The Fracture: June 2025
Status of the Y chromosome, the Ecdysiast Arts Museum, and Madonna's Bedtime Stories
Aside from a few weekends here and there, I feel like I’m going to be busy until New Year’s. I’m entering a season where in mere months I’ll gain depth, experience, and fortitude, looking back to this time—right here, right now—and saying: “Wow, my life is so different.”
Well, it better happen like that.
But first, what caused me to crack and pause this month?
The articles
The Guardian reminds us that social media will definitely be the end of us: “Like many aspects of millennial culture, this authenticity has now been sufficiently roasted for its naive and cloying self-importance, but replaced by something arguably worse.”
(I like starting off on a high note.)
Earth.com: “The Y chromosome is disappearing, a fact that is already causing problems for men.”
A Magic Tree House book is on book ban lists in Tennessee. I knew it was a matter of time before this shit got carried away, but, then again, book bans in general make us all dumb.1
Starbucks is trying to make their cafes more cozy and “third-space.”
Five gifted articles from NYT:
I hate smoking, any and all kinds. I don’t care about your feelings on this. As a child who was reprimanded by a friend’s mom at a sleepover for bringing “disgusting, cigarette smoke sheets” and watching my parents remove the batteries from the inconveniently placed smoke detectors in rental properties (they must have been really sensitive), I’m biased and have also noticed that pop culture is currently having a love affair with the bad habit.
What if you wanted a physician-assisted suicide but didn’t have a terminal illness? A touching and difficult story about Canada’s controversial MAID program.
As a creative nonfiction writer (I don’t speak for all writers in the genre), I just want to punch James Frey in the face. When A.I. starts producing “memoirs,” don’t cry about it because, after all, you welcomed this guy back.
My dear ol’ denomination had their annual convention this month… and surprise! Same-sex marriage is on their target. Separation of church and state? What’s that?
“A Day With One Abortion Pill Prescriber” (and of course, a Christian couple in Texas needed their help).
And to put me in a better mood:
Danielle Colby, from The History Channel’s American Pickers and a long-time burlesque performer, opened the Ecdysiast (fancy word for “stripper”) Arts Museum in Davenport, Iowa, this month.2 Find out more here and here. Get me to Iowa!
The music
“Tongue Tied” - Earl
I WILL CHOREOGRAPH A BURLESQUE ROUTINE TO THIS SONG.
Hold me accountable, readers. Who knows? Maybe I will send paid subscribers a video of the masterpiece… with a reveal, always a reveal.
(The video is kind of sleepy and doesn’t match the song aside from the aesthetic, but I’ve complained about enough in this Fracture.)
I scoop that ice cream
He licks the plate clean
No time, just more, please, striptease
I wan' another helping hand, oh man
I polished every room we can
Yeah, we gotta do the damn thing
Keep a mama comin' again, and comin' again
“Take a Bow” - Madonna
Madonna’s Bedtime Stories album contains two of my favorite songs, “Human Nature”3 and “Take a Bow.” Very different songs and looks, but, then again, Madonna can do that. As a kid, I was spellbound by this video’s story and raw emotion. Sexy, sad, and beautiful.
All the world is a stage (World is a stage)
And everyone has their part (Has their part)
But how was I to know which way the story’d go?
How was I to know you'd break (You'd break, you'd break, you'd break)
You'd break my heart?
The art
I bought a print from Wei Wei, a tattoo artist based in Tucson, Arizona, at Seattle Erotic Art Festival.
I found out there is a companion print!
The books
Kind of sucking in this area, but I am slooooowlllly reading The Dry Season by Melissa Febos.
Bought Mary Robison’s Why Did I Ever from ebay to study a flash hybrid form that I may want to try out with my memoir, but it sits in a lovely pile on my nightstand with other To Be Read books.
The random
After approximately four years, I’m about to be done with clear orthodontic aligners. On July 8, I get my buttons removed, and I will get scanned for my retainer!
The whole story in a long block paragraph:
We got some Biden money to help during the pandemic in 2021. I decided that my economical and patriotic duty during that trying time was to treat myself with clear braces. I’ve always hated my smile, so I sent away for an impression kit from Smile Direct Club and sent it back after making my molds at home. I got my aligners, but they made my gums bleed. I was miserable and constantly using dental wax. They recommended I get a scan at one of their centers in Portland or Seattle. I did that like four times! Scan, new set, pain, rescan… over and over. When they recommended I get scanned a fifth time, I was like nope. I wanted my money back because I was obviously not a good candidate. They said, “Sorry, we have a 90-day money back guarantee.” So I cried and told sob stories about my crooked teeth insecurity. Well, I got about 75% of my money back, but I was back at square one. (They ended up filing for bankruptcy six months later.) My oldest was wrapping up his time in braces and our orthodontist offers a 25% discount for parents. I took advantage of that, and thankfully, my husband’s HRA account covered it. About 10 months later, the overcorrector aligners at the end shifted my teeth badly. I got rescanned again for another round. I was so done, but my orthodontist assured me I would get the smile I wanted with one more set. The power went out that day I was supposed to be rebuttoned. It was stressful, but I told myself I wouldn’t cry. (I did anyway.) BUT I’m about to be completely done. No more elastics, no more having to say no to a snack because I had just brushed my teeth and put in my aligners. So elated that I’m taking the whole day off!
I bought these interesting Touchcards for a new experience in intimacy from a start-up. When I get the confirmation that they are “Out for Delivery,” my husband better clear his schedule. (This would actually be fun with very specific friends as well.)
I want to submit to literary journals again. Working on a piece about wanting to eat my hand. Yes, it’s about masturbation.
With all my busyness, I am trying to lock-in a time for a staycation and photos. #priorities #epicviews #swimspa
I’ve requested a chantilly berry cake for my birthday. In March. Which led to the Big Bopper’s “Chantilly Lace” getting stuck in my head.
Been auditing my efforts lately. Asking questions like: What is my desired outcome? Are there certain points in this project/endeavor that require more energy? What is the pay-off or benefit of this being seen as “successful”? Using this mindset has been really interesting in regard to relationships.
We have a blackboard in our living room for inspirational words. Two cycles ago, I had one of our mainstays up: “This is a safe place to ask questions and change your mind.” Book bans go against this. Shut up and stay in line. The ultimate sheep are those who are for book bans. Heaven forbid your kid ask you a question from a book that upends your fragile adult world. Okay, rant over.
The gorgeous Yulie Padilla performed. Super swoon! Yay for humble-breasted but fierce performers. ❤️
Yeah, spellbound by this video as well. Makes sense I’m the way I am, I guess. Talk about choreographing a fun burlesque routine! Favorite lyric: Would it sound different if I was a man?