The “My, you’re looking swell” Edition :: Issue #208, Rusty’s Electric Dreams

“When humor goes, there goes civilization.”

  Erma Bombeck


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

An inbox zine for positive deviants and the people who love them
Issue #208 :: The “My, you’re looking swell” Edition :: 02:20:2019

My, you’re looking swell…

Remember a while back when I tried to kill the event listings?

What was I thinking? Now there’s more than ever (yay!). Wait until you see…

Rusty Blazenhoff
P.S. Thanks for all the job leads, everyone. Really appreciate it.

As seen on the Internets

The ultimate Palm Springs pad — $1.7M and full of high-klass kitsch.
——————-
:: SJ and I just watched Garden State (a movie that came out the year she was born) and now she’s really into its soundtrack
:: https://youtu.be/-EtHUZJIwX4

:: Wow, after being coupled up for almost a century, two Galapagos tortoises broke up and had to be separated for fear they’d kill each other via
:: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/tortoise-breakup-bibi-and-poldi

:: Rare African black leopard caught on camera, first time since 1909
:: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/13/first-photograph-of-rare-african-black-leopard-captured-in-more-than-a-century

:: Half houses in PA, as photographed by Austin Hodges
:: https://www.messynessychic.com/2019/02/08/saving-a-slice-of-americas-mansions

:: Looking for work? A linchpin > a cog
:: https://seths.blog/2018/12/where-are-the-linchpin-jobs
:: https://linchpinjobs.com

:: Girl Scout puts beefcake Jason Momoa on cookie boxes and sales skyrocket
:: https://boingboing.net/2019/02/19/girl-scout-puts-shirtless-aq.html

:: Tom Sachs’ advice to artists: “Money is an illusion and trap”
:: https://youtu.be/oP45EdNznOY

:: Love/need this: the Single Purpose User Device (the SPUDwrite)
:: https://boingboing.net/2019/02/15/spuds-for-everything.html

:: It’s full but The Crucible in Oakland is offering a design and make-your-own waffle iron class!
:: https://www.thecrucible.org/product/design-and-make-your-own-waffle-iron

People that don’t actually exist: no way!

Try it for yourself: Go to thispersondoesnotexist.com and have a computer generate eerie non-human faces for you. Refresh the site to see more. via

Some are convincing (above), some less so (spot the glitches?):



Real things that you can actually buy: oy vey!

Never underestimate the power of awesome packaging: This lone box of “surprisingly delicious matzo” I spotted at Berkeley Bowl (one of the most incredibly diverse — and pricey — supermarkets around) stopped me in my tracks. I can’t speak on how the matzos taste but the packaging has me verklempt!
Schlep on over to Amazon to see Matzo Project‘s whole line of products, from crackers to chips to matzo ball mix.

Artist spotlight: Muriel Fahrion

Even if you weren’t a child in the early 1980s (or beyond), there’s no doubt you’re familiar with the rag doll character named Strawberry Shortcake. But did you know her creator is connected to our community? (I certainly didn’t know until recently.) Colin Fahrion‘s own mother Muriel was working as a greeting card illustrator for American Greetings in the late 1970s when she drew up the art for Strawberry Shortcake and her cat, Custard. She later created 30 additional characters AND the first six Care Bears (and lots more!).
A lifelong creative, Muriel Fahrion has just started a Patreon so she can continue to make art and so she can share her wisdom on creativity with her patrons. I enjoy following her on Instagram.
Featured Events

I'm real sick billboard by John Law 1977
[Saturday 2/23] Pranks Fun-Raiser: John Law, a fundraiser for John’s big art show in June is being held at Craig Baldwin’s Other Cinema at San Francisco’s Artist Television Access, 8:30 PM to 11:30 PM, $9-$20image: “I’m real sick,” 1977 by “Jack Napier” aka JLaw and BLF

——————–
USA and Canada
[various dates] Immersive listings

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

Bay Area, CA
[Dates in 2019] The Wanderer’s Union, a long-distance wandering club, has announced the dates for their 2019 season (“You can travel by foot or public transit only. Wear comfy shoes.”), FREE

Berkeley, CA
[5/4-5/5] Bay Area Book Festival, a free outdoor fair featuring 225 authors and 100 sessions in Downtown Berkeley

[4/27] Dark Garden Corsetry’s Fête Du Cupid, a “springtime celebration of art and beauty in all shapes and forms,” held in a Victorian mansion aka House of Aeon, produced by Barron Scott Levkoff & Mystic Midway, 8 PM to Midnight, Tickets

Austin, TX
[3/11, 3/12, 3/14] Harrod Blank has a new film. It’s called Why Can’t I Be Me? Around You and it’s premiering at SXSW this year

Coachella Valley, CA
[Until 4/21] Desert X is back!

Las Vegas, NV
[Until 4/28] You can experience Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrored Room at the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art — squee! Thanks, Susan!

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

Los Angeles, CA
[TONIGHT 2/20] Allee Willis in conversation with Beth Lapides at the West Hollywood Library, 7 PM, FREE

[2/23] Fifth annual Bob Baker Day at Los Angeles State Historic Park, 10 AM to 5 PM, FREE

[2/26-3/9] Hannah Gadsby is presenting a new work-in-progess at Dynasty Typewriter at The Hayworth

New York City
RED pal Oriana Leckert always knows what’s going on in the Big Apple

Oakland, CA
[3/2-3/3] Oakland Museum White Elephant Sale, 10 AM to 4 PM
[Use code OAKWES to get 20% off Lyft rides to and from the sale]

[Until 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

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

[8/31] Bryan Ferry is on tour and will be playing at the Fox Theatre, 7 PM, 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
[2/20] Secret San Francisco at The Secret Alley, 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM, FREE

[2/23] Bawdy’s 12 year anniversary shows (2 shows/1 night) at the Verdi Club, 7 PM and 10 PM

[2/23] Night Owl Ceremony (info)

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

[6 dates between 3/9-3/24] Artist Kasey Smith presents TifFAUXny Snails – A Tale of Gold and Glass, “a gallery show, light tea, and walking tour, learn how the events of 1848 shaped the geography, ecology, and psychology of San Francisco”

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

[4/6] Mark Growden + The San Francisco Jaw Harp Choir at the Lost Church, Doors 7:30 PM, Tickets

[4/10-4/23] San Francisco International Film Festival (opening night film is Netflix’s “Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City” at the Castro!)

[4/13] Save the date: ResurrEGGtion 3 (an EGGS bar fundraiser) at Monarch SF

[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

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

Me and Missy, currently

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 & Editor-in-Chief: Rusty Blazenhoff

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