One of the things I love about my wife is how we are very in sync when there is a big goal. With the move coming up, we have created a shared Google calendar to post milestones and deadlines so by the time we are boarding that plane, not a single loose end is left. I think, for whatever reason, we do an excellent job of pushing our egos aside to get things done. I don’t think we have a perfect marriage because no one does at the end of the day. There are always sore points in any relationship, but it is essential to recognize those strengths when you see them. I think it helps that we believe the same things when it comes to our fundamental belief systems. That’s why married couples on drastically different ends of the political spectrum make zero sense to me. How can one person believe that the planet is dying because of humanity’s actions and the other think no big deal? And they could have kids together?! I always expect those sorts of relationships to not be long for this world.
Here’s the weekly Spotify playlist
And in case you missed it, we released our first PopCult Mini this weekend with Ariana and I reviewing the newly released horror film False Positive.
I was disappointed to see A24 not providing a digital viewing option for their newest release Zola. I don’t think it’s too much to ask for, as they showed Minari in their digital screening room until April. They obviously have the infrastructure in place, so this is a deliberate decision. I hope they decide to give a digital option. If you look at their Screening Room page, it says no upcoming screenings, so very disappointing. I expect the same thing will be done with The Green Knight. I just don’t understand the mad need to force people back into theaters because many of the people who might want to see Zola and The Green Knight are still playing it safe like us and avoiding large crowds for a while longer now when possible.
Over the last week, the United States saw a +10% increase in COVID cases. The delta variant appears to be making its way across the country, especially those areas with low vaccination. Tennessee is still going so slow with vaccinations having only 37.6% of the population fully vaccinated. I’ve read that in East Tennessee, which is doing very poorly in this regard, they are sending the doses back to the feds before they expire because no one is coming in to get them. It must also be acknowledged that this state is rife with comorbidities from a record high level of obesity, heart disease, and lung issues.
Add in the governor being one to pull federal unemployment insurance, and you have a recipe for disaster. Of the jobs listed on the state labor site where people are being directed who are losing benefits, only 3% of the employment offer wages above the federal poverty line. I expect a wave of evictions coming at the end of July when that moratorium is up and people packing up and fleeing the state in advance. It’s funny because we’ve heard about a lot of people moving to Tennessee from California in the last few months. They cite the low cost of living. Well, they will soon find out that correlates with the shitty quality of life unless you are wealthy. We’ve already had that jabbering twit, Ben Shapiro, move himself and his horrendous Daily Wire operations to Tennessee. I just see the state going further downhill for the foreseeable future. People are either voting against their self-interest or so disenfranchised they can’t vote.
But my wife and I live in our comfortable bubble in the lead-up to the move, so this state can just go to shit, honestly. However, our friend in our destination was excited when we asked if she could be our person on the ground and help look for temporary lodging when we got there. She’s a new mom and loves this sort of stuff, so I think it’s been a fun distraction. I am so grateful, and it sounds like she and the group of friends she has will be incredibly welcoming. I know that a transition like this will have its bumps, and I expect to feel “homesick” (i.e., just feeling out of place) at points, but I will remind myself that’s not real; I need to jump headfirst into this. Given time I know, I will be so much happier there and removed from what this place is becoming.
PopCult Reviews 