Let's Get Dangerous

On nostalgia

Remember when?

magicmolly:

The few weeks of transition in between seasons are peak times for nostalgic feelings. Summer-to-Fall is an especially poignant one. Fall-to-Winter carries a certain low warmth, maybe that of hibernation. Winter-to-Spring is refreshing and lemony. Spring-to-Summer is exultant.

Funny how each of these periods has its own totems. Some totems vary from person to person and age to age, but many of them are shared among friends.

The feeling is also a frequent muse for films and books. The Royal Tenenbaums trafficked heavily in seasonal nostalgia. So did the Virgin Suicides. Ditto many Woody Allen and Whit Stillman films. John Cheever is a specialist, as is F. Scott Fitzgerald. It requires a mixture of native melancholy and aestheticism, but since the feeling is also defined by its vagueness, you can’t pinpoint a precise description or practitioner.

Interruption: As I type this, a red-sweatered woman with brown bob sits down across from me with a copy of Nine Stories. Can’t forget Salinger! She’s even wearing a locket— ultimate hallmark of nostalgia!

The quintessential autumn feeling for me takes place in Northern California at about 7 PM. I’m in the water alone on my surfboard, shivering and telling myself it is time to go in but catching tiny last waves and paddling back out over and over again. Head down to the board; smell of coconut wax; arms aching from the paddle and nose dripping. Golden light! Eucalyptus! Itchy hands! Booties full of ocean water.

We could all make lists of these totems. I’m endlessly fascinated to see other peoples’ lists and find overlap with my own. How many of your totems are books? films? foods? sweaters? smells? sensations? songs?

Greater Greater Washington:

After the first alphabet runs out of letters, street names restart alphabetically with two-syllable names. “Adams Street” follows “W Street.” Once the second alphabet is exhausted, the system repeats with words of three syllables. “Webster Street” is followed by the third alphabet’s “Allison Street.” However, the Fourth Alphabet does not use words of four syllables. Instead, the Fourth Alphabet, only present in the Northwest and largest quadrant, uses the names of plants in increasing alphabetical order. Thus “Aspen” follows “Whittier.”

I didn’t know that last part. Though I used to live near Arcadia and Aberfoyle Places, which fell between Worthington and Beech Streets and go unaccounted for here.

Someone else references Teddy Ruxpin!

almostepistles:

“

Geeks have always been fascinated with using science know-how to find a solution to their horrible, crippling, loneliness. Thus far, the results have been mixed: Frankenstein’s posthumous pal was a tad socially awkward; Anthony Michael Hall brought centerfold Kelly Brock to life, only to end up with an MX missile in his living room; and Project Aiko is an uncomfortable cross between a RealDoll and Teddy Ruxpin.

“

Teddy Ruxpin was amazing. He told the best stories and, if you stuck your finger in his mouth, he would chew on it while he talked but it didn’t hurt because he had no teeth! My TR loved to eat playdough. He was injured trying to re-enact one of his stories when he plunged from our balcony. Something inside him broke and he just could not tell stories the way he used to.

Oh, yeah, and they’re making a totally rad sci-fi musical.

Because you probably missed the ones in New Haven last week

Dear All,

This is not so much an invitation as a responsibility—to come, and to invite just about every person you think is cool to come, too.

What is a floating dance party you (maybe) ask? It involves ipods and dancing and public spaces, and is just about the most fun you can imagine. It’s early Saturday night, so you can continue on with your evening plans, stocked with a great convo piece about how you danced with a huge group of people to music only you guys could here.

Here’s how it works:

1) Download the playlist from the links below and put it in order on your iPod. DON’T LISTEN TO IT.
2) Before 9pm Saturday, meet in the alley in front of regal cinemas, next to the Verizon Center.
3) At 9pm, everyone presses play at exactly the same time.
4) We dance.

http://tinyurl.com/d7ycsm
http://tinyurl.com/d57x3n
http://tinyurl.com/co2gaj
http://tinyurl.com/cz32rl

COME! I guarantee fun. And the fun is proportional to the size of the gang, so invite any and all.

YES—
SOPHIA

PS: A sober floating dance party is an exhilarating experience, but if you are aiming for un-sobriety, please accomplish this BEFORE arriving. thank you.