falling back
microdosing sunlight to stave off the melancholic vibes
Hi!
Thanks for opening this email / reading this post.
There are lots of new people here, since an angel named Jesica (purveyor of the best fashion opinions) has sent some of you my way, so stay tuned to the end to get to know me a little better. Now the links:
Big week for spectacular failures! The rascally Sam Bankman-Fried is probably going to jail since his defense of “I’m just a wittle baby, who doesn’t even smoke weed” didn’t win over the jury. Not only is this guy miles away from being the genius so many thought him to be, he didn’t even do crime well.
A Bored Ape crypto event in Hong Kong left attendees with severe burns, which might have these folks singing a different tune about regulations (jk, they will learn nothing).
An extensively researched, historically rich, and beautifully written post on the Palestinian genoicide by Fariha Róisín. “Not knowing everything,” is no longer an excuse!
In a truly mind-bending display of greenwashing, Kim Kardashian is hocking fake nipples to keep the ice caps from melting, which is slightly different than my climate solution of sending her and all of her friends to the moon (in an electric rocket, obviously).
Tunes to start the week with:
While I live for a fall-inspired playlist, I have exhausted the number of times I can suggest people listen to Yo La Tengo. So for something a little different, I made a new soundtrack for the season, in a genre I have dubbed “cozytech blanketwave.” Think soft, sparse techno vibes steeped in R&B and shoegaze. Enjoy!
Who is sending this newsletter?
Writing about myself is humiliating, but it’s only proper that I introduce myself. My name is Liz Itkowsky, I’m a writer/poet/music critic based in Boston, and I’ve been sending this weekly newsletter since 2017. As a child of Graydon Carter’s Vanity Fair, I’ve always loved a Proust Questionnaire* and, since I am as good at writing as Proust, I thought this would be a neat method to let you know what I’m all about.
*edited for length and old-school sexism
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
“I’ll make a roast chicken. Get two or four bottles of great wine. And we’ll sit there and close the door and we’ll tell our deepest, darkest secrets. And then go sleep in my bed. Watch Ghost Hunters.”
What is your greatest fear?
Anyone other than me dying
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Cynicism
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Individualism
What is your greatest extravagance?
“Fashion”
What is your current state of mind?
Perpetual frustration
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Patriotism
On what occasion do you lie?
To be kind
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
Whatever the boys in seventh grade told me to hate
Which living person do you most despise?
Anyone with a billion dollars
What is the quality you most like in someone else?
Authenticity
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
“to be fair” (I’m not)
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
A tie between my husband and my dog, depending on the day
When and where were you happiest?
Friendly’s after a dance recital
Which talent would you most like to have?
A beautiful, angel-like singing voice
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
My temper
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
How much my friends like me
If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
Where would you most like to live?
A Beacon Hill brownstone haunted by Robert Lowell
What is your most treasured possession?
A blanket knit by my Grammy
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Seeing a loved one die a painful death or learning the rules to a board game
What is your favorite occupation?
Throwing birthday parties for seven year-olds at a petting zoo
What is your most marked characteristic?
Humor
What do you most value in your friends?
Kindness
Who are your favorite writers?
Elizabeth Bishop, Richard Brautigan, Charlotte Shane
Who is your hero of fiction?
Jo March
Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Bartleby, the Scrivener or Dorinda Medley
Who are your heroes in real life?
Motaz, Amal Helles, Jazmine Hughes
What is it that you most dislike?
Violence
What is your greatest regret?
Spending time worrying about what people thought of me
How would you like to die?
Performing a stunt in a Fast and Furious movie
What is your motto?
Life is a rich tapestry
xx