The "Rats!" Edition :: Rusty's Electric Dreams, Issue #166

“We create our own unhappiness. The purpose of suffering is to help us understand we are the ones who cause it.” – Willie Nelson

Rusty’s Electric Dreams, an inbox zine from the curious mind of Rusty Blazenhoff
Issue #166 :: The “Rats!” Edition :: 2:14:2018

Rats!…

Folks, my kid hustled me into getting rats. She wanted a rabbit and I balked. Sensing she wasn’t going to get her way, she quickly pivoted to rats and made me this big long deck to convince me. It made me laugh. She charmed me in a weak moment. I couldn’t say no to her. Now I’ve agreed to having rodents in my home.

We don’t have them yet. I told her that after spring break we can get a pair. But she wants to go get pellets and hammocks (!) today.

What have I done? Does anyone have any tips for me? This will be totally cool, right?

–Rusty Blazenhoff

P.S. RIGHT?!

This space intentionally left hustled

As seen on the Internets

Time Out by Ashley Longshore

Time out in style: By sharing the image above, my friend Mary turned me onto the quirky work of New Orleans artist Ashley Longshore. If you’re a fan of bright, colorful, give-zero-fucks pop art, I think you’ll agree with me that her IG feed is downright swoonworthy. Her infectious, larger-than-life joie de vivre shines right through. (I can’t believe I had never heard of her before… shame on me!)

:: One man’s 60-year hoard inspired Damien Hirst: “I’d been in a rut and they got me out of it. Now I was hyperactive.”
:: https://www.theguardian.com/damien-hirst-on-his-greatest-career-move-breaking-into-his-neighbours-home-mrbarnes

:: The Finnish snowboarding coach has been KNITTING — on the top of the slopes — during the Olympics
:: https://www.facebook.com/nbcolympics/videos/10157427519665329

:: My kind of souvenir: Toothpaste
:: https://www.saveur.com/toothpaste-souvenir-marvis-buly

:: Peyote Way Church of God: Arizona’s got some wacky Adopt-a-Highway signs Thanks, Andy!
:: http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/arizona-world-leader-in-weird-adopt-a-highway-signs

:: ICYMI/WTF: Quincy Jones spills many beans in this Vulture interview
:: http://www.vulture.com/2018/02/quincy-jones-in-conversation.html

:: Helpful: Wired lists their favorite Chrome extensions
:: https://www.wired.com/story/best-chrome-extensions

:: Stank Love: When neural networks conjure up candy heart messages…
:: http://aiweirdness.com/post/170685749687/candy-heart-messages-written-by-a-neural-network

Real things you can actually buy: yay!

Marty McFly Nike crocheted slippers

Great Scott: If you didn’t snag a pair of Marty McFly’s futuristic kicks when Nike made a few available a couple years ago, don’t sweat it. Now you can get a crocheted/knitted version of McFly’s famous self-lacing shoes from an Etsy shop based in Turkey. The booties don’t actually tie themselves but I ain’t complaining. These are perfectly bizarro and not terribly expensive given that they’re hand-crafted ($59+).

(For you non-Back to the Future II fans, other soft-knit sneaker styles are available.)

via

Real things you can actually buy: no way!

No one wants to watch you eat that banana

Oldie but a goodie: I’m more of a “surprise and delight” than a “surprise and piss off” kind of person, but I do have to admit I think these Joker Greeting cards are pretty clever. When you open one and press its button, it will play (music or sounds) for hours. If you try to stop the noise and rip open the card, confetti or glitter will spill out. Oh yeah, you can also send them anonymously, so no one knows what jerk mailed a loud, messy card.

Now that I think of it, I really like the idea of these more than anything.

Thanks, Julie!

Curiouser and curiouser!

Igor Siwanowicz's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland with mushrooms growing out of it

Go down the rabbit hole: There is some debate if the golden caps (Psilocybe cubensis) popping out of this copy of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland are really just a photoshop job. Though, growing mushrooms in books is a thing. In fact, there is a bible famously altered by ‘shrooms that has been going around the internet for years.

Either way, the psychedelic additions make for a photo befitting of the book.

image by Igor Siwanowicz

Featured events

Wonderland by Epic Immersive

February 24: This year’s Bob Baker Day looks super-fun. Amongst other cool things, OK GO’s Tim Nordwind is DJing. 10 AM to 6 PM

Los Angeles, California
[3/17] Keep saving the date for the first Rusty’s Electric Dream meetup in LA

UPDATE: I’m going to flesh this itinerary out as we get closer to March but I wanted to let you know we’re convening at Stash House in Koreatown. Yup, we’re going to start the meetup by trying to figure out Tommy’s new escape room! If you are thinking of joining us, I need to hear from you real soon. I’m going to send out separate, more detailed email to everyone who is going.

[3/31] Also, a new date has been set for 49 Boxes (don’t miss this!)

Oakland, California
[3/5] Heather Gold’s Yarn, a comedy storytelling show especially for women who are ‘Hollywood old’ (age 29) at Homestead, 7 PM doors, 7:30 PM show

San Francisco, California
[2/16] THIS FRIDAY! Opening of Michael Wertz’s Sacred Cows show at Alley Cat Books, 7 PM to 9 PM, RSVP

Sopchoppy, Florida
[4/14] Worm Gruntinâ€™ Festival (learn about “worm gruntin'”) Thanks, Joyce!