Third Coast (and depression music and pinball).

Friends! So much has happened since we last connected:

• The Blazers lost the conference finals :(
• Game of Thrones ended (no spoilers but lololololololol)
• My roommate and I got really into pinball and blended margaritas.
• American politicians did some deeply evil shit re: reproductive rights. 
• The National put out a new album of depression music just in time for me to have depression.
• I wrote a breakup-y song that's also about climate change somehow????????

Wow, most of those things seem sort of bad, huh? But it doesn't feel like a bad couple of weeks, because I just spent seven days at the Third Coast Ragdale Radio Residency outside of Chicago, Illinois, and it was so so so so so so so good! Imagine spending a full week in a big fancy house full of cereal and peanut butter pretzels, working on art when you feel like it and drinking a lot of coffee with your friends on the porch when you don't feel like working. Also, imagine not talking to a white man for like six straight days???? Truly blessed!!!!!

Here's the fancy house I stayed in. My room was directly above the front door. 

Look at this wild room!!!!!!!

We had a bonfire and I played everyone my ringtone of Michelle Obama telling men to be better.

The wallpaper! Was good!

These are my extremely cute and good and nice and talented friends BA Parker (she) and Ariana Martinez (they)! You can find Parker's work on This American Life and Invisibilia, and you can find Ariana's work on their beautiful website.

More cute good nice friends! This is Kia Miakka Natisse (she) and Sandhya Dirks (she). You should definitely listen to their work, too!!! Kia is a super talented transmedia artist with great DJ skills, and Sandhya has really good thoughts about suburbs and ethical journalism and systems reporting. Find Kia's work on her website or Soundcloud, and Sandhya's work on American Suburb and the new POC advice podcast Truth Be Told. 

That's it for now because it's midnight Chicago time and I'm so tired always. But I love you so much and I'm working hard on the podcast, I promise. (Speaking of which — as always, I'd really appreciate any suggestions you have re: folks to interview on Gender Reveal season 4! I've got a slot or two left. Priority goes to BIPOC and people assigned male @ birth.) 

xoxoxo,
Yr favorite gender detective

PS: The grant! It's happening! We'll be deciding the 5(?) grant recipients by the end of the month, which is soon soon soon. Can't wait to introduce you to all of the winners!