12/14/17 discussion of my amateur novel Summer Azure

Here is the link to a Twitter thread from December of 2017 where I discuss my amateur novel Summer Azure, which I'd just finished posting.

The thread mostly discusses my study sources for the novel -- which is a youth-adult romance between a girl dancing star and a reclusive business woman next door. The thread discusses how I was influenced by Nabokov's novel Lolita and Bonnie Nadzam's novel Lamb, but also how my novel differed from those novels. It discusses some case studies relating to my story, such as those of Claire Lyte, Kaitlyn Hunt, Mary Kay Letourneau, and Helen Goddard. And it discusses some of the other basic themes of my story.

The thread also gives a link to the novel, which is online and free to read.

12/12/17 review of meeting about Denver's Safe Occupancy Program

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of a meeting held in December of 2017 about Denver's Safe Occupancy Program for creative spaces.

The thread gives some background on the program -- which was basically put together by Denver Arts & Venue's and Denver Community Planning and Development to provide funds for artists using spaces that weren't zoned for working, so they could be upgraded and zoned. This program was made in response to the closing down of the DIY art space Rhinoceropolis, which was a huge blow to Denver's art community. That closure was in reaction to the Oakland Ghost Ship fire, a fire in a DIY art space that tragically killed 36 people.

This meeting took place at the RedLine Contemporary Art Center in Denver, Colorado. RedLine is one of the most active and important art institutions in Colorado.

12/10/17 discussion of media as seen through some works of art

Here is the link to a Twitter thread I did in December of 2017 connecting some thoughts I'd had after seeing the documentary OJ: Made in America, the film Manifesto, and the Getty Museum exhibit Breaking News.

I had been wondering, after seeing Alfredo Jaar's work Untitled (Newsweek) at the Getty, about how its themes seemed to contrast with those of OJ: Made in America. So in my thread, I question how the Getty exhibit and the two films I discuss explore how media "works" and how it is "broken." I also explore my own comfort levels with media, and how that influences my thoughts about these questions.

Unfortunately -- yet again, this is another thread that has been twisted around so much by Twitter's platform (all of the tweets being strung out of chronological order) that it is somewhat difficult to read.

12/10/17 discussion about feeling unwelcome in Denver's art community

Here is the link to a Twitter thread I did in December of 2017 about not feeling wanted in the art community of Denver, Colorado, anymore.

This is a brief thread. But it definitely expresses how I felt at the time. And it should give some insight into the change in the subjects of my Twitter threads as time progresses. You see a lot fewer museum and gallery reviews in my threads. The reason for this is, as I say in this thread, I no longer felt welcomed by the Denver art community.

11/26/17 discussion addressing concerns over white supremacy in the US

Here is the link to a Twitter thread I did in November of 2017 about the fears a lot of people were expressing at that time about the normalization of white supremacy in the United States.

The thread basically addresses fears in the US, post-Charlottesville, that white supremacist ideology was on the rise. It doesn't address the inherent historical racism in the United States.

However, it does address the "nothing to worry about" mentality of liberals in late 2017. It suggests that the biggest threat the US is facing is the organizing of white supremacist groups that would carry out large-scale attacks in the US. It suggests that the only way to stop those attacks is to have a large-scale, organized effort from the US government to seek out and stop any people organizing that kind of attack in the US.

Again, this is another thread that has been twisted around on the Twitter platform, so that it is kind of hard to read and follow. I'm not sure why, but my Twitter threads, starting in October of 2017, all seem to have been twisted out of order.

11/25/17 discussion of 2017 controversy over child celebrities

Here is the link to a Twitter thread I did in November of 2017 about Ali Michael posting a flirtatious message to Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard and the attendant controversy regarding child celebrities and over-sexualization.

The thread discusses my feelings about the justice of the Me Too movement and the need to believe people who say they've been sexually assaulted. But it also discusses my opinions (which I feel are pretty valid still today) about the mission creep of the movement and how it has become a veiled attack on women and the LGBTQ community.

The thread discusses what I call "sexual McCarthyism" -- a term I'd thought I'd invented (LOL), but which I have seen in other places recently, such as in the works of Patrick Califia. It also discusses my own experiences as a child with my sexuality and emphasizes that my childhood trauma came, not from adults flirting with me, but from Christian ideology making me feel really terrible about myself.

Unfortunately, this is yet another thread of mine that has been twisted around by the Twitter platform, making it somewhat hard to follow. It seems like my threads, starting in about October of 2017, all got twisted around. I'm not sure why.

11/24/17 review of novel The Book of Unknown Americans, by Cristina Henríquez

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the novel The Book of Unknown Americans, by Cristina Henríquez.

The thread gives a summary of the novel. It discusses the novel's style, its "page-turner" qualities, its strong use of tension and suspense, and some comparisons with other works. It discusses the book's themes, like family, community, the American dream, the migrant experience, and the sense of place and home.

Here is the link to the Penguin Random House web page for the novel.

I bought this book used from The Red Chair Bookshop at the Denver Public Library in Colorado.

11/23/17 review of novel Maggie Cassidy, by Jack Kerouac

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the novel Maggie Cassidy, by Jack Kerouac.

The thread gives a summary of the novel and some background on my experience of Kerouac's works. The thread compares the work with works of other authors. It discusses the time frame of the novel. It discusses the novel's simple yet active and stream-of-consciousness style. And it discusses my favorite moment of the novel.

Here is the link to the Penguin Random House web page for the novel.

11/20/17 review of novel The Stepford Wives, by Ira Levin

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the novel The Stepford Wives, by Ira Levin.

The thread gives a summary of the novel. It compares the plot and themes of the novel to Levin's novel Rosemary's Baby, as well as other popular works like Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Farenheit 451. The thread discusses themes in the novel like individuality versus community, women's individuality versus conventional roles for women in families, and consumerism, capitalism, and normativity.

I got this book from The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles, California.

11/19/17 review of Bolshoi in Cinema's Taming of the Shrew

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the Bolshoi Ballet in Cinema's encore screening of The Taming of the Shrew.

The thread gives a summary of the ballet and some background on the Bolshoi in Cinema screenings. The thread discusses Maillot's choreography and musical choices. It discusses the ballet's classical and experimental styles. And it discusses some themes in the ballet like idealized love versus social constraints. The thread also gives links to a lot of videos the Bolshoi has made about this ballet.

Unfortunately, this is yet another thread of mine that has been twisted around on Twitter's platform. Not sure why this happened so often in late 2017. But it does -- I'm sorry -- make reading the thread a little difficult.

Here is the link to the website for the Bolshoi Ballet in Cinema.

I saw this screening at the Regal UA Denver Pavilions theater in Denver, Colorado.

11/18/17 review of novel Coffin & Co., by Simon Njami

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the novel Coffin & Co., by Simon Njami.

The thread gives some background on the novel, as well as its relation to Chester Himes's novel Cotton Comes to Harlem. The thread discusses how I learned of Simon Njami's works. It discusses the varied style of the novel, the novel's exploration of black identity throughout the world, the examination of a professional life, and the beauty of Paris. The thread also discusses fanfiction elements of the novel. And it gives some critiques of the novel.

11/14/17 review of Nancy Drew mystery The Mysterious Mannequin

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the Nancy Drew mystery The Mysterious Mannequin, by Carolyn Keene.

The thread gives a summary of the novel. It discusses the books' views toward immigrant and diaspora cultures. And it mentions some of my favorite characters in the book. It also gives some critiques I had of the book.

11/14/17 review of Denver Arts & Venues IMAGINE 2020 presentation

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of a 2017 meeting held by Denver Arts & Venues regarding its IMAGINE 2020 plan.

The thread gives some background on IMAGINE 2020. It then discusses presentations by LaPlaca Cohen and Corona Insights regarding how people find out about and invest their time in cultural events in Denver. The thread also discusses a panel discussion on Denver's arts scene and the city's changing demographics, as well as a presentation by Mayor Michael Hancock on the arts in Denver and a poem about Denver and the arts by Suzi Q. Smith.

11/12/17 review of film Paris, Texas, dir. by Wim Wenders

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the film Paris, Texas, directed by Wim Wenders, and which I saw at the 40th annual Denver Film Festival.

The thread gives some background on the film -- which had its first US (?) screening at the 7th Annual Denver Film Festival in 1984. The thread discusses the film's style and visuals. It discusses some of my favorite scenes. And it discusses the film's similarities with the Ross Partridge film Lamb.

I saw this film at the 40th Annual Denver Film Festival in Denver, Colorado.

11/12/17 review of Denver Film Festival screening of Stan Brakhage films

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of a screening of three films by Stan Brakhage, as well as a post-screening Q&A with Jane Wodening, at the 40th Annual Denver Film Festival.

The thread gives some background on Brakhage. It then discusses the films screened: Window Water Baby Moving, Scenes from Under Childhood, and The Stars Are Beautiful. The thread also discusses some insights Wodening gave on her own experiences of living and working with Brakhage, as well as her insights into Brakhage's early life.

I saw this screening at the 40th Annual Denver Film Festival in Denver, Colorado.

11/12/17 discusson about being hit on as a teenager

Here is the link to a Twitter thread I wrote in November of 2017 about having been, as a teenager, hit on by an adult.

I wrote this story in response to some tweets I'd seen trying to prove that all youth/adult interactions involving attraction were traumatic to youth. A lot of the thread discusses my own youth trauma, which was actually the effect of Christian ideology claiming that LGBTQ people like myself were doomed to hell -- not the effects of random adults telling me, as a teenager, something pleasant about my appearance.

This thread is, by the way, my first mention of the term "manufactured consent" in relation to age of consent laws. And it's probably the first thread where I really discuss human beings, and especially young people, as legally being made the sexual property of the state.

11/11/17 review of Nancy Drew mystery The Secret of the Old Clock

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the Nancy Drew mystery The Secret of the Old Clock, by Carolyn Keene (Harriet Stratemeyer Adams).

The thread gives a summary of the book. It gives a bit of context on the women behind the pseudonym "Carolyn Keene," which I hadn't known much about before. It discusses some of the book's themes, like justice, the relationship between Nancy and her father, Nancy's "sales" techniques. The thread discusses the book's form, as well as some aspects I saw as potentially queer aspects of the book. And it discusses how the story is empowering for girls.

Unfortunately, this is yet another thread that somehow has been twisted all around by the Twitter platform. So the thread doesn't read very coherently.

11/8/17 review of documentary 32 Pills: My Sister's Suicide, by Hope Litoff

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the documentary 32 Pills: My Sister's Suicide, directed by Hope Litoff.

The thread gives a summary of the documentary, which documents how Litoff dealt with the suicide of her sister. The documentary is painful but beautiful, and I highly recommend it.

I saw this documentary at the 40th Annual Denver Film Festival in Denver, Colorado.

11/6/17 review of film Faces Places, by Agnes Varda and JR

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the film Faces Places, directed by Agnes Varda and JR.

This thread gives a summary of the film, which documents a photo-mural project Varda and JR did across France. The thread gives some background on Varda and JR. The thread discusses the film's style, its vision of France, and its vision of Varda herself. It discusses my favorite moments from the film and the music of the film.

I saw this film at the 40th Annual Denver Film Festival in Denver, Colorado.

11/5/17 review of film screening by Process Reversal collective

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of a screening of work by the Colorado-based film collective Process Reversal.

The thread gives some background on Process Reversal. It discusses the works screened by Eric Coombs, Kevin Rice, Andrew Busti, Sarah Biagini, Curt Heiner, Eric Stewart, and Taylor Dunne.

Here is the link to the website for Process Reveral.

I saw this screening at the 40th Annual Denver Film Festival in Denver, Colorado.

11/4/17 review of films Dragonfly Eyes and The New Fire

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the film Dragonfly Eyes, by Xu Bing, and the documentary The New Fire, by David Schumacher.

The thread gives a summary of both films. It discusses the various aspects of nuclear power explored by The New Fire. And it discusses both the plot and the found-footage techniques of Dragonfly Eyes. The thread discusses some of the shocking aspects of Dragonfly Eyes. It also discusses what the film says about surveillance.

Unfortunately, this is yet another thread of mine that has had the order of its tweets twisted around on Twitter. So it's a little hard to read.

I saw these films at the 40th annual Denver Film Festival in Denver, Colorado.

11/4/17 review of novel The Audition, by Maddie Ziegler

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the novel The Audition, by Maddie Ziegler, with Julie DeVillers.

The thread gives a summary of the novel. It discusses some things I liked about the novel, like its plot twists and its techniques for keeping the reader engaged. It discusses some of my favorite scenes and  characters. And it discusses how storytelling tropes like the "magic move" and the "hero's journey" play out in this story.

Here is the link to Simon & Schuster's web page for the book.

11/2/17 review of Kitty album Miami Garden Club

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of Kitty's album Miami Garden Club.

The thread gives some background on how I learned of Kitty's music. It discusses the basic style of Miami Garden Club. And it mentions some of my favorite songs from the album.

Here is the link to the bandcamp web page for Kitty's album Miami Garden Club.

11/2/17 review of book The Maddie Diaries, by Maddie Ziegler

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the book The Maddie Diaries, by Maddie Ziegler.

The thread gives some background on the book. It gives some background on how I learned about Maddie Ziegler. It discusses some of the book's themes, like Ziegler's relationships with her family members and her work on Sia's concert tours. It also discusses what I like about the structure of the book and the art and photos in the book.

Here is the link to Simon & Schuster's web page for the book.

11/1/17 review of political phone banking with One Colorado

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of an evening I spent in November of 2017 doing political phone banking with One Colorado, Colorado's leading advocacy organization for LGBTQ Coloradans and their families.

Here is the link to the website for One Colorado.