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From the desk of H.R. Howell…
It’s 4am on Tuesday, August 2nd. I’m currently listening to “I don’t know” by Beastie Boys and thought it was fitting. It’s ok to not know the meaning of life. There’s aspiration and elation in not knowing. It’s relatable.
Nichelle Nichols (December 28, 1932 - July 30, 2022), Star Trek’s one and only Lieutenant Uhura, will be greatly missed but always remembered. She was a trailblazer in the industry and a role model to all and her legacy will live on in the hearts and souls of this lifetime and future generations.
*I just learned that “uhura” in Swahili translates to freedom. Pretty significant, if you ask me.
Jenn (my wife, whose middle name is after the late and great) and I watched the true-crime documentary Girl in the Picture on Netflix. Just when you think it can’t get any worse, it does.
Deemed as a classic, I felt obligated to read Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. I put it down after 20 pages and left it sitting on my desk for weeks. I finally picked it back up and decided to push through and finish it and I’m glad I did. It’s one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. The subject matter is disturbing, yes, but it’s not about what society thinks. It’s not about rationalizing pedophilia. It’s about the narrator and how he rationalizes his sickness to the reader and how he convinces himself it’s acceptable in his unhealthy mind. Humbert Humbert is a villain and it’s all about his pov. He’s the definition of an unreliable narrator, so it’s up to the reader to decipher what is really happening and what is just him talking shite. No matter how much he wants you to, you cannot sympathize with him.
“Everything about life is a joke. Don’t you know that?”
-Vonnegut, Bluebeard
Jinkx Monsoon impersonating Judy Garland is comedy gold. It’s close to topping their performance as Little Edie.
Today is August 4th. My birthday. Jennie got tickets to a 25th anniversary showing of Princess Mononoke. This is my favorite Miyazaki film, not only for the morals, but I always wanted to be part of Moro’s wolf pack.
Thank you. Have a nice week. If you enjoyed any of this, don’t forget to consider my birthday present.