The “Independence Yay” Edition :: Issue #040

 

Rusty’s Electric Dreams :: Issue #040 :: The “Independence Yay” Edition :: 07:01:2015

Rusty’s Electric Dreams, an inbox zine by pop culture activist Rusty BlazenhoffIssue #040 :: The “Independence Yay” Edition :: 07:01:2015

Independence YAY…Holy fluffballs!! I sent out SO MANY stickers for the top of Fluff jars to friends all over the United States. In fact, I RAN OUT.I KNOW…!

I just ordered some more if you’d like to help me with Operation “Culture Fluff.” I am especially interested in getting stickers on jars in the Midwest, Southwest, the South, and the East coast. Ping me if you want to help the “cause”: rusty@blazenhoff.com

OMG it’s July! I’ve been wanting to add a new section out and I’m finally getting around to it this month. Better late than never, as they say.

Artists/cool people/other Others will share a “Suckcess story,” a time when they failed before a success…get it, SUCKcess? (Side note: You may remember I bought the domain “suckceeding.com” a while back.)

The first “Suckcess Story” comes from Oakland illustrator Michael Wertz (who I most definitely like in real life*). I think you’re going to enjoy it.

Thank you to Erika Jane Amerika for holding June’s Artist-in-Residence spot here at Rusty’s Electric Dreams! This month I am super happy to usher in Victoria Heifner of Milkfed Press as July’s A-in-R!

Rusty Blazenhoff

p.s. GUESS WHAT? THEY DID IT!!

“One of the most inspiring, weird and off-kilter collections of curated kitschy ephemera for the big-brained.”–Mighty on Product Hunt (upvote!)

[Have something nice to say? Say it and I’ll include it on my Press page.]

Big Bang fireworks and Rusty Blazenhoff
This spaceintentionally left ‘MURICA!

As seen on the Internets

OG Uncle Watermelon, a vintage slide circa 1976 via Charles Phoenix
OG Uncle Watermelon, a vintage slide circa 1976 via Charles Phoenix

 

:: Uncle Watermelon

:: http://www.blazenfluff.com/uncle-watermelon

:: The 5th Annual Fairyland for Grownups (!!!!!!):: https://oaklandish.com/oakblog/save-the-date-5th-annual-fairyland-4-grownups:: J.P. Patches air freshener

:: http://mcphee.com/shop/j-p-patches-air-freshener.html

 

:: LSD: The Opera

:: https://www.vice.com/read/behold-the-worlds-first-opera-about-lsd-

 

:: “Combating Depression with a Year of Free Theater” DONATE

:: http://ww2.kqed.org/arts/combating-depression-with-a-year-of-free-theater/

 

:: Stop judging a book by its cover, have a “blind date with a book”

:: http://www.blazenfluff.com/blind-date-with-a-book

 

:: “A psychologist reveals how to get rid of negative thoughts”

:: http://www.businessinsider.com/how-get-rid-negative-thoughts

Real things you can actually buy: no way!


Thank you for pot smoking

Suckcess Story: Michael Wertz

Michael Wertz
The year is 1986. I am a freshman at UCSC. I had declared Math as my major and various “extracurricular activities” (such as chasing Camper Van Beethoven around town) as my minor. I then drove the Math car into the pool. I studied French as well, but didn’t have the drive to continue studying language. When I graduated, I was completely adrift. Luckily, you could live in San Francisco in 1990 and drift and still survive. I decided to turn around 180 degrees, and got an illustration degree from CCAC. I’ve been making images now for 20 years. My life work is a constant battle against perfectionism. I will always be imperfect, and I am learning to embrace it. 

Michael Wertz

Editor’s note: Michael now designs posters FOR Camper Van Beethoven!

Hey you! Ever failed before doing something successfully? If you’d like to share a “Suckcess” of your own, email me your story. They should be roughly 75-100 words long. Include an image (570 pixels wide) that best represents you and/or your story.

Real things you can actually buy: nay!

American Pop Culture

Uncle SAM's Answer fireworks

American Homeland Fireworks

Artist-in-residence: July 2015

by Victoria Heifner

 

“I used to work at the San Francisco Public Library, repairing old books. This was my art school, and how I learned to design. Eventually, curiosity got the best of me, and I sought out a letterpress printer who would teach me how to print. I was hooked. I started out doing show posters for bands I liked that would play at my friend’s club. I didn’t know how to turn on a computer the first five years of printing–everything was hand-set with lead or wood type. If I didn’t have the right artwork or letters, I would create them by carving out linoleum blocks. These were some of my favorite years of printing.

I made this print about a month ago; fifteen years into this, and I still have days where I feel like a total imposter!
More of my work can be found at http://www.milkfedpress.com.”

Victoria Heifner of Milkfed Press

Ask your friends to subscribe.Tell the Others.It’s not a cult. YET.

Events of note

#Fairyland4Grownups
Berkeley

[7/23] Willie Nelson & Family plays the Greek Theatre with Alison Krauss [Tickets]

Black Rock City, Nevada

[8/30-9/7] Burning Man

Brooklyn, New York

[7/3] Stars & Strips Forever: Coney Island Celebrates America, a beachy burlesque bash [Tickets]

Fairfield, California

[9/26-9/27] Candypalooza at Jelly Belly Factory

Germany

[8/16-12/16] The World of Tim Burton at Max Ernst Museum Brühl des LVR

Gilroy, California

[7/24-7/26] Gilroy Garlic Festival [Tickets]

Henderson, North Carolina

[8/27-8/30] Camp Grounded, “Where Grownups Go to Unplug, Get Away, and Be Kids Again.”

Lake Ladoga, California

[6/29-7/5] Camp Tipsy, all ages [Tickets]

Las Vegas

[Ongoing] Akhob, an immersive “Ganzfeld effect” experience by artist James Turrell at Louis Vuitton [by appt only: 702-730-3150]  HIGHLY recommended!

London

[Until 9/27] Secret Cinema Presents Star Wars [Tickets]

Los Angeles

 

[7/12] UnCabaret with Allee Willis at Au Lac, 8 PM [Tickets]

[7/19] “Around the World in 80 Sips” Summer Soda Tasting 5 at Galco’s Soda Pop Stop, 5-8 PM [Tickets]

[7/20] The Groundlings improv night (70s night with Cassandra Peterson)  [Tickets]

[7/25] Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory showing at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 7:15 PM door [Tickets]

[TBD August] ALONE | Refraction

[8/3] Janeane Garofalo at Largo [Tickets]

[8/22] Pee-wee’s Big Adventure showing at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 7:15 PM door [Tickets]

[TBD September] ALONE | Reflection

[TBD October] ALONE | Absorbtion

Nevada City, California

[7/24 & 7/25] Bread and Bones at Polly’s Paladar [Tickets]

New York City

[7/7-8/16] Penn & Teller on Broadway [Tickets]

Oakland

[7/4-7/5] The 6th annual Burger Boogaloo, hosted by John Waters [Tickets]
[7/10] Big Dick’s House of Big Boobs, a DIY strip club at a secret location

 

[7/12] Appetite Obscure‘s 17th potluck: RED, 7 PM at the New Normal Brewery [RSVP]

[8/14] Fairyland For Grownups at Children’s Fairyland

[10/24] FIGMENT Oakland, a free, inclusive, participatory art event

Paris

[Until 8/8] Vik Muniz at Xippas Gallery, Paris

[10/10] Danny Elfman’s Music from the Films of Tim Burton

Pleasanton, California

[Until 7/6]  Alameda County Fair

Riverside, California

[9/18-9/20] Boing Boing’s Weekend of Wonder at Mission Inn

San Diego

[8/13-8/16] Tiki Oasis (SPACE-THEMED!)

San Francisco
SF’s POPOS (privately-owned public open spaces) :: guide

[7/1] LOUISE JARMILOWICZ COLLAGES at Chez Poulet, 6 – 9 PM

[7/7] Odd Salon: Infamy at DNA Lounge, 21+

[7/8] Fireside Storytelling: Sink or Swim, 8 PM, Chez Poulet, $15

[7/9] Chuck Palahniuk and Lidia Yuknavitch: A Night of Mayhem at INFORUM, 6:30 PM [Tickets]

[7/10-8/8] After Life, an exhibition that “probes the possibility of life after death through the work of Fernando Orellana and Al Honig”

[7/16] Buzzed Bee, a spelling bee for tipsy adults, Stage Werx, 7 PM, Free to attend, $10 to compete

[7/18] The Real Numbers at Amnesia

[7/18] Night Light: Multimedia Garden Party at SOMArts Cultural Center [Tickets]

[7/19] Dark Garden Annual Corset Rummage Sale, 11 AM to 6 PM

[7/24] Steve Poltz at Doc’s Lab [Tickets]

[7/29] Fireside Storytelling: Confessions, 8 PM, Chez Poulet, $15

[8/2] Undercover Stratego, 3 – 6 PM

[8/4] Odd Salon: Myth(os) at DNA Lounge, 21+

[8/22] The Real Numbers at International Pop Overthrow Festival, Hotel Utah

[9/9] Fireside Storytelling: Storyteller’s Choice, 8 PM, Chez Poulet, $15

[9/27] Folsom Street Fair

[10/7] Fireside Storytelling: Saved the Day, 8 PM, Chez Poulet, $15

[10/29] TEDxSanFrancisco at Pier 70

[11/4] Fireside Storytelling: Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time, 8 PM, Chez Poulet, $15

[12/3] Fireside Storytelling: Mind. Blown., 8 PM, Chez Poulet, $15

[12/31] PATTI SMITH & HER BAND perform Horses in its entirety this New Year’s Eve at The Fillmore! [Tickets]

Santa Fe, New Mexico

[9/4] Zozobra

Seattle

[7/9] Bawdy Storytelling: Dirty Little Secret at Re-Bar Seattle, 8 PM

ALSO: “The Obscure, the Charming and the Odd: Mark Pahlow’s Guide to Seattle

Heads up!~~ [10/9-10/11] Kinky Salon. DEEP HEDONISM. Secret location

 

Want to speak for Odd Salon? Fill out this form.

If YOU would like to co-curate an issue of Rusty’s Electric Dreams, I’d love to hear your idea! Please email me: rusty@blazenhoff.com.

Know about a cool event? Share it. I’ll do my best to include it in the next issue.

Apply to the DENT conference scholarship program.

“Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” — Jack Canfield
ILYIRL
*Did you get a blue ribbon from me that reads, “I Like You, In Real Life”?

  1. Yes, I did thank you.
  2. No, but I would like to. I believe you like me IRL. Email me and let me know.
  3. No, and I’m not sure you like me IRL. I want one for $2.75 each. Paypal: blazenhoff@yahoo.com. Send: your name (that you would like on the ribbon) and mailing address
  4. Yes, and now I’d like to gift one (or more) at $2.75 each. Paypal: blazenhoff@yahoo.com. Send: your name and mailing address. Ribbons will be blank.

Rusty’s Electric Dreams is a weekly inbox zine by Rusty Blazenhoff. These personally curated missives are beacons to signal and celebrate the global tribe of weird, wonderful, and “different” people (“the Others“).

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