This is Geistlist: Things for People by Jacob.
Some of you know my mom died at 9:55am last Thursday, in the living room. I was sleeping in at the Lansdale Holiday Inn by the new turnpike entrance, 20 minutes away, after a long week talking to her and deciding if she was conscious, waiting for death to happen. She was with Dad and a sister or two (later confirmed to be two of three). Within an hour, we were all there.
She had had cancer in her brain a long time, and it finally found the stem. We put her body in her favorite red shorts and strawberry top and waited for the laboratory to which she donated herself, who sent men with a minivan. I helped lift, while we laughed and played September and danced and cried. An advantage of donating your body to science is plenty of time for your loved ones to grieve and the potential for them to see you in the same Houghton Mifflin biology textbooks you taught from one day at Souderton Area High School, if you taught at your son’s alma mater.
A memorial service will be 3pm Saturday November 18 at Zion Mennonite Church in Souderton, PA. If any of you want to organize or join a carpool or need pickup from Trenton, reply and I’ll get you all in touch. Please do not feel awkward attending. If you are reading this, you have some sense of me, and she created that. Her name was Valerie, and you are invited to celebrate her.
¶. Tonight 7pm: Fat Bear Week Kickoff
Williamsburg, NYC, free
On the wall to the right when you walk into Cloud City is a memorial to the DIY Venues who’ve died, but Cloud City is still here. Elizabeth lives there (I think) and knows the name and stats of every bear born at Katmai National Park in Alaska and who, this week, are devouring salmon from waterfalls in hope to survive the winter off bodyfat alone. She bakes bear-shaped cookies and bear-themed sandwiches and hosts a bracket tournament, which she’ll personally coach you through. No RSVPs, just show up to Cloud City at 7pm and toast with us to the prefix lipo-.
¶. Tuesday 7:30pm: Generate
Greenwich Village, NYC, free
The millennial/boomer drinking club (and anyone in between/over/under/abstaining) is back after summer hiatus. Doors open 7pm. Conversation starts 7:30pm. Over at 9:00pm sharp (9:10pm if conversation is really good). I have to text Lynn to rememeber if we decided on a topic by it’ll probably be death or taxes or sex. Wine and snacks provided.
¶. Wednesday 6pm: Art Deco & Environmental Collapse
Flatiron District, NYC, ehhhhhh
Gallery opening for two fantastic new exhibitions at Poster House. This isn’t technically open to the public but give my name at the door and see if it works. Bonus points if you ask for Kyle and demand to become a member right on the spot (again, please do mention my name). Dress nicely, whatever that means to you. Sorry Kyle & Angelina & you’re welcome.
¶. Thursday 4:30pm: James Joyce: The Walk
Upper West Side, NYC, free
Hang with me and PhTBD Cathryn Piwinski and others on a walking tour of the locations and homes of people close to James Joyce: the Modernist Man, the muck fuck ruck fuck sucker, yes yes yes man, and harbinger of Irish identity. Drinks certainly to follow, precede, and likely coincide. Text (848) COM-MENT if you need a current location. (This is the second in an ongoing series of walks.)
¶. Friday 7pm: Build a Board Game in 2 Hours
Williamsburg, NYC, $5
We fail every time but it’s always fun to try. Daniel and Ben run a tight schedule. Come with a precise idea to have it dismantled or come with nothing to build. Hosted by me at the City Reliquary, mixed indoor and out (weather pending). We break into groups if there’s more than 10. The five bucks is for pizza & beer but if money’s tight just email me and we’ll hook you up.
¶. Saturday: FALL DAY
All over NYC
Inviting you to Kyra’s thing, hope she doesn’t mind. Fall rocks, and Kyra Sims is co-creative director and French hornblower of Infinite Wrench NYC.
¶. Saturday 7pm: Ugly Ducking Presse Fall Studio Party
Gowanus, NYC, free
These are the folks that republished the fictitious textbook I made a children’s pop-up adaptation of. They rock, and it’s in the Old American Can Factory. There’s a Linotype machine in the lobby. Explore.
¶. Sunday 9pm: Brian’s Trivia
East Village, NYC, tip
Madina Farid and I are on top, and/or will be. Come to the Brian & Alex show (the one that’s not famous on TikTok (Wednesday is)).
∞. Brave Saint Saturn
Compact Disc
I bring you an album from the peak era of concept albums, but also when they were most found to be annoying, like covers today. Lucky for you their second album, the good one, is available on streaming, but never be afraid to buy MP3s when you can’t catch them in the stream.
So Far from Home is from 2003, and documents the return journey of the sailors to Saturn, when then end up on the wrong side of the planet. It’s good, it’s dark, it’s religious, and it’s about dying and not.
Yes, if you know, this is by the Five Iron Frenzy people. Thank you to Glendon, and Brooke, and Nathaniel Martin especially, and yes it took me 15 years.
¶. Saturday November 18 at 3pm: Memorial to Valerie Sue Ford
Just north of Downtown, Souderton, Pennsylvania
See above.