Vol. 2
Bed head; Justin Covington; Toronto Blue Jays; Chest Workout; Rick Rubin.
Here’s me with bed head.
Also, in an attempt to look less sloppy on stage last week, I tried borrowing a shirt from my boyfriend. Here’s a picture I sent him to ask if it’s too small in the trendy way or just too small. He said the latter.
This week’s edition includes an interview with comedian and actor, Justin Covington, and some news from the Toronto Blue Jays.
Thanks for the time! ♦
In Deep With Justin Covington: Comedian and actor, Justin Covington, never fails to entertain, whether he’s on stage, TikTok, Twitter, or on screen (you can see him in the movie, Bros). He has a specific and unique comedic voice that audiences fall in love with as he takes jokes about his post-pandemic side hustle, crossing international borders for hookups, or being an uncle, to their funniest elevation.
Aside from always making me laugh, Justin is super sweet. Follow him, @jcov1, on Instagram and Twitter.
JT: What do you splurge on?
Justin: Experiences! I'm a Virgo so I love planning ahead and buying tickets to events weeks or months in advance so I get to look forward to them, but also have an excuse to buy a new outfit or accessory or something to go with the event.
JT: What’s success? How do you know you’ve achieved it?
Justin: Doing something you mostly enjoy and not having to worry about meeting basic needs. Problem is, several times I've thought I achieved this only for my needs to change.
JT: In what situations do you lie?
Justin: People don't believe my height when I tell them in person so I figured I might as well lie about it on the apps. Nobody has called me out on it yet, probably cause so many other people lie about their heights. I've met several guys all claiming 6'1 and none of them are actually 6'1.
JT: What is the most important thing for people to know about you?
Justin: I'm an introvert! People think because I do stand up or like going out on the weekends that I'm this super extroverted person, but I can only do that because most days I live a pretty solitary life of videogames and gym.
JT: What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Justin: Having a quality close circle of friends and being a part of multiple IRL communities. Growing up in the US you kind of get indoctrinated to an idea of how great you as an individual can be and how much you can achieve, but time and time again throughout my life, when I think back to my biggest accomplishments, I can always give credit to friends or even looser acquaintances who played pivotal roles in me being able to get what little success I've had so far. ♦
Player Who Shared Anti-Queer Post Cut By Blue Jays For His ‘Hurtful and Offensive’ Pitching
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher, Anthony Bass, who has been underperforming this season, drew backlash recently after reposting a video on Instagram that called Target and Bud Light “evil” and “demonic” for supporting the LGBTQ community. In a statement announcing he had been cut from the team, the Blue Jays said “we apologize for the hurt Anthony Bass caused with his dismal pitching.”
Toronto’s general manager further clarified that cutting the relief pitcher was a “baseball decision” driven primarily by performance. “Performance was a large aspect of the decision. The queer stuff was distracting, sure, but that was a small part of it. And honestly we’d get through that if he was playing well. We’d do a gay event. We’d get a lesbian from ‘A League of Their Own’ to throw out the first pitch at a game. That would have been easy; there are so many on that show. But Bass’s ERA [earned run average] this season is 4.95 with 22 innings pitched. You can’t hate queer people and be that bad at pitching. Twenty years ago, sure. But not today.”
It took 10 days for the team to cut Bass after he first shared the anti-LGBTQ video. “We wanted to see if his pitching got any better,” said the general manager. “It didn’t.” The general manager summed up the situation by adding, “Anthony Bass is no ace. He’s no Clayton Kershaw [of the LA Dodgers]. Clayton Kershaw can hate the gays but not Anthony Bass. ♦
Chest & Triceps: I do this chest and tricep workout once a week.
Before every workout, I do a warm-up/stretch to get my heart rate up and blood to the muscle groups I’ll be working out.
For the dumbbell presses, I increase the weight with each set. The last few reps of the final two sets should be difficult.
Flat bench dumbbell press: 4 working sets (12 reps, 10 reps, 8 reps, 8 reps);
Incline dumbbell press: 4 sets (12 reps, 10 reps, 8 reps, 8 reps);
Center Cable Flys - 3 sets of 8-12;
Low Cable Flys - 3 sets of 8-10;
High Cable Flys - 3 sets of 8-10;
Cable pull down: 3 sets of 8-10;
Overhead tricep extension: 3 sets of 8-10 (while sitting on a flat bench). ♦
This Week’s Book: The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin.
I like Rick Rubin. Some of the music he’s produced is my favorite, listened to on repeat and annually on my top played lists (e.g., Tom Petty’s Wildflowers; Johnny Cash’s “Hurt”; Jay-Z’s “99 Problems”; Beastie Boys’s Licensed To Ill; Adele’s “Lovesong”; “Dope” on ArtPop, while no “Gypsy”, is still underrated).
Other music he’s produced, I haven’t listened to twice.
His book, which is on the creative process without any specific references or stories from his career, falls into the former category—something I’ll probably revisit often. It’s a collection of maxims, none of which are too revelatory but when read in Rubin’s words (with the help of Neil Strauss), seem like best kept secrets.
Some of these maxims come across as philosophical or spiritual while others are surprisingly practical, such as setting limitations like time deadlines or word restrictions or changing who you’re speaking to in the art. A lot seem to contradict. Rubin is aware of that. At the outset, he says: “Some ideas may resonate, others may not. . . Use what’s helpful. Let go of the rest.”
Rubin seems less concerned with structuring a cohesive guidebook as he is with sharing what he’s experienced while creating—even opposing thoughts—and seeing what resonates. He’s throwing mud at the readers. What sticks to each may be different.
Self-serious and, to some, pretentious, Rubin is not for everyone. As someone who also takes himself too seriously, I admire how earnestly he talks about being creative. That seems to be the real value of the book—validating artistic endeavor for those who need it validated. ♦
Ha! Love the satire!