be in attendance

[Dates between now and 9/21] Kasey Smith’s Tenderloin Ghost Sign Walking Tour

[San Francisco 6/13 – 6/15] The San Francisco Dungeon at Fisherman’s Wharf is hosting a pop-up Rat Bar. Your $49.99 ticket gets you an “Ama-RAT-o Sour” cocktail, a 60-minute interactive show about the Dungeon and 30 minutes to play with rescue rats. Cash Bar afterwards. Stay weird, San Francisco!

[6/14 & 6/15] Calling All Choir’s The Bonnie Black Rose, a celebration of Irish & Scottish music at The Mission Dolores Basilica, 8 PM each night

[6/28] Lea Redmond of The World’s Smallest Post Service is speaking at Creative Mornings SF, 8:30 AM to 10 AM, Register on 6/24 at 11 AM

[Dates in July] Flower Piano at SF Botanical Garden, 9 AM to 6 PM, More info

[7/4] Three Day Stubble at SF Eagle, 9 PM to 2 AM

[7/9] Conversation with Justin Oliphant and the Explorer’s Guild at 3264 Mission, 7 PM to 9 PM (Go on adventures with the Explorer’s Guild!)

[8/2] The return of indie pop group Imperial Teen at Rickshaw Stop, 8 PM, Tickets

[8/4] James, along with the Psychedelic Furs at Stern Grove (free concert), 2 PM to 5 PM

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

:: Jinkies! ::

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.” People like it.

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Publisher and Editor-in-Chief: Rusty Blazenhoff

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