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Boredwalk Community: "All the Pain Is in the Resistance"
1. What's your actual day job and what's your dream day job?
My actual day job is school social worker; my dream job has changed over the years — started with rock star, then actor, now it's mattress tester (which I am pretty sure isn't a job for a human).
(Ed. note: it should be!)
2. What's your biggest pet peeve?
Getting behind people slower than me, either in traffic or even walking.
3. What do you do to unwind after a hectic day?
It usually includes loud music of some sort and perhaps a beverage or two.
4. What's the most useful piece of advice you've ever received?
There's been a couple:
• There are no right or wrong choices just actions and consequences.
• All the pain is in the resistance.
5. If you could have any super power what would it be and why?
I'd probably want to be Spider-man because, um...why not? (Fair.)
6. You can curse your nemesis with a minor annoyance for eternity; what do you choose?
Flatulence at all the wrong times.
7. Clear up a misconception (about your job, where you are from, some other topic you know a lot about).
You can be anti-social and a social worker at the same time. (The more you know!)
8. Where can the rest of the Boredwalk community find you?
On Instagram @kregg123.
THEY'RE BOTH RULERS THAT ULTIMATELY FELL TO HUBRIS
Meredith here! Matt is off working on some cool new art, so I've taken over our Wednesday email.
First up, congrats to Shannon O., winner of our monthly free t-shirt giveaway! That's right — our giveaway isn't just a cynical ploy to extract email addresses from hapless website visitors. Huzzah!
Next up, Happy National Mutt Day! If you've got a mixed breed pooch in your life, be sure to show them a little extra love today. The Boredwalk Crew also wouldn't mind if you shared your favorite pic of said mutt with us *hint hint.*
Today is also the anniversary of Napoleon Bonaparte crowning himself Emperor of the French in 1804 at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Napoleon ruled France for around 10 years, expanding the French Empire until ultimately facing defeat and exile.
Last night our cat Oliver declared himself Emperor of All The Damn Pillows in Matt and Meredith's Bed and was summarily deposed and exiled to the couch. That's what flying too close to the sun will get you. A lesson for both French rulers and overly ambitious felines everywhere.
Before we get to the links, let's all enjoy some cake!
• First up, buon compleanno to Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace, born this day in 1946! Thanks to Versace's friendships with celebs such as Madonna, Cher, Tupac Shakur, and Elton John he was one the first designers to link the fashion and music worlds. His bold, sexy designs served as a contrast to the prevailing muted colors and simplicity of the late 1970s. A rival of Giorgio Armani, Gianni once said "Armani dresses the wife, Versace dresses the mistress."
• Next up, happy birthday to pop star Britney Spears, born this day in 1981! Spears is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop in the late 1990s and 2000s and often referred to as the Princess of Pop. She has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making her one the world's best-selling recording artists.
• Finally, birthday nods go to New York's LaGuardia Airport, which opened on this day in 1939, and The United States Environmental Protection Agency, which began operations on this day in 1970 under the Nixon administration. Republican Presidents interested in environmental protection? What a world!
OK, OK...you've waited long enough. It's link time!
1. Best 2020 pastime? Dunking on 2020.
These meme masters have made a hilarious art of comparing our Year of the Devil* to everything awful. Ever wonder what 2020 would be as a scented candle or a roll of toilet paper? Wonder no more!
(*h/t to Boredwalk customer Chloe Condon who keeps referring to 2020 as the Year of the Devil.)
2. Christina Bothwell's surreal glass sculptures explore death and the soul.
Bothwell creates fantastic and strangely compelling figurative sculptures, which range from fascinating to disturbing. She talks about her work here and you can follow her on Instagram here.
Comic Stevie Martin delivers a hilarious and relatable video about the CAPTCHAs that plague our modern existence.
4. Acts of clever and minor vandalism that will make you chuckle.
LOLs at the expense of inanimate objects from toilets to security cameras can be found in this fun collection.
5. In Norway it's Santa vs The Norwegian Postal Service.
In this funny little video promoting Posten Norge, the Norwegians take comedic aim at Santa and American-influenced absurdity.
MONSTER WOLF ROBOT IS ON THE PROWL!
Happy Drinksgiving! Nothing like a little tipple to help gird you for the main event tomorrow. Which, for those of you wildcats throwing caution and CDC guidelines to the wind this week, begs the question: will there be more tackles in your living room amongst family members or on the TV screen during tomorrow's slate of football games? This inquiring mind would like to know! If you're not an imbiber, though, good on you and best of luck!
Today is also the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. I know that typically our Wednesday emails are supposed to be solely the province of fun and/or uplifting info, but I'm not one to a.) argue with calendars or b.) let such an important cause pass by unacknowledged.
Alright! I've got some pretty excellent links lined up for your enjoyment, but first: cake!
• First up, co-là-breith math to Scottish-American industrialist & philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, born this day in 1835! Mr. Carnegie was a pretty complicated dude during his life. He spent it more or less adhering to what has since become referred to as the "Andrew Carnegie Dictum": spend the first third of your life acquiring as much education and knowledge as you can. Spend the next third of your life applying that knowledge practically to amass as much wealth as you can. Then spend the remaining third of your time on Earth giving that money away to worthwhile causes.
His contributions to the expansion of the American steel industry certainly helped move the U.S. into the 20th century, but he also fought bitterly against unionized labor throughout his professional life, notably during the Homestead Strike of 1892 that left ten dead and hundreds more injured. Robber barons can spend as much money as they want during their declining years trying to burnish their legacies; us plebes have the memories of elephants. Thanks for the public libraries, though!
• Next up, a very sober birthday to radical temperance activist Carrie Nation, born this day in 1846! Ms. Nation was not a big fan of alcohol, but she was a big fan of attacking establishments that sold it with a hatchet. It's good to have a hobby, I guess!
• Moving along, cut 56 pieces for New York Yankees baseball legend Joseph Paul "Joltin' Joe" DiMaggio, born this day in 1914! Mr. DiMaggio was a 3-time MVP and 13-time All Star over the course of his playing career — all with the Yankees — and still holds the record for most consecutive games recording a hit (56). He was also briefly married to Marilyn Monroe in 1954, and was immortalized in Simon & Garfunkel's 1968 song 'Mrs. Robinson.'
• Next, feliz cumpleaños to the debonair Ricardo Gonzalo Pedro Montalbán y Meriño, born this day in 1920! Mr. Montalbán played roles across a variety of genres, most notably as Armando in the early 1970s Planet of the Apes film series, Khan Noonien Singh in both the original Star Trek television series and the movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, and Mr. Roarke on the television series Fantasy Island. He also worked as a pitch man for Chrysler automobiles in the 70s and 80s, dispensing a seemingly endless number of adjectives in front of the words "Corinthian leather." Rich, soft, supple, fine — we get it, Ricardo; your cowhide is dope.
• Pip pip cheerio to English dramatist and screenwriter Shelagh Delaney, born this day in 1938! Ms. Delaney's defining work was her first play, 1958's A Taste Of Honey, whose kitchen sink realism made it one of the most-performed plays of post-war Britain. Her picture was also used in the cover art for The Smiths' 1987 compilation Louder Than Bombs and their single 'Girlfriend In A Coma' from the same year.
• Finally, happy birthday to Christina Applegate, born this day in 1971! While her breakthrough role as the ditzy Kelly Bundy on Married...With Children may have put her on the map, her star turn on the very underrated late-2000s NBC sitcom Samantha Who? is well worth a gander, as is the classic Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead and the Anchorman franchise. What I really want to find, though, is her 1982 film debut Jaws of Satan, because that really sounds like a delightful feel-good romp!
OK, OK...you've waited long enough. It's link time!
1. Wild bears in your belfry? Better get yourself a monster wolf robot. They're all the rage in Japan.
This is a real thing that is actively happening right now in Japan. An acorn shortage and encroached-upon habitat is leading wild bears into populated suburbs in norther Japan. Japan's response? As with most things, it's to throw a robot at the problem. There's no problem some robotic kaiju can't solve!
2. You're macaque-ing me crazy!
Emilie Barton decided to film her pianist dad Paul putting on a concert for some macaques in an abandoned movie theater in Thailand as part of her home schooling activities, and it's all just super-cute and wholesome. Yay for musical macaques!
3. The Flagler Humane Society in Palm Coast, Florida is crushing it with the creative adoption drives!
In an effort to make the adoption of elderly dogs more appealing, the Flagler Humane Society has been dressing up these lovable pooches as senior citizens, and it's just the best!
This whole video is great, but my favorite part might be Grover referring to the U.N. building as "the un-building." Apparently the denizens of Sesame Street are drunk on Brawndo The Thirst Mutilator.
Torontonian amateur pie artist Helen looks like a pro to me! Om nom nom...