Lockdown, People!
Self-sequestered, quarantined, holed up indefinitely.
I hope the supply chains hold up. I mean, I got a lot of food. I feel like I was a little late to the party getting the necessities and by the time I got on it there was just no toilet paper left anywhere. So, I focused on food. Froze a bunch of fish and chicken. I bought some hearty vegetables. We made stock. Got as much dry goods as I could but quinoa seemed sparse and rice was gone. I don’t eat a lot of carbs anyway. We have plenty of canned fish. I figure it’s probably good to be fortified with food and the poo residue issue will solve itself if it becomes a problem. Also, I have enough TP for at least two weeks.
The struggle is between the lizard brain and the ego, as far as behaving in relation to the facts—selfishly, like a belligerent child, either ideological or just selfish, or doing what needs to be done to save the herd, the species, slow the spread, take the hit and not get to ‘hang out’ and do what you want to do for a while. I’m relishing this dark time of chaos and horrific anticipation. I have spent most of my life in a state of dread and existential crisis. Much of it has settled down over the last few years but I have well-traveled neural pathways carved out by the tip of the anxiety spear over just about every scenario. I’m grounded. Nervous, but grounded. Trying to do the right thing.
The impulse to shop is deep. Just the urge to run out a grab something at the store. The stores are all so close to where I live now. None of them have anything. There was a line around the supermarket yesterday. I just need some black peppercorns and mustard powder to pickle my beets. Not anymore. Those days are over for now. Eat the beets as they are.
As for work, well, GLOW is down, The Comedy Store is closed, but my garage studio is open for business and we will be up in your business with our business when you need us. The show, the WTF podcast, must and will go on. I will ride this out with you in close to real time with a new show every Monday and Thursday as usual. If and when guests don’t want to leave their homes, I will talk to you, one on one, for however long feels right. We aren’t there yet.
In the meantime, stay safe, stay away from crowds. If you are sick, stay inside. Stay fed. Stay in touch.
Today I talk to Thandie Newton about her life, Westworld, trauma, love and other stuff. On Thursday I talk to Utkarsh Ambukdar about all kinds of shit and he raps to my riffing at the end.
Truly great talks this week.
Enjoy!
Love,
Maron