Link Roundup!

by Nicole Cliffe · April 29, 2015

#Baltimore

#FreddieGray

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On black exhaustion:

It drains the body to think about this all day but there is no way to stop thinking about this, especially when there is another death and another death and another death. There is another protest, there is another officer hurling a rock at high schoolers, there is another misguided person bringing up black on black crime, there is another fundamental misunderstanding of a Martin Luther King Jr. quote, there is another Tweet from someone valuing personal property over black lives, there is always another. My mom watched Ferguson on the news and texted me about the similarities to the Civil Rights protests when she was a kid, accidentally reminding me that we have been fighting a never-ending fight, and that I will never be a person worth more than hoses or rubber bullets. I think about the future and feel disgustingly, guiltily thankful I was not born with a maternal instinct or any desire for kids; the thought of bringing a black child into a world that actively tries to eliminate black lives leaves me frozen in fear, depressed in a way that even diagnosed depression never prepared for me.

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Some poems from our own beloved Marika Prokosh, of Spinster’s Almanac fame.

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Mallory and her REDACTED and I are having a wonderful time. I have cooked many fine meats, and today the three of us are working out with my trainer in order to evaluate REDACTED in the most intimate context of all: value as a workout partner.

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Mallory and I also watched Frozen (not the Disney movie, the horror movie about those three doofuses who got trapped on the ski lift overnight) and it was a real good time, except for the ending, which was mediocre at BEST.

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Just a blatant, nepotistic reminder for you to read my Aunt Joanne’s piece about her time as an administrator of two different women’s shelters, and then share it on all forms of social media. Also, my GOD, the Gaudy Night piece!

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A Completely Unbiased Review of a Local Rock Show By Someone With No Connections To the Band:

The four musicians played the rest of their set like a bunch of medium-talent, delusional, backstabbing traitors, incapable of understanding that the magic of Stiff Lightning’s music was never about the chords or the rhythms but actually was about the dynamic between the original five members, a dynamic that is now thrown completely out of whack and could never possibly be recreated, even if they decided to hire a new keyboardist down the line, because there is no way a new keyboardist could ever understand the spirit of the band, because that is something that can never be taught to even the most skilled musician, but instead must be lived by somebody who was there since the beginning, and therefore the rest of the band members might as well resign themselves to being human-shaped excrement who  play music only to distract themselves from their hollow simulacra of existence, wherein death could only be an improvement on their pathetic keyboardist-less little lives.

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I’m intrigued to see where this series will go:

Keep in mind that plenty of people know every bit as much as I do about our history, doctrine, and culture, and they still love the Church more than you love Peanut M&Ms. They believe a different story than the one you hear on Sundays, maybe, but it’s a legitimate belief system that brings meaning and happiness to their world. It doesn’t work for me, but it might easily work for you. I think that’s a decision you deserve to make for yourself, and one you can’t make well until you have more information.

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I had SUCH a great workout yesterday that instead of sharing a picture of it, I am doing a FEEL THE BURN on Thursday in which I break it down for you piece by piece. No equipment, you can easily do it at home with a timer app, and it’s going to push your heartrate AND work allll of your muscle groups using only the power of your own bodyweight.

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110 Comments

    1. Social +2

      Is this about the situation in Baltimore?

      Because “keep fighting” has a sort of uncomfortable connotation, to my ears. It almost sounds like, “keep fighting (and I’ll cheer you on from my comfortable loft of privilege and watch as you get hurt).” That may have not been what you were intending to say, but I just want to point that out.

  2. houblonchouffe +10

    Nicole I am super excited about your workout! I have been doing a class that is something like barre + pilates + body weight + cardio and it is legitimately kicking my ass, so naturally it is inciting me to DO MOAR EXERCISE.

    (ie, 6am class today and I will run tonight what the hell is WRONG with me)

    1. Alli525 +2

      Is it Pure Barre? I am so intimidated of Pure Barre but I used to do ballet when I was in elementary/middle school and I MISS IT and pilates fascinates me.

      1. houblonchouffe +3

        It isn’t, actually–it’s a local studio and the woman who started it kind of just… made it up? but at any rate it’s REAL good and my muscles are tired now.

      2. sarah_jay +1

        I really wish I could afford a membership/classes at a barre place. I did ballet in middle/high school (I was terrible) and it was great exercise!

    3. threatqualitypress +44

      I got this DVD set for a workout routine called INSANITY (I saw an infomercial about it and then got excited because I found it for half price on ebay). And the trainer there is super excited for this INSANITY program that he invented, and obviously it’s calle INSANITY so that you know that it’s hardcore, but also the guy is a responsible personal trainer who cares about people’s safety and wellbeing, which leads to a lot of hilarious statements like:

      “This is INSANITY so make sure you work at own pace!”

      “We’re doing INSANITY guys so make sure you take a break if you need to!”

      “Guys THIS. IS. INSANITY! Make sure you drink some water during your break!”

      2. summerestherson +8

        That man’s name is Shaun T and he is a treasure. I have T25, which is like the condensed version of Insanity.

        1. threatqualitypress +23

          Right?  I feel like if it’s possible for a job to make you into a happier person, surely, “I exercise all day while shouting words of encouragement to help people accomplish concrete, achievable goals” has got to be the one that does it.

          1. houblonchouffe +5

            I have lots of friends who are personal trainers and that precise sentiment is why every single one of them started down that path.

          2. threatqualitypress +11

            It’s the kind of job I would do, if I were the sort of person who could even pretend to have enthusiasm.

          4. threatqualitypress +13

            it’s very UNlikely, unless I can somehow contrive to create a gym based on Insane Baroque Space Operas and/or Daredevil.

          6. threatqualitypress +13

            IT WOULD JUST BE PARKOUR OBSTACLE COURSES AND TRAINERS WHO TEACH YOU KARATE AND BACKFLIPS
             
            I actually AM very enthusiastic for this gym

          7. houblonchouffe +8

            That was far easier than expected. So how do we make this happen? I, for one, would be all about parkour and backflips and learning to navigate by smell.

          8. threatqualitypress +3

            Well, staff and training regimes and equipment I can figure out (and also I know people), so I guess I need a business plan, and also to be the sort of person who knows about business plans?  Also a bunch of capital.

          9. Ethylbenzene +1

            I think there are definitely parkour gyms in places. Not sure about the whole smell thing though, but I know people who lose their sight can learn some limited echolocation.

          11. threatqualitypress +5

            I have spent a lot of tme designing routines for the Daredevil gym, and a lot of time designing workout gear for the Baroque Space Opera gym.

          12. laurensherm +3

            The #1 reason I started working out was because it meant I would get to have a whole new category of outfits, so I am 100% on board with this.

          13. Unreadaethel +2

            Oh man, so many bare-chested sleeve things, to keep your core from overheating.

            NO CAPES.

      3. packedsuitcase +16

        OMG I used to do INSANITY and yes, Shaun T is ridiculous but I watched his beautiful face and beautiful abs and I did the workouts and I felt the burn and then I realised life would be better if I just put on the DVD and muted it and watched him move.

        1. Kai_Ko +7

          In high school, we used to have a subsection of cute boys called “Shhhs”s: as in, don’t speak, pretty man. Just….shhhh. Let me look at you. Shaun T sounds like a great Shhh.

        2. Antonius_Block +7

          Also beautiful: Shaun T’s husband, Scott. In all their beautiful-ab’d glory:

      5. Unreadaethel +3

        “THIS. IS. SPARTAAAAAAAAAAAA! Make sure to keep your electrolytes up, guys. Cramps are no joke.”

      1. LeastBittern +7

        It is only Stewart’s feline grace which leads me to believe that they are not 100% the same.

    2. winterbymorning +48

      I was very confused by REDACTED because Nicole had mentioned that Mallory and her sister were visiting. Mysteries abound!

        1. Ethylbenzene +12

          I really hate it when people come to visit me and then go home, it really is the worst.

    2. katiemcgillicuddy +3

      Yeah, I was listening on the radio and that whole sequence, from dude going on his hilarious little tantrum to Scalia calling it “refreshing”… to be…funny, somehow? Like, are you kidding??? Antonin Scalia, everyone!

  5. rkfire +94

    Hi everyone, I’m just rolling through real quick because I have to be on site with a client outside of DC today.

    Yesterday (the day) was great in the aftermath of Monday evening; I and many other people were turned away from clean up sites because so many residents had already gotten up at 6, 7am to clean up. I really hope we can continue to channel this energy in the coming weeks to deal with police reform and systemic racism

    Yesterday was also the first night of curfew. It’s ridiculous IMO. I’m not brave enough to go out there in defiance, for better or for worse.

    Let’s not forget this kid, who judging from Twitter, is named Joseph Kent, and swallowed up by a line of police in riot gear right on CNN and those assholes said nothing.

    I hope he’s okay. I hope everyone is okay.

    Again, if you’d like to help (here’s a much shorter list):
    * Pay someone’s water bill via Baltimore Water Project. http://bit.ly/1doocHr
    * Provide legal support or observe or donate to legal efforts in Baltimore. http://www.fergusonlegaldefense.com/baltimore/
    * Another, local fundraiser for legal funds. (this is no knock on FLD) https://www.crowdrise.com/legalbailsupportforbalt…

    3. bird_internet +4

      Does anybody know how the water bill thing works? I signed up for the Detroit version last year and they never matched me with anybody. I don’t know if I put in the wrong amount or forgot to fill something out or what.

      1. thesarahgirl +3

        I just donated to the Baltimore water bill project and got matched immediately (like, it said “You’ve got a match!” on the screen after I clicked submit on my pledge); maybe they changed how they do it?

      2. rkfire +1

        I’m glad thesarahgirl responded–I was worried that I was leading people to a bad link since I was mindlessly c&ping.

    5. EPWordsnatcher +2

      Thank you for the Baltimore Water Project link (and all this important information)! It’s hard to feel like I’m doing anything right now but helping pay a water bill gives me something concrete.

  6. notreallysure12 +8

    FROZEN. My mom and I stumbled on that movie, and it is ridiculous but we both loved it. I’m not sure what I would do? But probably not any of the same things that they did?

    1. octopoda +7

      Which are worse movies to mix up? These Frozens or Paul Haggis Crash vs Cronenberg Crash?

  7. kilks401 +23

    The news has been heavy and it is never a bad idea to revisit Rembert Browne’s piece on Leonard, the greatest teen Jeopardy Champion. for some laughs http://grantland.com/the-triangle/the-jeopardy-te…

    “After Day 1 of the finals of the Jeopardy! Teen Tournament, he was in third place with only three racks. But that was OK, because he was wearing the olive long-sleeve, so anything was possible.”

    5. Alli525 +3

      That is awesome. I’d like to think that’s how I would have handled myself on Jeopardy, if I were ever on Jeopardy, but he clearly has more confidence as a teenager than I will ever have in my entire life.

      Four for you Leonard Coco, you go Leonard Coco.

  13. winterbymorning +12

    I read an article about a local house fire that led to the death of the family’s pets and somebody commented, “Poor animals, I hope they didn’t suffer.” Which is a nice wish and all, but, um, they died in a fire, that’s not exactly a painless and stress-free way to shuffle off this mortal coil.

    1. A. Galley +20

      I like to think the smoke would put me under before I felt all the burning.

      Wait, why do I like to think that? Good lord, what a horrible thing to think.

      1. freshwaterpearl +12

        I hold onto this thought when considering anyone dying in a fire, especially people who were burned at the stake.

        1. bocadelperro +10

          FWIW (not much) most people in Europe who were burned at the stake were strangled to death first, and then their bodies were burned. It was only the real high profile cases (i.e. big time heretics like Jan Hus) that they burned alive.

          1. freshwaterpearl +2

            I hadn’t heard that before–that’s worth something, I suppose, or at least it reflects some attempt at mercy. The big-time heretics are the stories I tend to end up thinking about and trying to wish away with thoughts of smoke inhalation. One of my ancestors was a priest executed under Mary I, and Foxe’s Book of Martyrs describes him as “washing his hands in the flame as he was burning.”

          2. bocadelperro +2

            Well, again FWIW (and again, not much), there’s some debate among historians and lit scholars as to how much Foxe exaggerated the martyrdom stories, since he was essentially writing to propagandize against Catholics, and therefore had an interest in making the Catholic perpetrators as depraved as possible, and the Protestant martyrs conform as close as possible to the behavior of the victims ancient Roman martyrdom stories (which, again, many of them are pretty exaggerated).

            If you’re interested, I can give you some citations. Foxe’s book is practically an academic cottage industry.

            Still, burning at the stake (where smoke inhalation is less of an issue, because you’re outside) one of the cruelest ways to kill someone that humans have come up with.

          3. freshwaterpearl +1

            I actually am interested! I was just recently looking at that passage about my ancestor–it was John Rogers–and trying to decide what to think about it.

          4. bocadelperro +1

            Usually I’d say the best place to start is a good critical edition, but, sadly, there is not one of the complete Foxe (grumble grumble). These OUP excerpts are pretty great, though, and John King is one of the leading experts (although he is more credulous than I am).
            http://www.amazon.com/Foxes-Book-Martyrs-Narratives-Classics-ebook/dp/B005WSNLYC/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1430334638&sr=1-3

            If you can get ahold of this article (which is on JSTOR), you should get a good idea of the sorts of controversies about Foxe. Most of what’s been done on him has been article-length, rather than book-length, so a JPASS and a John Foxe search might be your best bet.
            Thomas S. Freeman. “Fate, Faction, and Fiction in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs” The Historical Journal Vol. 43, No. 3 (Sep., 2000), pp. 601-623

          5. freshwaterpearl +2

            Thanks very much! I don’t have university library privileges anymore but I think I can get to JSTOR through my public library if I jump through the right hoops. Or just ILL it.

          6. bocadelperro +4

            I’ll spare you the rant about academic paywalls, and just say: yes. Do that, and good luck.

          7. Meg +1

            You may also want to check out the BBC In Our Time podcast from Nov 2010. I have a stupid memory and immediately thought of this when I read your post.

      2. winterbymorning +22

        Last night I was about to drift off in a peaceful sleep when I suddenly thought, “Either I’m going to have to watch the people I love die, or I’m going to die first, and both of those are terrible options” and my husband had to pet my hair and say, “It’s okay, I’m not going to die anytime soon” until I calmed down. Horrible things to think: I am familiar with them!

        1. celery +19

          In late elementary school and middle school, two friends and I would go to summer camp together. Late one night, lying in our tent, drifting off to sleep, one of my friends suddenly said, “Imagine how many funerals you’re going to have to go to in your life.” This memory likes to pop up in my head every now and then.

      3. Mrs_Peel +18

        I’m 99% sure that most people do in fact die of smoke inhalation rather than actually burning to death. Which, okay, is still not great, but…

        1. Goomaly +12

          This is correct. They suffocate, but I’m pretty sure there is unconsciousness.

          Source: my asshole ex-husband was a firefighter. Then again he did get fired… hehehehe fired

          (wow, coffee and cookies for breakfast, I better not drive)

        2. Ayelle +1

          This is even more likely to be true of cats and most dogs, who have much smaller lung capacity than human beings. It’s upsetting because pets that are trapped in burning houses often perish even when the fire is extinguished before the whole house burns down (cats especially — their instincts are all wrong and they hide/go to ground instead of fleeing the premises) but it does mean that the pets referenced above almost certainly didn’t die painfully from burning to death.

    2. supernanify +34

      There was a fire on our street a few months ago, and a lady died. My husband fervently believes that she lit a cigarette, went to bed, died peacefully, and then the cigarette caused the house to burn down.
      When I asked him where on earth that narrative came from, he said, “I like this better than the alternative.” I couldn’t argue.

      1. bibliophibian +1

        Hey, there’s a reason why “Die in a fire” (DIAF) is a thing people say to be mean. Just sayin’.

  14. projectbeks +9

    Thank you so much for posting these links and for keeping this sheltered Philadelphian in the loop on Twitter. You’re awesome, Hieu.
    ETA – thanks, IntenseDebate. Clearly this was meant to be a reply to Hieu.

  15. ppyajunebug +18

    As a non-Christian who is utterly fascinated by the Mormon religion (and pretty much all uber intense Christian denominations), I am now VERY interested in The Very Long Letter.

    Also, Oliver Sacks’ autobiography is out (I’m waiting to get a paper copy of it so I can stare at the pictures of him as an uber hunk in the 60s…I have very little shame), but here is a piece by Leonard Weschler of some diary entries and essays that he was going to turn into a biography of Sacks.

    3. laurensherm +3

      WHAT, how did I not know he was so hunky?????

      Also a chance for me to post my favorite recent quote from him (from the NYT article) and cry a little:
      “Above all, I have been a sentient being, a thinking animal, on this beautiful planet, and that in itself has been an enormous privilege and adventure.”

  16. seapartridge +2

    YES to the at home workout! I’ve been all about it recently but I’m to unimaginitive to do anything other than youtube videos and 7 minute abs (which is GREAT, but I should probably be working out something other than my abs occasionally).

  17. Ethylbenzene +3

    Workout talk? Workout talk.

    I am on week two back to lifting and I’m that kind of sore that feels almost good? Also my feet are getting back to normal (had a very very bad plantar fasciitis flare that I kept aggravating due to the horrible job), so I’ve been walking again! I wouldn’t say I’m “hiking” again yet, but it’s getting there!

    I’m putting getting back to cycling on hold for a bit until I have my overall fitness level back up (I didn’t do much for about six months due to horrible job plus depression/anxiety), because right now knowing my skills are rusty plus my overall stamina is bad is making the idea of a nice trail ride really panic-inducing. That’s ok, though, right? I am feeling so guilty because I’m supposed to be A Cyclist and riding bikes is supposed to be My Most Fun Thing and right now it’s just anxiety-producing so it’s ok to do other stuff, right? Ugh.

    1. Ordinarily +2

      I know what you mean about cycling. The same thing happened to me last year and it just got to the point where I was unable to do it even if I wanted to. I recently just started biking when I felt like it, and I was terrible and slow but it felt good to be able to go at my own pace and just bike to bike. One thing I did to kind of push myself was do a charity ride alone. I was with people so it’s not lonely, but they are also strangers so I didn’t feel like I had to ride a certain way/speed. Of course, if you are well-connected in your biking community, this may not be as easy for you.

      I don’t really have any advice… just know that you aren’t alone.

      1. Ethylbenzene +2

        Thanks. I’m not super connected — I mean, I used to work at a bike shop but I’ve always been terrified of riding in groups because even at peak fitness I’m just slow (unless we go lift-access riding, then I keep up just fine), so I don’t have group rides looking for me or anything.

        It feels a lot like where I was many years ago with some disordered eating patterns, where I was feeling guilty and bad if I missed the farmer’s market or if I had to buy regular potatoes and not organic or whatever. Cooking has always been a joy for me, and having it turn into something that made me feel bad really sucked. Hopefully I can work past this and get back into it. I know I’ll love it once I’m out there but for now, I need to get my body back to “normal” and out of crisis mode, and part of that is taking care of my brain too. Or so I tell myself 🙂

  18. J_M +20

    I might have to start referring to everyone in my life as REDACTED. It adds an exciting air of mystery.

  19. cinnatron +5

    In Baltimore, looking for a solidarity or protest event this week. Can’t find anything. Suggestions?

    Also so much black exhaustion

    1. rkfire +1

      Hit up Baltimore BLOC on FB. I think the organizers of today’s march (BCC BLOC and Baltimore BLOC) said there will be a march every day until.. justice. Not sure what that means. I’d also suggest hitting up Bmore United as well.

      I think the big thing coming up is the rally at McKeldin Square (Inner Harbor, Light & Pratt Street) at 5pm on Friday, aka May Day. I could be wrong though.

      Stay safe, and take care of yourself however you need to. <3 <3 <3

  20. halloweenjack64 +4

    The bit about the bitter ex-keyboardist “reviewing” his former band would have been funnier except that there was an SNL sketch back in the Phil Hartman days (Matthew Broderick hosting) that theorized that Albert Goldman wrote his hateful biographies of Elvis and John Lennon because he’d been a member of the Beatles during the Hamburg days, until Elvis dropped by and suggested that the band would be much improved if they got rid of the trumpet player. The funny thing is, Elvis’ tour of duty in Germany from 1958-1960 almost overlaps with the Beatles’ being in Hamburg.

  23. deleted182847 +22

    I know what’s really going on.

    Mallory’s DAD is there.

    It’s gonna be a surprise Dad Magazine special report.

  25. Hieu

    Hit up Baltimore BLOC on FB. I think the organizers of today's march (BCC BLOC and Baltimore BLOC) said there will be a march every day until.. justice. Not sure what that means. I'd also suggest hitting up Bmore United as well.

    I think the big thing coming up is the rally at McKeldin Square (Inner Harbor, Light & Pratt Street) at 5pm on Friday, aka May Day. I could be wrong though.

    Stay safe, and take care of yourself however you need to. <3 <3 <3

  26. Hieu

    I'm glad thesarahgirl responded–I was worried that I was leading people to a bad link since I was mindlessly c&ping.

  27. fakely_mctest +2

    Oh man, I watched Frozen ages ago (I am a sucker for either of the brothers Ashmore, apparently). That whole movie sent me into mom-mode, which basically devolved into shouting at the characters to just zip up their dang jackets already.

    Adam Green: I guess just Hatchet was good and that was literally it.

  29. Anna

    When I first saw the trailer of Frozen, at that time I was not sure then later I was like I should give it a watch and then I fell in love with it. It is one the best Disney movie ever made.