Juniper Disco | The Mini No. 2
"Push away all human contact! Better safe than sorry! YAS!!! Let everyone else die of viruses, you’re gonna WIN!"
On Sunday night, our tiny little town announced a shelter in place order after two people were confirmed to have COVID-19. We all shop at the one grocery store in town, breathe the same air, touch the same things. Two people in a place this small, this remote, and this houses-on-top-of-houses dense is a huge deal. My whole outlook changed from elevated general anxiety to extreme I-think-I’m-going-to-throw-up fear.
All of us are being bombarded with constant messaging of “danger! danger! danger!” and then “here’s a reading list! learn Mandarin! write your novel! take these free classes! here’s a free concert! we’re releasing ALL our movies at once! all your money is gone! so is your job! but order this to save the world! and order this! and this! and this! and this! danger! danger! danger! achieve! achieve! achieve! stay inside! but go! go! GO!” Sigh … exhausting.
Because there is so much noise out there right now that I do not want to add to unless it’s of value (and the fact that I am feeling VERY cocoon-y right now), I’m not sure how frequently and in which format — the mini or the regular — I’ll post this newsletter in the coming weeks. I will show up in your inbox, though.
And for my fellow zebra people (you know: “when you hear hoofbeats look for horses not zebras.” Us zebra people always expect zebras.) I see you. I feel you. We’ve been stocking up and telling other people to stock up and begging them to stop going out — while enduring the dismissive comments and outright ridicule — for weeks longer than the horse people. It’s been a heavy carry. It’s ok to let down your vigilance and rest. Let the horse people hold the emotional space for awhile.
And to my fellow introverts whose safe spaces on the interwebs have been invaded by the extroverts going live every three seconds and posting content that’s disruptive to our carefully constructed online worlds, I suggest it’s time to go analog for awhile. (And maybe purchase noise-blocking earmuffs, as if you don’t already own three.)
And, everyone!, it is ok to just be. Just BE.
Finally, a promise from me: if I catch the coronavirus and have the opportunity, I will take one for the team and lick Trump’s face for all of us.
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Here’s some stuff:
“The Small Dog’s Guide to Quarantine.” Lessons for all of us.
Wes Anderson’s Social Distancing.
“Eurovision 2020: In Memoriam.” Of all the cancelled things, I am saddest about this.
Jamaica Tourism Board Playlist: “Every Little Thing is Gonna Be Alright.” “The island of Jamaica hopes to ease your worries and virtually transport you to Jamaica with a specially curated Spotify playlist with the best of the island’s musical legends.”
Taco Chronicles (Netflix). The construction of the al pastor is something else. Also, ignore the part where the taco talks to you and just pretend they are all wearing gloves when they serve the food.
Flightgeist: Mexico. If you need a little reprieve, watch this short gorgeous video shot in Riviera Maya.
Agatha Christie’s The Pale Horse is on Amazon Prime. Don’t worry if you need to Google an explanation for the last few seconds (I did!), the rest of it is engaging.
The Compass podcast episodes on gender issues in Mexico City — Mexico City: Women and Mexico City: Men.
This animated montage in which “the journey of Leia Organa plays out in just one wonderful minute.”
Destino on Disney+. “In 1945, Salvador Dalí began working on a project with Walt Disney, which was brought to a halt by the latter’s financial struggles. The film wasn’t completed in their lifetimes, but in 2003, Walt Disney Feature Animation finally produced Destino using the storyboards Dalí left behind.” It runs only six minutes.
TOKiMONSTA’s new one, Oasis Nocturno. Oh my God! I LOVE this SO MUCH! It’s perfect quarantine music.
The online Art in Fashion: Rhodia Collection at MASP/Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand and all it’s fabby textiles.
Disco Jazz. “Barely disco and hardly jazz, Rupa Biswas’ 1982 LP is the halfway point between Bollywood and Balearic.”
Natalie Lafourcade’s Tiny Desk Concert. Magia pura.
We can do this. Listen to the public health experts, the medical professionals, the scientists, the epidemiologists, the researchers. And if you need encouragement, definitely read “Jerry from Cheer Mat-Talks You Through the Coronavirus Outbreak.”
“DO! NOT! LEAVE! THE! HOUSE!
You got this!
Read the news! Believe it!! ANTIVIRAL!! 3.4%!!! INTIMIDATING MEDICAL TERMS!! SCARY NUMBERS!!! Girl, believe!!!”
