Reading
So I’m still making my way through Coyote America by Dan Flores. I’m about half way through and there’s some interesting stuff in there. There’s plenty I don’t know about coyotes and their place in American history so almost all of this is new to me.
One thing that’s really interested me are the various ways that coyotes have been perceived. On the one hand, you have Coyote the deity, who is the subject of some of the oldest stories from North America. He is a comically flawed figure, but a deity nonetheless. And on the other hand, you have Americans in the 19th and 20th centuries attributing all kinds of negative qualities to coyotes, “cowardly” being the one that comes to mind right now.
It makes me think about our perceptions of people, animals, events and things around us. How much do our perceptions really match the true nature of the thing we’re observing? Or do they more accurately match something within us, the observer? Questions, questions, questions…
Watching
I’m in season 6 now of Game of Thrones, and doing my best to dodge spoilers everywhere. So last weekend when I went to HBO to turn on an episode, I was surprised to find something else grab my attention instead, the documentary Leaving Neverland.
Leaving Neverland is a documentary featuring two men who tell their stories about being sexually abused by Michael Jackson as children. It was a very good documentary but it is very intense to watch.
I came away with a lot of different thoughts, one of which being about the line between The Artist and The Art. That an artist can undeniably create great art while as a human being have a host of qualities and behaviors that are dark, flawed and damaging to other people, and those two things can exist at the same time. Confusing to say the least.
And on a brighter note, I’ve been re-watching some episodes of Schitt’s Creek, while waiting for its latest season to show up on Netflix.
Schitt’s Creek is a comedy about a very wealthy family, The Roses, who lose everything, and have to go live in a rundown motel in the small town of Schitt’s Creek. It’s one of the funniest shows I’ve watched in the last several years and the characters are fantastic. David is my favorite and I love Stevie too.
One thing that’s really cool about this show is how the characters grow while still remaining themselves. The Roses are very out of place in Schitt’s Creek and their quirks and flaws are very pronounced–that’s what makes it funny. But as time goes on and they settle in to their new life, they grow as people, but they also don’t totally lose their quirks and flaws. It’s great to watch this growth while not feeling like the characters have been given personality transplants.
Listening
I just recently finished the audiobook version of The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin, which is a non-fiction book about how we deal with expectations. People can be divided into four tendencies depending on how they relate to both external and internal expectations.
I’m interested in psychology, personality and personal development so this was right up my alley. I use my Myers-Briggs personality type, INFP, in my bios because it’s an interest I have and it tells people something about me. Also helps me connect with like people. The Four Tendencies is kinda the same deal.
You learn about the four tendencies and how people of each tendency tend to interact with the world, and of course, there is a quiz you can take to determine your own tendency. I am a Questioner, which means that I resist external expectations and comply with internal expectations. This book was a really good addition to my knowledge of myself and other people. I spent some time thinking about the people in my life and what tendency they might be. Could also be good for developing characters for all you storytellers out there.
So, what are you reading, watching and listening to?
Amanda Linehan is the author of North, about a young woman on the run from her past, the law and an old adversary out to get her. Her newest release is Bored To Death: A Vampire Thriller, about a 300-year-old vampire trying to restore the balance between life and death. She has published five novels. Get a free short story every month when you sign up for her newsletter.
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