PicoBlog

We are living through some frightening times. It is okay to be scared. From where we’re sitting, Davida and I are probably going to have it a little rough for a while. We both have service jobs. Paulie Gee’s Logan Square, where I make pizza, is mostly on lockdown, doing takeout and delivery only, for the time being. Pretty much the rest of Chicago’s restaurants are just straight up closed, and the entire industry is terrified about our future.

Weezer’s self-titled debut album—known affectionately as the Blue Album by generations of fans—turned 29 this month. To celebrate, Paul Myers and I wanted to share Daniel Brummel’s excellent exploration of these 10 legendary tracks through a power pop lens. This essay originally appeared in Go All The Way: A Literary Appreciation of Power Pop (Rare Bird Books). The collection features essays about Big Star, Sloan, Blondie, Fountains of Wayne, The New Pornographers, XTC, Cheap Trick, Tommy Keene, Jellyfish and many more.

White Christian nationalism is a ethnocultural ideology that uses Christian symbolism as a permission structure for the acquisition of political power and social control. That’s my definition, anyway. But however you define it, people often ask, “Is white Christian nationalism Christian?” The question usually isn’t a question at all. It comes in the form of an accusation or an assertion. “There’s nothing Christian about white ‘Christian’ nationalism,” they’ll say. I understand the sentiment.

A good baby falls asleep immediately after birth. Generally, babies then sleep for six to twelve months. This is a hibernation period. If at any point they wake, it’s likely they’re having a sleep regression. Here is your definitive guide to sleep regressions. It’s important to be able to explain why your precious baby isn’t sleeping all the time, so here is a handy list for you to match their age with their appropriate sleep regression.

As the McDonald's All-American Game MVP and one of the top recruits of the 2023 class, Collier chose Southern California over staying home in Georgia. This was a wise decision because most attention went to his teammate Bronny James, Jr. This allowed Collier to stay away from the hype, while still showing his worth at a high-ranked school in the PAC-12 Conference. During his freshman campaign, Collier showed many flashes of being able to play as an NBA point guard.

I’m so sorry to hear you’re having trouble! We’ve compiled a list of links to help you with whatever ails you, technologically speaking.  A longer list of frequently asked questions can be found here.  If you don’t see your issue, please visit the Substack help center. You’ll be able to search by keyword, and find exactly what you need. If all else fails, you can reach out to Substack customer support here and get one-on-one support to troubleshoot your issue.

Hello! Hello! I’m about to set out on a series of work-related trips, so look forward to upcoming newsletters dispatched from abroad. But first, something very local indeed—I’ve either made or foraged for most of the ingredients in this week’s recipe. But don’t worry, you can purchase everything. You do you. In the meantime, don’t forget that our special offer continues: one year of this newsletter and all the benefits for paid subscribers for only $45, plus a free, signed copy of my cookbook, Kitchen Sense: More than 600 Recipes to Make You a Great Home Cook, delivered to your door.

What’s that?! A substack that isn’t about redistricting?? Its true. While we wait on the latest Congressional drafts from the state house, we can take a look at a more light-hearted topic. Booz! Last Friday, Washington County, located in the heart of Florida’s conservative panhandle, held a all-mail referendum on the sale of liquor. Before this vote, Washington was just one of three remaining “dry” counties in the state. Dry counties in Florida forbid the sale of liquor; while beer and other low-alcohol drinks remains legal everywhere in the state.

The artist, writer and teacher Brian Catling died at the end of September following a long illness. In the mid-1990s I was taught by Brian at the Ruskin School of Fine Art, Oxford University. We later became friends. There is a recurring image in his work: hands, masks, mirrors or liquids obscuring his eyes and face. It seems apt that I find it hard to see the words with which to describe him.