September 21, 2022

🙄 No, it's not just you...

IT'S WORLD GRATITUDE DAY 😒

Okay, you know this isn't my holiday. I authored an anti-gratitude journal, so you won't catch me pushing this holiday too hard, but here's what I will say about it:
1. If gratitude isn't a magical psychological salve for you, you're not alone. Psychologists believe it just doesn't work for everyone. If you're a member of the that-sh!t-doesn't-work-for-me club you're in good company, and not wrong or in some way defective as pop psych circles might have you think.
2. Today is also World Mini-Golf Day* and as someone who struggles with perfectionism, I can say I kind of appreciate mini-golf. It's kitschy and pointless and one of the few vaguely competitive activities I can get involved with and completely not care about winning. I will never win at mini-golf, but I don't care because I never said I was any good at it to begin with. I am actually quite bad at it, but I will still play and appreciate the design of an especially elaborate mini-golf course.
* According to this holiday's explainer, "miniature golf can be traced back to the 19th century. It was originally created in Victorian Scotland to allow women to play golf because, at the time, it was considered unladylike for women to raise a golf club above their shoulder level." Now I'm reconsidering the complimentary things I just said about mini-golf.
When people try to make me "practice gratitude" this is usually how it goes. Lest you think I appreciate nothing, I am well aware that my husband and cat are pretty cool and I'm lucky to have 'em. There's your gratitude, back to the snark!
*****
Want some September 21st famous birthdays? There's quite a selection today!
• Birthday shout out to horror legend Stephen King! I owe a lot to King, so I guess I am grateful for him. He is responsible for the start of my lifelong horror fandom, having discovered his work at the age of 8. His novel Carrie meant everything to me as the lonely weird kid.
• Slice some birthday cake for actor Luke Wilson. Wilson has been in dozens of beloved films including Rushmore, Legally Blonde, and The Royal Tenenbaums, but my personal favorite is Idiocracy. The movie is 16 years old, but still holds up perfectly, as dystopian comedy usually does.
• Also celebrating a birthday today is actor Bill Murray. Up until recently he was kind of everyone's favorite (I can never keep up with who's been canceled and for what reason, but I recall hearing he had been booted from a movie during production for vague-but-probably-valid reasons), and with a film career spanning over four decades it's very hard to pick a favorite role. I choose to love the art even if the artist is an alleged creep or jerk, so I will continue watching Groundhog Day and What About Bob? and the Ghostbusters films whenever I happen upon them. I am who I am.
• Also celebrating birthdays today: journalist/NPR host Diane Rehm, Oasis lead singer and Noel nemesis Liam Gallagher, singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen, singer Faith Hill, author H.G. Wells, and Full House star Dave Coulier.
Alright, you've waited long enough — on to the links!

1. Kitty meets choreography

This cat's moves are purrfectly (and impressively) synched to Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal."

2. Some paperwork that doesn't suck

Impressive origami sculptures that create detailed masks from paper.

3. Super model, but make it a horrifying elder god

If Cthulhu were pursuing a modeling career this is probably how it would go.

4. Watching these clay sculptures come to life is oddly satisfying

Watch this clay sculptor craft reproductions of your favorite pop culture icons.

5. If you're considering robbing our creative team...

Our most viral video on our new TikTok account apparently resonated with a few people. Shout out to Boredwalk team members Josh and Grace for doing such a laugh out loud good job on this short video. (I also liked this video by our newest creative team member Tess, even though the algorithm powers that be didn't give it as much love.)

OK! We'll be back here in your inbox on Friday with updates, more nonsense holidays to dissect, more notable birthdays to celebrate, and more witty content in general. Don't miss it! Until next time...

Peace, love, and *cough cough* gratitude,

Meredith

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