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One of the reasons most of the DIY movie streamers died out is because the pandemic came to a close…but I’m sure there’ll be a new one soon enough (depending on how long the war goes on for). So, when the new lockdown hits, I just want you to know you're now entering the best time to travel. I never really got a chance to travel before COVID, but since everyone was scared to fly, tickets became super cheap and every city that’s usually flooded with tourists was suddenly chill. I was thriving (read: trying to ignore my impending divorce) in a desolate, locals-only Venice, Italy circa June 2021 and it was absolutely awesome.
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Haven’t planned any of this yet, but I always try to leave New York long term in the summer to escape the heat. It’s always been easy to find a subletter for my apt so that I travel for free. Most likely will be in California for the bulk of July/August, mostly pet sitting for friends in the Bay Area where I used to live and maintain a strong network for this, also combined with visiting childhood friend/current coworkers in San Diego, road tripping to some beautiful parts of the state like Humboldt, and maybe speaking at a conference in Vegas (in August, gross!). Idk potentially visiting my partner’s family in London/Wales too at some point like I do every 6 months. Potentially also some pet sitting/visiting friends in Boston (where I used to live), but less ideal since still East Coast summer. Oh and also too hot but I was asked to petsit in Chicago too this summer. Oh and I’m going to Montreal and Toronto in September for various reasons but I guess that’s no longer the summer. Only the Canada stuff is on the books so far but most likely I’ll end up doing all of the above beforehand despite not having a single thing planned. I love my strange, impulsive travel life.
May 16, 2025
May 24, 2024
‘See the world,‘ they said.
‘It’ll be fun,’ they said.
May 21, 2024
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Before this crisis, we had another one: the global pandemic. If you recall, everything shut down pretty much everywhere…which gave a few film lovers the chance to become film programmers. Using under-the-radar streaming services (like Twitch, but dodgier), several collectives started running daily movie streams. It was a refreshing alternative to going on Netflix/Hulu/Criteria and weighing the options for an hour. Instead of having to pick a movie, you just go to the URL and feast your eyes on the stream. The one I was most obsessed with was Cinephobe, but Cathode Cinema, Moviepassed and SpectacleNYC all gave me much-needed joy, as depression, despair and death colonized human consciousness. A few major discoveries were Golden Mouth, Brimstone and Treacle, Play Dirty and Scalpel. These programmers earn my gratitude and admiration. I think Cathode is the only one still going strong and I highly recommend you check it out.
Mar 10, 2022
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I guess this newsletter is partly about advising people on how to spend their money, which is not something I particularly love doing…but I will direct your attention to the war going on in Ukraine. Being from Ukraine, lots of people have asked me for context on what’s happening, but I don’t live there and don’t feel like an authority. Still what seems clear to me: Ukraine is the target of an aggressive invasion by the army of a madman who places no value on human life. The Ukrainian forces, including many civilians, are putting up an incredible fight from a defensive position. The country faces a terrible loss of life and infrastructure. The defenders will need as much support as they can get and civilians welcome all humanitarian aid. Here’s a good guide with vetted orgs, if you can help 💙THANK YOU💛 I hope with all my might this horror is over soon and that Ukrainians have peace for many generations.
Mar 10, 2022