SC Weekly – June 2025 – #4
~ a curated selection of discoveries ~
::: The Open :::
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoy this edition of SC Weekly (published on Sundays).
Please consider sharing with a friend who you think may enjoy this newsletter.
Thank you for reading and for your time.
With Gratitude,
~ Mark
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::: Personal Notes :::
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This has been a wild and crazy week (by my own personal standards in modern times).
There were events two days in a row. Both wonderful imho. A Keystone Poetry anthology event IRL in downtown Philly. The next evening, ONE ART hosted a book launch event for Erin Murphy’s new poetry collection, Human Resources. The ONE ART work anthology— “The Book of Jobs”— which is Guest Edited by Erin, is something of a pivot off of her collection.
On Juneteenth, Louisa and I went to two (!!) museums. Pretty much the ideal day in my book. I suppose the real ideal would be a visit to a zoo and museum and literary event. In any case, I am grateful that I had the energy to do this.
I wish I could say that all was rosy but that is most assuredly not the case.
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::: ONE ART :::
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I’m in the process of scheduling a last minute Queer Poets reading that will be co-hosted by myself and Alison Lubar.
Donations for this event will be collected and donated to Trans Lifeline. If you’re been following the news, you’ll have a good sense of why this organization was selected.
Alison & I are in the process of getting together a line-up for Featured Readers to be announced very soon.
The ONE ART Queer Poets Reading will be held on Monday, June 30 from 6:00-8:00pm Eastern as we wrap up Pride Month.
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Where to Submit Your Poetry (besides ONE ART)
~ Meeting Day/Time ~
Tuesday, June 24, 2025
1:00 PM (Eastern Time)
Please note: This meeting will not be recorded.
Register for the meeting: Here.
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Writing Through Illness
Instructor: Karly Randolph Pitman
Date: Thursday, July 17, 2025
Time: 6:00-8:00pm Eastern
Price: Sliding Scale
Event will be recorded
>>> Register for Karly’s workshop <<<
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Sunday, July 20 — 2pm Eastern
Featured Poets: Alison Luterman, Gloria Heffernan, Karen Paul Holmes
>>> Tickets Available <<< (Free! Donations appreciated.)
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The Hundred-Line Poem
Instructor: Harriet Levin
Please Note: This is a four-week workshop
Virtual workshop meetings via Zoom
Dates: August 5, 12, 19, and 26 (Tuesdays)
Time: 6:00-8:00pm Eastern
Standard Price: $100
Economic Hardship: $75
Buy tickets – The Hundred-Line Poem – Zoom
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::: The Literary Community & Beyond :::
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‘Rebel Lit Mag, You've Torn Your Dress! Lit Mag Incubator Program; serial plagiarist; more thoughts on men in publishing; Conduit v Conduit; Confessions of a Journal Editor; nasty rejection letters; when to follow up on a sub; and more!’
This edition of Lit Mag News includes a reference to the latest sad, frustrating, and time-consuming plagiarism ordeal.
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Marc Alan di Martino reflect on the plagiarism scandal in this thoughtful post— Plagiarism is Bad…for Everyone
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::: Podcasts :::
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The Narrow Path: Sam Hammond on AI, Institutions, and the Fragile Future
(Your Undivided Attention)
“The race to develop ever-more-powerful AI is creating an unstable dynamic. It could lead us toward either dystopian centralized control or uncontrollable chaos. But there's a third option: a narrow path where technological power is matched with responsibility at every step.”
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Why I joined DOGE
This is really interesting, in part, as a character study. Somewhat altruistic, bigheaded, dreamer type ... wants to save the world and... well, listen to the segment and hear his audio notes.
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Team Resistance vs. Restraint (feat. Rep. Ritchie Torres)
(Raging Moderates with Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov)
Wow, Richie Torres is impressive. I’m stunned. I agree with Scott, Torres should certainly run for New York Governor and potentially even President.
I highly recommend listening to this conversation. I found it inspirational. I know there are those on the Left who will not be entirely thrilled. I’m more than happy to engage in reasonable discussion on the issues.
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How to design a creative life (w/ Debbie Millman)
(How to Be a Better Human)
I’m a big fan of Debbie Millman and, somehow, only just now by way of this episode learned that she is married to Roxane Gay. Wow, very cool. What a power couple!
Toward the beginning of this episode, Millman discusses her notable counter position to the "Self as Brand" concept. This is particularly of interest as I’ve heard a lot of marketing perspectives pushing the other direction lately.
Overall, lots of great advice and down-to-earth thinking from Millman in this episode. Interestingly, the lifelong pursuit of striving, which is a prominent theme, and of course on brand with Stay Curious, also comes up in this It’s Been a Minute episode about the arc of millennials’ lives (so far) and why this mentality is prevalent for millennials as, it would seem, a survival mechanism.
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::: Music :::
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I received an interesting recommendation to listen to the band Midwife. The vibe is quickly evident and the artist’s personal description of the sound as “heaven metal” is apt.
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::: Health & Wellness :::
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‘Make Your Periods Better With A Cycle Syncing Tea Schedule’ (The Zillennial Zine)
Men cycle, too, no question.
I like tea. I wonder if there’s anything to this. Sounds “woo woo” but never know.
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::: The Trump Regime :::
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I haven’t heard anyone mention the assassination attempts against Trump during the 2024 campaign for a while now.
I remember journalists noting that, in a non-partisan way, it was unsettling that the attempts did not receive more coverage. Presidential assassination attempts are no joke. That being said…
It’s amazing, now, to consider how history is being shaped by Trump’s 2nd term. And this might not have happened if he had either (a) won in 2020 or (b) that bullet had been a fraction of an inch closer. And, no, I do not believe that an Act of God saved Donald Trump for a higher purpose. In fact, if I were to believe something, I’d be more likely aligned with those of faith who occasionally post that Trump shows many signs that suggest he is the Antichrist.
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Trump & Co. are finding more sick & twisted ways to kill and let be killed the people who they wish would cease to exist. Pick your minority/marginalized group and note the ways the Ultra-Conservative Far-Right Extremists are smiling while quietly taking away rights and even small olive branches that the federal government has had in place to assist the most stigmatized and ill-treatment among us. Instead of helping, Trump and his extremist allies are doubling down on the pain — as is consistently the case — for the sake of cruelty in and of itself.
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Trump's Nuclear Attack 'Doomsday Plane' Arrives In Washington (Newsweek)
US E-4B 'doomsday plane' makes unexpected flight to DC as Trump weighs Iran strike (New York Post)
Some are describing this as a "show or force" as opposed to what others might see as cowardice — a President and key staff ready to abandon ship if plans go awry.
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Another Mysterious Anti-Trump Statue Has Appeared on the National Mall (Washingtonian)
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In spite of promises, Trump may have just started another endless war.
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::: Small Explorations & Deep Dives :::
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‘Queer as a $3 bill’: celebrating 100 years of LGBTQ+ art for Pride month’ (Guardian)
Now I want $3 bills even more than before. Let’s make this a reality!
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Mankeeping: why single women are giving up dating (Guardian)
Both sad and funny. The writing and presentation is funny. The situation is depressing.
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Overtourism.
‘How the humble water gun became the symbol of Barcelona's anti-tourism movement’ (AP News)
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‘Louvre museum shuts its doors as staff say they are overwhelmed’ (CNN)
There are other museums (and places) that will value your presence, tourism, much more.
Support under the radar. Get creative with your travels.
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‘The great poaching: America's brain drain begins’ (Axios)
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‘Telegram boss to leave fortune to over 100 children he has fathered’ (BBC)
Elon Musk doppelganger … on no wait… Elon Musk protégé … oh no wait… just another one of these middle-aged tech bro white guys into pronatalism.
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Thanks for mentioning my piece on the scandal, Mark!
Thanks for curating my Sunday reading!