Summer 23’ Wrap Up (July/August)
Hello from moose-landia!
It’s hard to believe that such a large chunk of the summer has already been eaten away. It’s almost as readily as the mosquitos have attached themselves to every bare inch of my body, but alas—we’ve made it here. August.
August, historically, has always been one of my favorite months of the year. I love transitional periods. The seemingly overnight changing of weather, the wrapping up of hot days and the welcome of cool air around the corner, and the slow integration of fall always reminds me that better things are coming. Though, this year has been marked very differently. Anniversaries of overwhelming shittiness are, no thanks to my brain, ever present. I’m a deeply sentimental person, even for the bad.
Unfortunately, I’m generously blessed with the never throw anything away gene, since every scrap piece of paper could be a memento, no matter how insignificant it may appear. But I’ve been working on my anxious-attachment to silly things. Most of all random days of the year. It’s good.
This year as undoubtedly been one of the fastest of my life, but that only brings me comfort. Do I have anything figured out? No. Do I know what the hell I’ll be doing after October? Absolutely not. But life tends to go full circle. For example, for one of my workdays this month I was able to go to the Long Draw area (N. region of Rocky Mountain Nat’l Park) to track a collared moose. Why is this relevant information?
Because nearly one year ago to the date, I was supposed to go to the same area for a fisheries project. In the middle of getting broken up with over a phone call and sobbing my heart out in the basement of my house, I mustered an excuse to my then supervisors that I had gotten seriously ill overnight and could not come into work. Now, here. In 2023’s version of Ava, she bushwhacked miles into that fateful area, and guided an entire team of people directly to a moose…. because that’s apparently her job. One that she fucking loves.
Talk about a serendipitous moment.
The past few weeks and months of my life have been truly marquee-d with a fair bit of introspection. Unfortunately, the sheer excitement of the insane things I get to do as a profession shifted into a hard right following my previous post. I was finding myself getting far more stressed/strung out than I like to be—due to no one’s responsibility than my own. Spreading myself thin has always been something that I struggle with. Socially, professionally, you name it. My hiatus from therapy for several months hit a wall and I found myself really needing to go back. The feeling of contentment of where I was and what I was doing wasn’t enough.
And that’s okay.
Intrinsically I know that life is just happens like this. It ebbs and flows, more than shines light or shifts dark. Recognizing this truth about the world makes it seem more safe. The world will turn and turn and seasons of love, grief, happiness, sadness, joy, and pain, will line the streets. Sometimes even in the same moment. And yet, living in the midst of it all can still be good.
Which brings me to my usual section of indulgence into life. I love talking about these things because 1) it helps my terrible brain and memory to remember, and 2) I like to consider media as little connecting lines between us all. We’re weirdly bonded by it, don’t you think?
So, without further ado. Let’s go. And as always, spoilers ahead, friends.
Music
So, this is certainly not an undercover album, but I finally caved this month and listened to Taylor Swift’s folklore. I cannot believe it’s taken me this long to get on the obsession of this album. As a self-proclaimed fall enthusiast, no less! If you want the coziest vibes to journal to when it’s lightly drizzling outside: folklore. Just. Listen.
Television
Heartstopper
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finally got around to finishing Heartstopper, after my lovely sister told me I needed to. I don’t know if I’ve ever been more stressed for characters on a TV show, as this one. Forget Game of Thrones or Black Mirror or The Last of Us—THIS was true concern. I just wanted these damn characters to be happy and safe and wrapped in a blanket so no one could hurt them. I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise.
The Bear (Seasons 1 & 2)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
So much yelling! So much chaos! So much heart! God, I loved every minute of this show. It was the perfect amount of drama & sentiment & creativity (the dishes looked immaculate). I’m in love with Bear aka Jeremy Allen White, but Ricky’s whole performance and character arc, especially in the second season, got me. The entire Forks episode may be my favorite performances and episodes of any piece of TV I’ve seen. Everything about it was immaculate, from the ups and downs of family dynamics to the TSwizzle screaming in the car. I was simply in love. I cannot wait until the next season.
Normal People
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I could write endlessly about Normal People, but I will just say this: Sally Rooney and whoever the fuck directed this…. I will have long lasting emotional damage from this show and I was completely unprepared for the trauma this brought to the surface in my life. You will be hearing from my lawyer.
Film
I watched a ton of movies over the course of these past 2 months, so for sake of not overloading you, my incorrigible reader, and for me, my poor fence-repair weakened wrists, I’ve cut a few less serious movies. Namely, the whole gambit of Disney Channel Original Movies (High School Musical 1 & 2, Starstruck, Lemonade Mouth, and Teen Beach Movie). Honest to God, I love those movies with a certain passion. I just feel in a particular analytical mood to pick apart the more notable selections on my watch list. Let’s dive in.
Aftersun
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ugh! What a winner to start with! To be real, however, I was really feeling the slog for a good portion of this film. I’ve never done great with no-plot/minimial-plot themes, but the ending of Aftersun just aced it out of the park for me. Made being marginally bored for over 2 hours feel entirely worth it—-and I truly mean it. I just love how the whole narrative piece undercutting the film was this idea of looking back on the rose-colored nature of childhood in a now much more structured adult lens. A view that inevitably puts together the reality that the failures and faults of our parents are just that, faults and failures. Human fuck ups. They are, afterall, simply people—not these gods or demons that we often ascribe titles to, growing up with them overhead.
I don't often give out 5 star reviews for anything these days, but I just had to.
Almost Famous
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
For years I’ve kept the theme for Almost Famous on my go-to 60-70s songwriter playlist without ever having watched it. Since downloading the app Letterboxd, my curiosity of the film just kinda… grew. The cult following is real! People go ham for this movie. For me… it was just alright. I will admit the soundtrack is legendary. If I watched Almost Famous in 2005 when it came out, I’d probably shit my pants because the iconic artists/legends they were able to include in the music is equally as stellar. As for the actual plot, I think it was one of those first of it’s time sort of situations. Like it was the first time someone made the “I’m following a rockstar and they’re all into drugs and sex and other immoral things, but really they’re just good, misguided people.” It just felt cliche. Sorry Letterboxd fans! Sorry cult!
Red, White, and Royal Blue
⭐️⭐️
This has gotta be one of the worst movies I’ve seen this year. And that pains me to say! LGBTQ+ representation, especially in media, has become so much more prevalent in recent years and the quality of the storylines, character development/writing has only improved with it. But Red, White, and Royal Blue felt like a total regression to me. There was absolutely no depth with these characters—even though they totally could have. The chemistry just felt forced… and maybe that’s just because I’m not the target audience, but still—I wanted better for these characters, this story, this whole mess. I happy the gays get to have their terrible hallmark movies, but this one lacked the utterly stupid and hilarious cheesiness cis people get every day. I’m sad!
Mission Impossible - Series
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Here’s my special shout out for my months-long marathon of Mission Impossible movies. My brother and I decided to take on this project in anticipation of the newest installment(s) arriving in theaters in late summer. Now, let’s be clear, these movies cannot be compared to the incredible feat of spy/rouge agent films out there, but they have their moments. I didn’t hate the newest movie, in fact. Tom Cruise still scares the everloving shit out of me, but my heart does sort of soar when he hops on a motorcycle to chase some international threat to society.
Pride and Prejudice
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For a long time, I was utterly confused by the love and adoration of period pieces, particularly of the Jane Austen variety. However, the moment I heard the stupid little soundtrack on this movie and witnessed the one and only hand flex, I was sold. I only got around watching it for the first time a couple of years ago, but every rewatch still sends goosebumps up my arms. I’m still in awe with how can love be written this well. Does this kind of love even exist anymore? Did it ever? Pride and Prejudice simply just makes me want to sob and laugh at the same time, and it’s simultaneously the most beautiful and heart-wrenching thing to be as a fully single, unconnected person.
Happiness for Beginners
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
I threw on this movie, as I typically do with cheesy rom-coms, in the background. However, I found myself completely distracted by some of the tormentingly-cute parts of the story line, that I completely abandoned what I was doing beforehand. As someone who owns Fjallraven pants and Oboz, I was pleasantly surprised by the semi-decently thought out outdoor principles/themes, which often fall by the wayside in these types of movies. Plus, I remembered in the course of watching this that I have an deep infatuation with men with glasses. Like, deep. I feel like I don’t see dudes with glasses much these days, but dude. Sign me up.
The Place Beyond the Pines
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Having downloaded Letterboxd and becoming sort of a budding movie connoisseur, I’ve picked up a growing collection of cult classic films that I’ve added to my watchlist. The Place Beyond the Pines is loved so immensely, that I was terrified going in that I was going to hate it. But it did have Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendez as mom and dad, so I persevered. And, I kinda loved it. I knocked off a half star because of the hard shift into pro-police world for the majority of the movie (of which I was shocked by). If you know, you know.
Barbie (2x)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
As a child who actively ran a Barbie Youtube channel with my little sister (true story), the minute I heard there would be a movie developed about not only the beloved doll, but also would present the story with a huge topical undercut about society, I was sold. I could write novels about how Greta Gerwig aced the everloving shit out of critiquing the patriacry in both counterparts of the female and male perspectives, I swear to you. She deserves all the accolades in the world. There will be no Barbie slander in this house!
Oppenheimer
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
On the flip side, I am definitely someone who fits snugly in the Barbenheimer universe. My father worked at White Sands Missile Range when I was a kid (I was born in Las Cruces, NM), which if you’re unfamiliar, is deeply connected with the Trinity tests and the Manhattan Project. So, as you can imagine, I grew up a fairly comprehensive stories of un-exploded bombs along the blinding white sands and education of figures like Oppenheimer. My excitment of this movie was almost at Barbie-levels, and yes, it was damn good. Whenever I get a doggo I’ve already decided he’s gonna be named Oppe (for better or for worse).
Before Sunrise
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m slowly trying to get myself into movies that are highly diaglog driven, because sometimes I fall into the trap of watching comfort movies that don’t really challenge my thinking, or rather, don’t really make me think about life differently. Thankfully, Before Sunrise was a perfect choice for this docket. If there was ever a movie that was made by its dialog, it was this one. You literally just watched people talk and fall in love through talking—something we all experience but seems to be so rarely captured.
Eighth Grade
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lastly, we arrive at Eighth Grade. I rewatched this on a hotel TV in Salt Lake City on a very unexpected road trip to go collect my parent’s newest puppy, Gus. If you have never seen this movie before, the only words of wisdom I can say are, be prepared to feel visceral second hand embarassment. Although this may seem like a terrible feeling that would destroy the movie entirely, I think it’s only fitting given the topic and setting of being in Eighth Grade. Everything during that time is soul-suckingly demoralizing, and that’s what makes this film amazing. It’s a must watch.
And that’s all from me, folks!
Thanks for tuning in, even if you’re some AI bot trying to get me to increase my SEO or whatever website mumbo-jumbo exists out there. Your readership is always appreciated.
By the way—I know I’ve mentioned my involvement with moose captures several times, but I did a more through piece on my instagram (see, here) about the insanity of the end of August—so I highly suggest popping by there to get the 1-1 scoop.
Maybe one of these days I’ll start to make scicomm/life content on TikTok. That’ll be the day, won’t it?
For now, I’ll see you all soon!
Aves
