“April, how do you plan to keep THIS FYF! Zine positive?!”
By remembering that the 4th of July is about:
✊✊🏻✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿
WE, THE MOTHER FUCKING PEOPLE.
Dig This!
The Austin Phish shows were even better than I expected and I had a blast with all my peeps. For the folks I didn’t run into, I’m just grateful we were all there, and I’m happy to report that the newbies in the audience are now fans.
Check out my review of the shows for The Cosmic Clash here.
Mailbag Day!
I LOVE receiving mail!
I opened my mail box last night had a lovely post card from a friend in Oregon and two books of poetry and a CD from another friend.
- A billion years ago I got busted for smoking a bowl in a state park on a 25mi bike ride in the Ozarks with my ex-hubs while visiting his parents over Thanksgiving. The court ordered 60 hours of community service and I did part of my time with Ten Thousand Villages. That’s where I had the pleasure of meeting the raddest woman, Polly Monear, the Volunteer Coordinator, ie the gal dealing with community service thugs like me. Besides being a rad-ass woman and my friend, she’s a talented artist.
Her husband W. Joe Hoppe is a poet, and their son Max Hoppe makes some rad music in band called Calendar Girls. Joe recently reached out and said he wanted to send me his latest book and his kid’s cd. This isn’t just proud-parent shit, this is a parent that gets what his son is doing and wants to help him find a larger audience. Max and I talk a little here and there when I see him out and about, but I had no idea that he also makes cool music.
The beauty of Austin in a nutshell, your sandwich maker at Thundercloud could be making some of the raddest art and you’d never know it without digging deeper. I’m thankful to live in a town full of creative, talented weirdos like Max. Give his latest album, “Toss Yer Luck” a listen. The lyrics will make you laugh out loud, think, laugh some more, all while bobbing your head. A little Jello Biafra, with a side of Half Japanese, and The Butthole Surfers. (& all that happens in one song!! “Sexual Gerald” is a helluva ride.)
Cuteness Overload
I know this positivity thing is working because my social media algorithm has vastly improved since starting this zine, and that’s a relief considering how everything else is in the world.
Typically I see cute/cool/interesting stuff throughout the week and I send it to myself for safe keeping until it’s time to bust out the zine.
Like last week, this isn’t a cute and fuzzy bunny, it’s a place that’s on my list to see sooner than later, Colorado Bend State Park’s magical and mossy Gorman Falls. Have you been there before? Where are your favorite spots to view nature?
Thanks for the mention and links, April. Polly is indeed rad.