picnics, ponies...and help me choose the sexist-ist song ever (Patreon)

hey loves,

greetings my dears, tired and confused amanda waving from waiheke island. 

things are going, still, at a snail's pace over here. i'm trying not to add anything to my plate and i'm deep in consideration with neil about when and how to go back to the states - at least for a spell. there's a lot to consider and we are taking it slow. it's so good to feel the mood there lifting, and my parent friends of young kids are just starting to exhale a little. we feel the waves of relief over here and it's lifting our hearts. but still: the variants around the globe are on the rise. i was JUST starting to plot a hopeful trip to melbourne and boom, victoria shut down it's borders last night. this morning it was announced that there are more cases in melbourne, and it's a few steps forward and back all the time.

if this year has taught me anything, it's this: go slower. as slow as you think you can go, get there, and go yet slower. and then slow down. and then more. that seems to the only to survive this moment, and my ego just has to set down its agenda. 

i had enough energy to do a little spontaneous webchat for the $10+ folks the other day, and they're veering more and more into group therapy, but whatever works, folks. god i just love this fucking community so much. i love getting to know everybody better. following certain lives and stories.  

i wish i had more time to do more things like that, and i know i keep saying that, but just bear with me. i dream of daily livestreams, poetry readings, meditations, songwriting sessions....and i'm exhausted. it'll come, in time.

it'll come. 

...........

meanwhile....i'm working on a longer-form piece of writing for all of you, and barely getting to my to-do list every day. 

i'm spending a lot of time reading with and hanging with ash. it seems like on any given day, it's a choice that i will never, ever regret.

the weather here is getting colder so we aren't tramping around outside quite as much, although i did have a fun time yesterday morning...(cross-posted from IG today):

ash woke up hella early yesterday and the sun was shining so i packed up our breakfast in a big picnic bag and we had our french toast and hot chocolate on big oneroa beach as a break on the bike ride to school. the morning beach walkers had never seen the likes of it and cheered us on and the dogs were very excited about the french toast and we had to fend them all off. i like doing random things with my kid. it’s more fun now that he’s almost six and can part in the spontaneous adventures instead of just being carried along, vaguely understanding. 

we made it to school on time.

ash also went on his first solo horse/pony ride the other day.

he was frightened, but he stayed on the whole time, and neil and i took turns leading him and his pony, who was named macleod.  

i am so proud of my son. of my whole family. we are making the best of this strange moment in time in so many unexpected ways, and making memories like this for ash is one of the greatest delights i’ve ever experienced. i remember a lot from when i was five and six. especially the few times i got to ride on a horse, and the fear i felt, and the power, and the almost sacred connection with these beautiful gentle animals.

i don’t know how everybody else is doing, but i’m coping with a lot of negative and festering leftover negative energy lately......lots of old pain and wounds are lashing out and surfacing and asking to be healed from all parts of the inner and outer globe. it’s always this, it comes in waves.

i’m so much stronger and less afraid, in so many ways, than i used to be. 

it’s liberating, being on the other side of fear. we’ve all had to face such massive fears in order to grow. it’s built into our programming. watching ash on his horse as they hit a steep embankment was like watching my own heart sliding and pounding. “i’m scared, mama, i’m scared, i’m scared, i’m scared and i want to get off.” i just righted him on his saddle and promised him we wouldn’t let him get hurt. he stayed on. i stay on. on we stay. god, this life is weird. and this country, so beautiful.

let the dogs bark, little sancho. it is a sign that we are riding. 

🔥

...............

MEANWHILE.....

i've got a fun one for you. I NEED HELP CHOOSING AN IRONIC SEXIST COVER SONG!

i was just asked to take part in a fun song cover project to raise money for the abortion access front. 

my friend over there, lizz winstead, called up and asked if i'd make a video for their annual DO RE #METOO fundraiser. (get it?).

SO!.....i'll choose a sexist as fuck song, cover it ironically, and we will raise money for the abortion action fund.

FUN TO WATCH: Here’s a taste of how Laura Jane Grace, Jackie Venson and Peppermint did it last year for inspiration. IT'S SO GOOD. laura covers "hurts so good". OUCH.

here's the thing: i'm pretty braindead and time poor right now, but i figure this is the kick in the ass i need to make a new little patreon project, AND give lizz what she needs for her stream, AND free up some of the dough from the Thinging to give to the abortion access front ... it's desperately needed fundage right now, given the fact that things are looking pretty dire in the states.

if you know me, you know i love me an ironic sexist cover song.

i'm the lady who teamed up with st. vincent and covered "what's the use of wondrin'", one of the most sexist piece of shit songs of all time from the musical "carousel", and when i recorded it, i was not subtle: i included the sounds of a sobbing battered woman  in the background. 

and of course we made a video where we quote director peter greenaway and cook and eat our abuser for dinner.....

......

i love this shit!

so, YOU, my patrons....wanna help me choose a SUPER SEXIST SONG TO IRONICALLY COVER? YEAH????

c'mon!! this'll be fun.

if you need some inspiration....here is their SEXIST SONG SUGGESTION LIST.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yLCThvfT94_kHpDrDVhGAAAz7uubInu8VQu64f_eQbc/edit#gid=0

i perused it....i'm thinking maybe "maneater" sounds pretty tasty. or one of the enimen songs, i mean, tori amos did it well?

that being said, there's a song NOt on that list that really should be, i heard it a few months ago during a karaoke and was like: oh god, oh god.....

gary puckett and the union gap's "young girl". 

it's SO, SO BAD. SO BAD.

let's just enjoy these rape-y lyrics , whether or not i cover it...

Beneath your perfume and make-up
You're just a baby in disguise
And though you know that it's wrong to be
Alone with me
That come on look is in your eyes

Whoa, oh, oh, young girl
Get out of my mind
My love for you is way out of line
Better run, girl 

You're much too young, girl

.....

YOUR JOB???

BEAT THAT, guys.

seriously.

SEND ME IDEAS in COMMENTS here, whether or not they're in the sexist song list, in comments!!

i'm readin'.....but already on fire

i have til july to gather this one together, and i can probably put a little band together here on waiheke.

xa

------THE NEVER-ENDING AS ALWAYS---------

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