I apologize for the silence, subscribers! I was fighting a sinus infection and working on writing projects with end-of-April deadlines and also aggressively binging Schitt’s Creek, so obviously my free time has been pretty much booked!!!
Today I have for you a selection of miniature posts— brief thoughts on various topics that haven’t managed to add up to their own newsletter and so have been sitting in my drafts. Off we go!
Star Wars Episode IX Teaser
Based on the trailer that dropped this morning, Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker is looking to be fantastic. I’m not one to majorly dissect trailers, as I prefer to revel in their mood-creating glory, but here are my takeaways:
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!
Emperor Palpatine is Back?!
Where is Obi-Wan Kenobi? Seriously, at this point they’ve brought back all our Original Trilogy friends, including Lando and Yoda and the Emperor, so if my favorite cranky old ghost doesn’t make an appearance, I’ll be sad. It made sense that he didn’t appear in The Last Jedi, but in the words of a very wise friend, “You can’t have a rising Skywalker without Obi-Wan, that’s just a basic Star Wars fact.”
I Think About This A Lot
I think about this a lot… in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, how did Dumbledore know that the every-flavor bean he had was earwax flavored? That implies he has eaten earwax before!
What My Dad Is Listening To
I use Apple Music, and my dad is my only “friend” on it. Meaning, the social aspects of the service… only feature my dad. I love this. I will make sure it will stay this way. My favorite effect of this is that the “What Your Friends Are Listening To” column only features stuff my dad has been listening to. So, are you curious? What has my father, a professor of trombone, been listening to lately?
Bach: Cantatas, Vol. 2 - My dad got an enormous biography of Bach for Christmas a few years ago, and spent the whole of Christmas break reading and listening. It seems he is still up to it. I’m not a casual cantata gal, but I do like looking at the German titles and yelling them out like a rabid Bratwurst. Geistliche Chormusik!! Die Himmel erzahlen die Ehre Gottes! Ich hatte viel Bekummernis!
With a Twist by Bria Skonberg - This is a nice, breezy jazz standards album, but my favorite part about it is that the cover looks like it’s fun. It’s got that “fun mom energy” as John Mulaney would say.
Synchronicity by The Police - I love that he’s been listening to this. My childhood memories are full of cleaning the house while my dad made us listen to one of the following: The Police, Sting, or Chicago. He’s still going strong! I love it!
Oh, My Nola - The only person who loves some themed listening more than me is my dad! Looks like he’s prepping for his New Orleans trip.
Little Fictions by Elbow - I can honestly not figure this one out at all. This is not the kind of music my dad typically listens to. I thought maybe one of my siblings had been listening to it on his devices, but I checked with them and they had never heard of it. Is my dad listening to a contemporary alternative album?!?! One that uses mostly strings in its orchestrations, not brass?!?! Could I ask him? Will he read this newsletter and tell me?! We may never know!
Hair Volume
Everyone should have more hair volume! We make fun of the 80s but what a glorious time! LET’S BRING BACK BIG HAIR!!!—brought to you by me watching Working Girl and BlacKkKlansman back to back.
Phrases I’ve Read on Men’s Dating Profiles*
*only slightly exaggerated
"This app is censoring me."
"I'm not an asshole, I'm just sarcastic."
"I'm super into feminism and would love to explain it to you."
"Ask me anything, I'm an open book, that's why I didn't fill out anything in my profile and you can't actually see my face in any of my pictures."
“Online dating is stupid I’m just here because I’m bored.”
“I’m just an adventurous guy who loves going on adventures and is looking for a adventurous girl who will be into adventuring! Adventure with me!”
"I shaved my eyebrows for fun."
A Selection of Internet Things
I like to curate weird internet findings. Here is today’s exhibit:
A twitter thread documenting a parking feud in LA:
BW/DR going deep on Harrison Ford’s refusal to be a team player during press tours:
I have never seen Meet Joe Black and honestly, who would want to sully this clip with a whole movie?!
And because it’d be ridiculous if I went this long without mentioning anything Muppet, Julia Louis-Dreyfus getting scolded by Elmo for swearing:
That’s it for today! As ever, if you have comments or questions, or want a movie recommendation, reply to this email or tweet me at @merrittmecham.