Sunday Short: A Chronological List of Things Men Said to Me After I Told Them I Had Herpes by Anonymous

He was feeling bold and pinned me to the bed at a friend’s party. I was feeling bold and told him that night, hours later in his bed. He was a friend; I was intoxicated. “It sounds like you feel ashamed,” he said, indicating that I shouldn’t. He held me as I passed out, and I felt vaguely embarrassed the next morning.

I'm really into health memoir at the moment, not even just because I've been writing some myself, but more because the idea of exploring something so disabling is fascinating to me. 'A Chronological List of Things Men Said to Me After I Told Them I Had Herpes' by an anonymous contributor to The Hairpin is everything I love in the form - beautiful, intimate, ugly and moving all at once. It's a really, really lovely piece of writing.

You can read 'A Chronological List of Things Men Said to Me After I Told Them I Had Herpes' over on The Hairpin.

Friday Finds

- Gossling's cover of Vance Joy's Riptide is lovely.

- These stone cut crowns by Emerald City are the perfect mix of whimsy and fierce. Also makes me want to write all of the awesome lady fantasy.

- Rolling Stone has created a list of the 50 best non-superhero graphic novels.

- These heartwarming photos of bully breeds that dispel the bad dog myth are totally making me tear up today.

- These infographics on how long it'll take you to binge watch a tv-series are interesting.

- Dazzling new prints from Julian Callos are dazzling.

- I'm also ridiculously excited for Frank. It looks pretty great (and totally up my alley).

- And to take you out for the weekend, check out the in conversation Vince Gilligan, creator of Breaking Bad, did at Sydney Writers Festival. 

Rachel Antonoff FW 2014

Guys! How fantastic is this collection by Rachel Antonoff! It's such a chic, fun and retro set of looks, with beautiful pops of colours and really nice silhouettes (even if I'm not a huge fan of midriffs). It totally makes me whimsical for seventies art schools with sweet and rough girls exploring new found sexuality and adulthood and art and design. So, so cool. Check out the full collection (and more!) over on her website.

 

   

 

When you gonna ring it?

Ah, April. You were a rainy, pendulum of a month. All in all, it was pretty great. I went to Melbourne! Was published in an anthology!! Did two readings of my work!!! Finished watching The Sopranos!!!! I mean. It was pretty great, and a nice change from the very emotional and difficult month of March. Anyway, have a mixtape. I've been feeling a bit head-bangy the last few days, so enjoy a bit of that in this mix in the form of The White Stripes and a little more chill with The Staves. Hope you like it.

Sunday Short: Been a Son: Kurt Cobain and His Challenge to the Masculine Ideal

But there’s something else about Kurt Cobain that we should remember when we think about his legacy. He was a deeply flawed guy, but he was a guy who used his time in the spotlight to challenge cultural ideas about masculinity, advocate for the LGBT community, rage against ‘isms’ of all kinds, and draw attention to feminist concerns. Through his music, his interviews and his own performance of gender, he offered a different kind of rock archetype: an image of masculinity that was thoughtful, emotional, non-violent and aware of the privileges of white maleness. He didn’t always get it right, but there was a sincerity in his efforts to support the feminist cause and critique the male ideal – especially in the face of mockery and conflict. Kurt didn’t strive to be any woman’s protector or saviour, but instead, their ally and friend. And when we think about what we want from male feminists, that’s pretty freaking cool.

Rebecca Howden's written a great piece on Kurt Cobain and feminism over at the Kill Your Darlings site. It's a pretty tender and honest exploration of Cobain, faults and all, and the changing tides of punk music that Nirvana intrinsically were a part of.  

You can read 'Been a Son: Kurt Cobain and His Challenge to the Masculine Ideal' over at the Kill Your Darlings website.

A Book a Week: 'Murder on the Orient Express' by Agatha Christie (16/52)

Detective Poirot is between cases, catching the Orient Express from Istanbul to London. The trip is quickly delayed; however, by the murder of one of the other passengers, a shrewd, ugly man named Ratchett. Poirot is fast embroiled in a classic whodunit, investigating a case that might not be quite as simple as it seems.

This is my first foray into Agatha Christie, a crime icon, a writing icon, arguably a pop culture one too. This book, first published in 1934, made for a pretty great introduction. Christie as an author isn't someone who wastes time, and, after a quick re-introduction to Poirot, we're plunged straight into the plot. Ratchett is murdered, the other passengers integrated, and the reveals are paced in such a way that you never feel like you hold all the cards and never feel like you hold none. In this way, it's a pretty excellent work of crime/mystery fiction.

On the other hand, it also feels dated, and you never know the characters as well as you want to. Similarly, we pass through so many thrilling, exotic locations and rarely do we get a taste for it. It's a great mystery novel, but doesn't necessarily read as well as it could.

3.5 out of 5 red silk kimonos.  

Friday Finds

- The new Star Wars cast has been revealed! But, um, where are all the female characters?

- The new Sailor Moon series released designs for the characters and to say I'm excited is basically the biggest understatement in the woooorld.

- Why men should read books by women. Here here.

- This clip on gendered marketing is also aces and a perfect way to kick off the weekend!