The “Side effects” Edition :: Rusty’s Electric Dreams, Issue #298






“There is nothing new under the sun, but there are new suns.”

Octavia E. Butler

An inbox zine for positive deviants and the people who love them
Issue #298 :: The “Side effects” Edition :: 3:17:2021

Side effects…

A friend texted me last Thursday around noon that a pop-up clinic in West Oakland had “extra” vaccines, and if I wanted one I should hustle down there and get in line. So, I did. 

The line was literally around the block. Before I got a numbered sticker, which would secure whether or not I would receive a vaccine that day, I asked one of the volunteers if I was eligible. Without hesitation, or even asking my particulars, they responded, “Yes, get in line.” I stood in that line for two hours before getting jabbed with the Johnson and Johnson one-dose. One and done. 

Getting it was a surprisingly emotional experience and I wanted to share the news online but thought it might seem like I was bragging. I asked a friend, who is a pandemic responder, what they thought. They said that folks should be sharing when they get the vaccine because it will inspire others to get theirs. Ultimately, the community will be safer for all when more people have their shots. So, I shared.

Yes, I’ve felt some side effects. Headache. My arm was sore for about a day. About 24 hours after getting poked, I was overcome with extreme fatigue. Slept for 14 hours straight. Nothing terrible. Felt like I was recovering from a flu. “Brain says go, go, go but body says slow, slow, slow” kind of thing.

The biggest side effect?  Feeling guilty.

1, Vaccine envy is real. The response I got from sharing my vacci-news was overwhelmingly enthusiastic and supportive. Though, a few pals expressed privately that they were envious that they haven’t gotten theirs yet, which I **totally** get. I want EVERYONE who wants/needs one to get one and I wish I could make that happen. I got lucky. An opportunity fell in my lap and I ran with it. Still, hard to keep some guilt from creeping in.

2. Also, I learned days later that the FEMA pop-up clinic where I got the shot was set up for the underserved populations in that particular neighborhood. I couldn’t have known that. And, there was no indication of this at the site itself. So, I got a vaccine that was not meant for me. Sigh. I’ve been assured me that I did the right thing with the knowledge I had. My responder friend says if you’re offered a shot, you should take it. (Maybe I should have titled this issue, “Not throwing away my shot.”? har har)

Despite everything, I AM glad I got it. And I’ll be glad when you do too.
 

Rusty Blazenhoff

P.S. If you’re one of the kazillion new subscribers from the CreativeMornings article, WELCOME! 

P.P.S. “Melissa in Detroit,” this one’s for you!

As seen on the Internets



THIS. IS. A. FINGERPAINTING.
“Sage and Time” by Iris Scott
:: HOWOne-shot drone video taken inside a Minnesota bowling alley
:: youtu.be/VgS54fqKxf0

:: CW: Ephebophilia, stalking, a man with “Buffalo Bill” vibes, an extreme eyeroll from said 33-year-old man, obsolete phone use, and a hilariously bad 80s green-screened flying carpet scene
:: youtube.com/watch?v=zWHjJt4833I

:: Oh: Nobody is listening
:: theoatmeal.com/comics/nobody_listening

:: The (art) world’s gone MAD!
:: theguardian.com/artanddesign/2021/mar/09/nfts-flying-cats-burning-banksy-digital-art-crypto-art-bitcoin-rocketing

:: Counterpoint to the NFT craze
:: seths.blog/2021/03/nfts-are-a-dangerous-trap

:: “don’t call me a lair, abby”
:: tiktok.com/@lubalin/video/6938455969898745094

:: Boichik’s bagels in Berkeley are better than NYC’s (I agree!)
:: nytimes.com/2021/03/08/dining/best-bagels.html

:: “Abraham Lincoln becomes an assistant manager at Hot Topic
:: tiktok.com/@averymonsen/video/6938466639000194309

:: Canceled: That little sexually-aggressive stinker, Pepé Le Pew
:: indiewire.com/2021/03/pepe-le-pew-not-appear-future-warner-bros-tv

:: A clock that doesn’t tell time via
:: zahradavidson.medium.com/this-clock-doesnt-tell-the-time-bbc16565cd2

:: A lost German tourist thought Bangor, Maine was San Francisco
:: sfgate.com/local/article/lost-tourist-who-thought-Bangor-was-San-Francisco-15940512.php

:: Gender reveal party, 2021 style
:: tiktok.com/@nonbinary.organizer/video/6939677192142163206

:: There’s gonna be a two-part doc about Paul Reubens (you know, Pee-wee Herman!)
:: deadline.com/2021/03/hbo-paul-reubens-pee-wee-herman-documentary-safdie-brothers

Real things you can actually buy: yes way!





I don’t want to love these but I do: Joke Teeth Sunglasses, Fashion Brand Company $98

Real things you can actually watch: yay!



If there was ever a streaming service made for positive deviants, it would be Night Flight Plus. $40/year for a whole lotta crazy-cool content! Thanks, Ms. Pants!

And, if you like that, you’re sure to also like:

Events IRL


Alicja Kwade x Desert X 2021

[Coachella Valley, California: 3/12-5/16/21] Desert X 2021, FREE

My friend Heathervescent, who is local to this area, writes, “Desert X is the ideal kind of accessible-yet-DIY art/mystery/desert experience, and has been friendly for physically distancing since before the pandemic! Download an app, drive to the GPS location and discover something tucked away into the desert. In the past, you could find the shimmer reflection on a mirrored house, a platform overlooking the Salton Sea, a soundscape inside a warehouse, a ladder leading to an underground bunker, or maybe a series of provocative billboards. In 2021, this biennial features more of the same, but different. Hike to see marble rocks suspended in a steel frame, find yourself in a maze, or visit a jackrabbit cabin (if you don’t want to drive 90 minutes to Wonder Valley). All of this year’s picks are fairly close together, extending from Palm Desert to La Quinta.

If you go: Dress in your Insta-best. Definitely download the app. Be sure to check which pieces require reservations to view.

P.S. There was some art-world drama between Desert X and the city of Palm Springs. City officials pulled its funding for the event because Desert X has a similar event in Saudi Arabia, a country known for its gross human rights violations.”

[Twentynine Palms, California and livestreamed: 3/20] She also recommends a more “underground” event called Crash and Ride Cabaret which is housed in a “a real roadhouse in the desert” that gives off “OG SF Cacophony Society/Cellspace vibes.”

[Scottsdale, Arizona: 4/22-4/25/21]  Today is the last day to book a hotel room for Arizona Tiki Oasis (and you need one to go). If you’re going, don’t forget to pack your retro caftan and sunglasses hat!

[Lake Ladoga, California: 6/21-6/27/21] Camp Tipsy is on, with COVID restrictions


The First Foam Finger Prototype, 1971

Rusty’s Electric Dreams is a fortnightly inbox zine by Rusty Blazenhoff for positive deviants and the people who love them. If this was forwarded to you, please consider subscribing yourself.

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