Aack, I'm back š
I haveĀ RETURNED!
Greetings! I'm back from my solo trip/writing retreat--and let me tell you, I highly recommend renting a tiny house in the woods for yourself,Ā although bug spray is ESSENTIAL.
At first it was lonely going from Brooklyn to a spot where I literally had to hoist myself down a rope to get into town. But once I got used to it, I savored the sheer miracle of not being interrupted every 10 seconds.
A few things that inspired/kept me company:
IT NEVER ENDS by Tom Scharpling - I've been listening to THE BEST SHOW forever--it started around the same time as Pop Candy--so I was psyched to read Tom'sĀ memoir. As he promised, it made me laugh and cry and laugh some more. I'll be a devoted FOT (Friend of Tom) 'til I die.
PHYSICAL - I treated myself to a free trial of Apple TV+, and now I may have to pay so I can keep watching this series starringĀ Rose Byrne asĀ a frustrated mid-'80s mom who finds salvation in aerobics.
FEEL GOOD - I blazed through the first two seasons of Mae Martin's semi-autobiographical Netflix series. She's so fantastic (as is Lisa Kudrow, who plays her mother), and I don't wanna wait another year for Season 3.Ā
NO SUDDEN MOVE - Steven Soderbergh's crime drama didn't disappoint--and hey, did you know it was written by Ed Solomon, who got his start by writing BILL & TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE? Facts!
AACK CAST - Jamie Loftus has a rad new podcast where she takes a Very Deep Dive into CATHY comics. Give it a whirl.
THE DEVIL'S CANDY - Here's another Deep Dive Pod with a juicy subject: the (disastrous) making of the 1990 film THE BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES. Writer Julie Salamon shares insane stories from when she was on the set, along with her audio tapes featuring Tom Hanks, Brian De Palma, Morgan Freeman and others.Ā
MY BEGGING CHART by Keiler Roberts - These autobiographical comics are funny and real and reassuring.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD: A NOVEL by Quentin Tarantino - I'm only halfway through, but so far I'm loving QT's energetic, rule-breaking prose and wish he'd do the same for all his movies.
BEST CARDS EVER:Ā In Virginia I came across some amazing greeting cards by a kid named Diego Pons. The topics are hilariously specific--"I FELL DOWN THE STAIRS," "MONEY SMELLS GROSS," "NO ONE CAME TO MY BIRTHDAY PARTY"--and full of heart. (Diego's parents, Scarlett and Gabriel, let him sell his cards in their shop/gallery.)
Support young Diego's work by buying them atĀ ponshopstudio.com.
I posted many vacation diary comics at patreon.com/whitneymatheson! For as little as $2/month you can read them all and access exclusive audio, writing and more.
I'm so happy to be home--say hello at whitmath@gmail.com. Use "Popcorn" as the subject line, and I'll reply with a short film script I wrote about two guys at a movie theater concession stand.
We will be invincible,
Mr. Cluck
"I wouldn't like to be in movies. Movie people are strange.
They live a different life than musicians do."
- Stevie Nicks
Reach out! Find me on Twitter, Instagram and at whitmath@gmail.com.