#roundups .. did not stick to it clearly </3 FEBRUARY IT IS!!

[djservo]

crashes in in a fashionably late kind of way.. january is finally over!! 31 days felt like 300 but now that we’re on the other side of it, what books did you read to start 2024? what was the vibe any standouts has it changed what’s on the horizon?

I've started keeping a physical calendar again so you'd think having the month splayed out in front of me so directly and constantly would be grounding but week after week I was just like Omg how is there More.... we made it thru tho god bless xx January was fun!!

in terms of my pre-planned monthly reading themes, January was a grace period where I let my whims guide me so I'm surprised at how many themes incidentally overlapped?? Naomi Klein referencing The Fire Next Time, the theme of internet doubles and online dark corners in Doppelganger essentially being the core of The Sluts, the dark spiraling mystery of The Sluts akin to the dark spiraling mystery of Mysterious Skin, yada yada yada. I luv when the dots inadvertently connect!! right place right time vibe!!

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

it's been really nice starting my reading off with Baldwin these past few years, something grounding about immersing myself in sharp indictments of the US amidst the usual new year wide-eyed blitheness. this one was only 2 essays but both gripped me just as much as his longer collections. I imagine it's hard to sort of reframe arguments, pleas, and points you've been talking about for years when things still haven't changed, but each new (to me) Baldwin essay reads so fresh in the way that he contextualizes these core points within different interactions + relationships. I think Ive said this before but it's also so rewarding to read an author's works chronologically because you can kind of follow how their frame of mind sharpens/adapts throughout the years and in a way you grow with them, and his first essay (a letter to his nephew) kinda feels like the culmination of that growth laid out with such care. super special

Doppelganger by Naomi Klein

totallyyyyyy consumed + dizzied by this wow I can't believe it took me this long to read Naomi Klein. I think I'd been intimidated by the size of her books + my incorrect assumption that something so research-heavy (bc boy does she research!) will read too dense, but everything here was laid out and tied together so smoothly + accessibly (I feel like I use that word a lot for nonfiction which is probably my subconscious quest to entice ppl to read more nonfiction hehe) This read like partial investigative deep dive into the online world of conspiracy theories/Qanon cesspools + partial mystery novel about her own experience with Naomi Wolf (her 'doppelganger')?? idk it feels weird to relate someone's lived experience to a spectacle like that but it really was like edge of seat level curiosity/uncertainty/etc. just so engrossing and thorough and THRILLING, the epilogue made me gasp!!!

Leslie F*cking Jones by Leslie Jones

my one + only spotify audiobook experience, cut short amid the last chapter bc I ran out of hours and no longer am a spotify premium user so I just read the rest </3 but that turned out to be fun bc I saw what a stark difference it was to listen vs. read this. the audio rules bc Leslie totally goes off script to add anecdotes (one of the reviews was like 'she was NOT reading what was written!!' LMAO so true.. and I love her for that!!) + an emotional depth I don't think could've been sufficiently captured in written form - her laughter and her palpable anger and her literally crying over... such a robust journey! I was an SNL fan basically my whole life til I went to college so I always love stories about it and I really admire how she didn't hold back in her criticisms. I feel like former members (especially those somewhat fresh off the slab in a way) feel like they have to be eternally grateful to their experience when so much of it is so clearly draining and thankless. doubled expectations because she's a woman, tripled because she's a Black woman, and therefore expected to just bend over and take it (her words) but she never does!! she never tries to compromise her own experiences like "this happened... but at least this happened too and they actually were nice in this way-" NO!! she compartmentalizes the good and the bad so distinctly so there's no misunderstanding, and I just really really admire that, the lack of kissing ass in an industry where that's practically what fuels your career/reputation!! she rocks + is such a funny storyteller+ I'm so glad I listened to this

The Sluts by Dennis Cooper

ofc had to squeeze my old man in... I think this was actually the book to first put Cooper on my radar so it was super fulfilling to finally get to it (even tho I devoured it in just 2 days.. a shame bc it was a slay to read this in public) Supremely up my alley with its 2000s internet mystique, the perfect backdrop for a twisted mystery + ruminations of Internet As Performance Art™, the internet as roleplay, what's real + what's just fantasy/fetish, etc etc. so so so good and while still sick and horrifying as his writing is known for, perhaps the most readable for an uninitiated reader of Cooper's works?? even then I'd say this is still for a very particular reader tho idk i can never get a pulse on what a majority of readers are into these days!! I really loved this though and I'm sure it'll be in my top 5 for the year thank u once again for the twisted ride denny !!!

My People Shall Live by Leila Khaled, George Hajjar

feels more like political ethnography than personal memoir. there is some of Leila's backstory and family and personal relationships sprinkled in (her husband is given maybe 5 lines total LOL), but so much of her being is clearly centered around Palestinian resistance + revolution, so recounting her political work within a collective was her truest form of autobiography as that was indeed her life/livelihood. wild to read how intense she was even from childhood, how Down she was to sacrifice things and put herself on the line... literally getting plastic surgery after hijacking a plane in order to be able to get involved in more demonstrations without being recognized like god!!! intense life-altering decisions and it's like she doesn't even bat an eye or show any regrets/wistful 'what if i hard a 'normal' life?'!! that eric andre margaret thatcher meme but instead "do you think leila khaled effectively utilized girl power by hijacking a plane?'' LOL I mean... ! 🤭

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

SILLY + ABSURD!!! a bit of a hike to get there but once I hit it, it was hard to put this down (as is my experience with a lot of classics, I find) I think I really enjoy magical realism rooted in political/cultural landscapes, or maybe I just really like wacky shit (it made me think a bit of Catch-22 which I also had fun with!!) + this didn't disappoint!! truly giggled aloud at some parts, the ridiculousness of it all!!! makes me wanna deep dive into the history of the Soviet Union but I feel like I'll need to clear at least an entire month for that .... will have to plan accordingly 👩‍🔬

Mysterious Skin by Scott Heim

heartbreaking and dark but handled with a lot of care. I guessed the "twist" (which feels indelicate to call it that but I cant think of another word rn) early on but I think that just heightened the slow unraveling of it + made it that much more emotionally grueling to get thru. perhaps that was even the point! I'd been meaning to watch the movie for like over a decade at this point but wanted to read it first so now having read and watched it I'm glad it was now vs. me at 10 or whenever bc dumb tween me likely wouldn't have processed it well enough and the darkness would've overshadowed the journey itself. sometimes it's important to wait I guess is what I'm trying to say!!!

I definitely want to squeeze in another Naomi Klein this year if possible, maybe some Russian/Ukrainian lit. I've focused on Baldwin's nonfiction these past years so I might pick up a fiction of his this month + ofc Cooper wherever I can squeeze him <3

#january i told myself i'd write my thoughts immediately after a book so i'm not rambling/scrounging for thoughts on the spot during our #roundups .. did not stick to it clearly </3 FEBRUARY IT IS!! #asks #devitalise #rip to the cheesehair tag </3 #reads #<- thats my new book tag i'm tired of typing bobby book club + i can't exactly shorten it to BBC bc. well

[flauntpage]

Your Friday Morning Roundup

Flyers fans two weeks ago: Fire Hakstol, fire Hextall this team is a dumpster fire, trade everyone!

Flyers fans now: You guys, this team is actually good!

Two extremes, but you can say the Flyers have been very streaky as of late. The orange and black earned their fifth straight win by defeating the Buffalo Sabres 2-1 last night at the Wells Fargo Center. Travis Sanheim scored his first goal in his NHL career, while Valtteri Filppula scored the game-winner. Things were pretty tame after a wild opening four minutes, which saw Buffalo’s Ryan O’Reilly and Sanheim score the first two goals of the game. Brian Elliott stopped 19 of 20 total shots on the night.

The bigger question regarding the team is whether or not they can hold this level of play and keep it up for the remaining four months of the season. They got half their games back from their 10-game losing streak, but are still out of playoff contention. They don’t need to win out the rest of the season obviously, but sticking in the thick of things come February would be a big boost for the team and the fans.

The team hosts the Dallas Stars on Saturday night as they hope to make it a six-game winning streak.

The Roundup:

The Eagles continue to get ready for their first game without Carson Wentz. There were some injuries worth noting:

#Eagles Thursday Injury Report DNP: WR Jeffery (illness), DE Means (illness) Limited: G Wisniewski (ankle) Full: DE Barnett (groin), TE Celek (not injury related), TE Ertz (concussion), S McLeod (quadricep), LB Walker (neck)

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) December 14, 2017

Jason Kelce also got hurt, but for a little bit. He got cleated in the leg, but he also killed a recycling bin:

Here's the video of the incident…

Kelce destroys a recycling bin with a thunderous kick. http://pic.twitter.com/h1MABX4wuA

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) December 14, 2017

RIP in peace that recycling bin. Here’s what happened from his point of view.

“What happened is I’m an idiot. You’d think at 30 years old I’d be able to control myself a little bit better than that. I got cleated in a drill and I had an ankle sprain a couple weeks ago. The best way I can equate it anybody out there who’s done yard work, and you hit your thumb with a hammer and you throw the hammer halfway across the yard because of that. That’s about as close as I can get to it.

“Nothing serious. I got cleated in one of the drills and it was just a stupid reaction. Very minimal damage long-term, but it hurts like a b**** in the moment.”

As much as you sometimes don’t like Carson Wentz putting it all on the line, neither does Jay Ajayi.

As for Wentz’s replacement, Nick Foles will need to develop immediate chemistry with his pass catchers, even though some might be familiar to him. He also believes he’s better off handling adversity now:

“You just sort of see the game a little more clearly,” Foles said this week, when asked how he is different from the QB who trudged off the field in Houston. He said that perspective is the product of age and experience – he has doubled his time in the NFL, if not his number of actual snaps, since then.

“Even stepping into the game like [in Los Angeles], in the fourth quarter, you’re on the road, and it’s a big game. You really just go back to your training, back to your experiences in life, you know how to sort of live in that moment, to execute the plays to help your team win,” he said.

“Since that moment in Houston where I fractured my collarbone I’ve experienced a lot more experiences in the NFL than I had up to that point. A lot of them great, some of them not so great. But they all go together, they create this moment in time.”

Another player who’s confident in his new role: Nate Sudfeld, the team’s new backup quarterback.

No matter who’s behind center or how many players get injured, right guard Brandon Brooks says the team will do whatever it takes to get the job done.

Additionally, the Birds brought back a familiar face to the practice squad in wide receiver Bryce Treggs.

—

Thanks to a leak in NBA 2K18 and Conrad Burry, we saw what the Sixers’ “City Edition” uniforms will look like:

A pleasant sight to see at practice on Thursday: Robert Covington. He celebrated his 27th birthday and said he’ll play tonight against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

ESPN will also dedicate the entire day for Sixers coverage.

Joel Embiid explains his latest Instagram post on Karl-Anthony Towns, which solidified himself as a national treasure.

Finally, welcome the 76ers Gaming Club to our city. Absolutely pumped! eSports baby!

—

Bob takes us into the Manny Machado rumors, which might not go much farther for the Phillies. Here’s why:

Phillies believe their offer for Machado is not strong enough to make a trade happen. #Orioles want Sixto Sanchez.

— Dan Clark (@DanClarkSports) December 14, 2017

Meanwhile, the team announced the hiring of Jose Flores as their first base coach and infield/baserunning instructor. They also lost outfielder Carlos Tocci in the Rule 5 draft to the Texas Rangers.

Pat Neshek is here for the jokes:

Thanks @rhyshoskins for giving #17 back…I'll sign up a dozen balls for ya and get them out to you in the next week or so

— Pat Neshek (@PatNeshek) December 15, 2017

Alright that went on long enough…did you really think I would do this? Enjoy #17 Rhys! I'll go find another random #

— Pat Neshek (@PatNeshek) December 15, 2017

And one Army sergeant got the treat of his life from Mickey Morandini:

Mickey Morandini and @MarksReeseWIP surprised SGT Kyle Hoffman from Kensington with a trip to @Phillies Phantasy Camp @LibertyUSO http://pic.twitter.com/scKQPtFRwf

— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) December 14, 2017

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In news that shouldn’t surprise you, Villanova is the best team in the Big 5.

As for action this weekend, Temple will host Drexel Saturday at 5 PM on ESPN3. On Sunday, La Salle will host Mercer, and St. Joe’s will host Maine at 4:30.

Former writer Kevin Cooney has a new job title: Rosemont College Sports Information Director:

So, this will be in a few threads… bear with me. Today, I accepted a job at Rosemont College to be their new Sports Information Director. I’m thrilled that I could join the entire staff – including @CoachBarney. They made me feel right at home.

— Kevin Cooney (@KevinCooney) December 15, 2017

Best of luck to Kevin.

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In other sports news, the Denver Broncos beat the Indianapolis Colts 25-13. But the talk isn’t about the outcome of the game. It’s about the injury to Colts tight end Brandon Williams. Williams has a pre-existing condition called spinal stenosis, which made him medically ineligible to play while at Oregon.

The Boston Globe detailed problems for women at ESPN and also named John Buccigross and Matthew Berry in the story.

As for ESPN, what does Walt Disney acquiring 21st Century Fox mean for sports fans?

Giants cornerback Eli Apple was fined for tweeting on the sideline during Sunday’s loss to the Cowboys. He wants to play this week against the Eagles.

Cardinals’ running back Adrian Peterson is done for the year with a neck injury.

Somehow, this guy got $10,000:

"A little sidewinder. Nothing but the bottom. GET PAID." #TrueToAtlanta http://pic.twitter.com/TSejBcHRwh

— FOX Sports: Hawks (@HawksOnFSSE) December 15, 2017

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In the news, by a 3-2 vote, the FCC voted to repeal Net Neutrality rules. But the fight isn’t over just yet.

The Schwenksville community is gathering to help support a family devastated by a fire that took the lives of their two kids. You can also donate to their GoFundMe page.

Cosmo DiNardo and Sean Kratz plead not guilty to the deaths of four men from July, which was procedural.

The NYPD have decided to open an investigation amid rape allegations against Russell Simmons.

Curb Your Enthusiasm is coming back for its 10th season.

Philly Pretzel Factory stores will open up in Manhattan.

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