Monday Morning quarterback

i miss my best friends

Nov 28, 2023

Welcome to Monday Morning Quarterback.

Each week, I share a real-life experience, the best stuff I saw on the internet, and an idea. If you want to chat, comment on this post!

I’ve been MIA for the past two weeks because of a combination of laziness and busyness. Writing consistently while working at the restaurant is harder than I thought. When I was writing for the Milk Road and freelancing I was always mentally burned out, because I was working on things I didn’t want to spend my time and energy on.

Working at the restaurant is more rewarding and fun, but it’s physically draining. You’re on your feet for 7+ hours every day, carrying bus bins, and talking to people. While I have more mental energy and ideas than ever, my output is lower because it’s hard to stay up later and get up earlier since my body is telling me no no no.

I can write and work at the restaurant, but I can’t write, work at the restaurant, and go out like a college kid (which I’ve been doing for the past two weeks, due to friends visiting the city and Thanksgiving weekend).

Here’s to more consistency.

Preview of my recent blog post: I miss my friends.

Why moving across the country didn't solve my problems

I recently watched a video of Druski and Jack Harlow that made me miss my best friends. The video starts with Druski playing with a random stranger's dog. Jack is recording the video and then asks the owner of the dog to film the duo because he needs to join his “life partner.”

The video reminded me of my best friends. We call each other names like life partners. We interact with strangers and try to make each other laugh by saying absurd things. We don’t take life too seriously. We just kind of get each other. Get each other like best friends get each other.

The sad truth is, I just haven’t had that kind of connection since I moved to New York City 15 months ago. I’m not physically lonely. My roommate and I are now friends. I meet new people on the street every day.

Rachel, the 65-year-old Lesbian from Texas who co-owns a theater in Brooklyn
Steve, the caretaker of a brownstone and neighborhood chain smoker
Jacob, the bodega cook who can never take anything seriously.

I joined a political organization where I see people on a regular basis. I participated in improv and acting classes. I work in a restaurant and interact with people daily. And, I even go on a few dates every month.

But there’s a difference between spending time with people and spending time with your best friends.

When I moved from LA to New York in September 2022, I left my whole life behind. My family, my hometown, my college town, my childhood friends, my college friends, and my post-grad friends. I left the only true friendships I’ve ever known to move 3k miles across the country for an imagined dream I didn’t even know I had. To a place with a few mutuals and 8 million strangers.

I left behind friendships based on love, respect, and emotional support. I left behind people I didn’t need to justify my actions with. People I could just be my unfiltered self with. I didn’t have to worry about being judged or misunderstood. I didn’t need to explain my actions. I left behind all this… for what?

To run away from it.

READ THE REST OF THE POST HERE

TikTok:

Work until we die

This creator explains the average life of an American. Work work work work work work. Die. Of course, she received a lot of hate, but is she really wrong?

We want ceasefire, they don’t

There is a major divide between what the ruling class wants and what the average American wants. It’s important to understand… the political ruling class in America will never represent our interests.

Elizabeth Warren is another person too privileged to politic

Elizabeth Warren was recently confronted at dinner by a Palestinian American who has had 68 family members killed in Gaza. This creator discusses how the elite use respectability politics and abstract academic exercises to deflect accountability. It’s a 7-minute video, but it’s worth the watch if you are into these topics.

Media:

Spartacus

The 1960 Stanley Kubrick film is a fictional story about the valiant Roman gladiator, Spartacus. It’s 3-hour+, but it’s a good watch if you like historical movies, action movies, or revolutionary movies.

Spartacus was a Thracian slave born in 103 BC in modern-day Bulgaria who has one of the best stories in all of history.

Born into slavery, he was forced to become a gladiator at a young age. After spending years in captivity, he rose above all odds to lead a slave revolt that resulted in the Third Servile War. This war brought Rome to its knees and almost destroyed the republic.

Spartacus has inspired a multitude of freedom fighters throughout history including Karl Marx, Rosa Luxemburg, and various sports teams around the world such as the Russian football club, FC Spartak Moscow and the Bulgarian club, OFC Spartak Pleven.

A Letter to my Gazan Palestinian Son.

A letter from Hebh Jamal to her 21-month-old Gazan Palestinian son. You’re going to want to keep some tissues close for this one.

Quote:

A nation cannot be free if it oppresses other nations. The forces needed to oppress others in the end will turn against them.

Friedrich Engels

Poor Billy's Almanac

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