The Fracture, April 2025
Naked house cleaners, ghost poops, and a haunting song of heartbreak
Burlesque this week after a three-month break and SEAF this weekend!
But before that, here’s what moved me and made me laugh and ponder a bit in April.
The articles
So you may have heard that Hooters is filing for bankruptcy and trying to revamp whatever they do. This writer’s experience, with his robotic observations and assessment, is just so hilarious to me.
Black Mirror is back. We’ve seen the first four episodes of season seven. (“Common People” is just oof.) Here is someone’s opinion on the dystopian, technology-will-be-the-end-of-us show’s best episodes. I have to agree with “The Entire History of You” and “Demon 79,” but season five’s “Striking Vipers” made me scream “YES!” because I’m intrigued by unconventional connection and relationships. What are some of your notable episodes? Jog my memory.
I’ve been into NPR’s in-depth stories featured on All Things Considered lately. I recommend listening to this one on the pronatalism movement and this one about AI-created “true” crime (both 8 min. each).
Ever wonder about the job of a naked house cleaner? No surprise that they are asked for special requests that do not include cleaning… or sex. People are so interesting and entrepreneurial.
“Christians and sex: An endlessly fascinating new book shows just how intertwined sex and the church have been for 2,000 years.”
The San Francisco Standard covered Aella and the sexy data behind her Substack Knowingless.
My three gifted articles from NYT:
“The Unabomber’s Brother Turned Him In. Then Spent 27 Years Trying to Win Him Back.”
“Where Will We Eat When the Middle-Class Restaurant Is Gone?”
“10 Tips for Being Happily 85 Years Old (Like Me)” (The first one has motivated me towards epic boldness. If you get tip #1 down, you’re basically unstoppable.)
And I’m just going to leave this right here as a mom committed to good butt health (which means chastising her family when someone takes more than five minutes to complete a #2): Do you have ghost poops?
The music
In recognition of the release of the trailer for the 2025 remake of I Know What You Did Last Summer1, here’s Kula Shaker’s version of “Hush,” a remake of Deep Purple’s 1968 version2, for the original 1997 movie’s soundtrack. (That’s a lot of “remakes” and “versions;” everything just seems to repeat itself, right?)
Na na na na na na na na na (The lyrics we all know.)
As I tinker around with my memoir, memories obviously resurface. There was a woman, a doctor who lived in Boise, for whom I developed a great bond, but I blew my chances with her. (That story will be in my memoir.) She divorced her pilot husband and moved back east. I’ve tried to find her but to no avail.
She sent me this song in the midst of our flirtations and missed opportunities and said the song reminded her of us. After translating the lyrics, my husband said, “Wow, she really fell hard for you.”
Yo estaré désolée, de todo me arrepentiré
De cada sílaba que dije y de cómo te miré
Haré pequeño mi deseo en el metro de Madrid
Y pensaré: "no me quieres como te quiero yo a ti"
Translated:
I'll be lonely, I'll regret everything
Every syllable I said and how I looked at you
I'll make my wish small on the Madrid subway
And I'll think: "You don't love me the way I love you"
(The whole song is gutting.)
Let’s change up the emotional atmosphere with The Bird and the Bee.
Slide down a banister
Land on your feet and open the door
Hands up, up in the air
Nothing to change and nothing to wear
The books
I listened to Come As You Are again and (mostly) finished it this time. I obviously have a sensitive accelerator. Sorry, not sorry.
Started Tilt by Emma Pattee. I really don’t think I can make it.3 I want a female protagonist to root for, and this is becoming more and more rare… or I’m just someone who needs humor in the midst of despairing narratives.
Seriousness does not necessarily mean smarter.
The random
Wrapped/wrapping up my posts for Open for Business, my kind-of smut thriller from grad school. Fiction and ridiculous girl drama are not my thing, but I welcome the achievements of completion and finality. (Elise may be based on me, but I want to be Georgie when I grow up.) Back to real life!
I’m going to Seattle Erotic Art Festival (SEAF) this weekend. I missed last year and was determined to go this time. Trying not to hype it up as a life changing, motivating epiphany experience, but erotic wellness, sensual confidence, intentionality in pleasure, and growing comfort in intimacy are cozy floor cushions in my mind palace. After this weekend, I’m hoping to be driven in rambunctious, delicious ways… because I don’t know how much longer I’m going survive in HR.
Went out to celebrate the birth of my wonderful friend. I love that I can say anything with her, and she just gets it. After explaining my desire to keep exploring my sensual nature, I came to a conclusion: In the process of building up my confidence in the vulnerability of intimacy, I’m able to easily maneuver and engage in the vast majority of settings and interactions in life that require clothing.
Or something like that… I told her I should have recorded my monologue. She replied by affirming that in some capacity I’m meant to be in this space, discovery through sensuality. Sometimes I just really need to hear that.
Enjoyed being a tourist with my fam during spring break. Things that stood out:
My kids are not fans of “kid noise.” My youngest (10) was not having it with the preschool squeals.
My kids hurry through exhibits and attractions at the same “Anything else? Are we done?” pace as Mom and Dad.
Getting a little too excited when my husband asked me to flash him in the hot tub, so he could take a picture. (Later, a colleague at work asked him what I look like, and he had to do that incognito “Hmmm, let me see” while scanning through pics.)
Starting back up with burlesque, specifically for public performance. Really missed it. Need my outlets.
Moving stuff out of and redecorating The Foxhole, my she shed, for more dance practice room and inspirational pizzazz.
I’m trying to be very cautious as I pick up projects again. I miss writing on here, so stay tuned for my SEAF trip and other posts that give me the same internal buzzing or sensory snugness as stepping on a large sheet of heavy duty snap buttons set in the clicking position. (And NOT the magnetic ones… not the same!)
Freddie Prinze Jr. 4 eva ❤
Deep Purple’s version gained popularity, but it was originally written and recorded by Joe South in 1967.
I couldn’t. DNF at 10%.
Wonderful sharing - and stimulating at that!
One thing - desolee means sorry or sad - with wonderful double meaning (as it could suggest regret but also defiance)