I woke up late this morning. And it’s all Kanye West’s fault.
Why Kanye? Because he kept showing up in a series of nightmares last night.
I don’t like Kanye. I don’t listen to Kanye. But last night, I finally understood—if only for a moment—what Taylor Swift must have felt all those years ago when he interrupted her acceptance speech. Kanye interrupted Taylor’s moment. And he interrupted my sleepy time.
I’ll spare you the dream details—mostly because I don’t remember much—but let’s just say he’s officially on my shit list of shitty people I’d like to see go the fuck away and never be heard from again.
Random, I know. Just like the rest of this post. Next!
Yesterday morning, I was catching up with my dearest friend, Mr. Drewski. I shared my latest “remedy” for dealing with hostile comments on YouTube. And he thought it might be worth sharing, so here goes: When I read certain bullshit comments, I don’t just get annoyed in the moment. The frustration sticks with me for hours. I carry it in my body. My shoulders tighten. My jaw clenches. My mood shifts. So I decided to try introducing a small, physical ritual to interrupt the cycle. What’s my “secret” new ritual? I shrug. Literally. An exaggerated “I don’t give a fuck” shrug. Then I block the user. That’s it. The shrug is my way of telling my nervous system, “We’re not doing this.” Blocking them is just the administrative follow-through. I’m not interested in debating (or hating) strangers who show up just to cause trouble. This new habit is very much a work-in-progress. But I’m finally learning how to protect my energy without hardening my heart. More on this soon. Maybe. If I remember….
Yesterday afternoon, I had lunch with an old colleague who was also a close friend of Abby, who we lost to cancer last week. We swapped stories, laughed, teared up a little, and took a long, winding trip down memory lane through our shared professional lives. The conversation moved easily between joy and grief, nostalgia and disbelief, the way these things often do when you’re remembering someone you loved and admired. Our catch-up was tender and grounding in equal measure, a reminder of how healing it can be to sit across from someone who knows the same chapters, the same people, the same behind-the-scenes moments. And there’s a good chance my old colleague is going to become a fellow Substacker and YouTuber soon. The more the merrier, Mary!
Also yesterday afternoon, I was late getting back from lunch and ended up having to log into the Happy Hour on my phone while battling Friday-afternoon traffic on a holiday weekend. I’m rarely late. Luckily, it was just me and Ms. Genevieve. And honestly? I loved it. What started as a getting-to-know-you chat quickly turned into one of those deep, fun, free-flowing conversations that feel both energizing and comforting. That’s what happens when you put two native Texans in a Zoom room together. Thank you for being a new-to-me friend, dear. I’m so glad our paths crossed and look forward to getting to know you better. (If you’re interested in joining, register for one of next month’s free Zoom calls. I’ve decided NOT to record these. What happens in the Zoom, stays in the Zoom!)
Lastly, last night, my roommate and I watched the fourth and fifth episodes of the new season of The Traitors on Peacock. Even though I don’t recognize half of the so-called celebrities, I know just enough of them to be fully invested. Watching it in relatively real time with a couple of friends makes it even more fun. I never in a million years thought I’d say this, but I kind of miss linear TV. I miss the communal watching experience, the feeling that we’re all reacting at the same moment. Now communal watching requires coordinating calendars and texts. It can sometimes feel like planning a small wedding. Still, it’s worth it. We really are better together.
That about does it for me…for now.
Today is Studio Saturday. I’ve got a busy one planned: gathering camera gear, preparing to sell most of it, and diving into some new software. Yes, I’m a geek.
But you probably already knew that.
Keep calm and get your geek on!
Clint 🌈✌️
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ICYMI = IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
BORN THIS WAY ON THIS DAY
01-17 = Dale McCormick (1947- ) = American politician 🌈
01-17 = Hugh Steers (1962-1995) = American painter 🌈
01-17 = Indya Moore (1995- ) = American actor and model 🌈
01-17 = Ronald Firbank (1886-1926) = English writer 🌈
MAN CRUSH OF THE DAY
“I would like to be able to act or have someone care about me the way some of the people in my paintings act or care about each other. It’s as if painting it will make it become real.”
Hugh Steers
Great! Don't hold on to the things that need to be dropped and ignored.
https://youtu.be/uxX0Qvr_eYo?si=oMHCWPY7fKE_yMn2
And another