Hello Sternal Journalists!
I have got to phone it in today with just a few recs, but that should give all of you who keep telling me “I’m three behind on Sternal Journals! I have them bookmarked!”1 a bit of time to catch up. I do think I’ve had some spicy ones in the past few weeks, and have more plans for weeks to come!
So with even less ado than normal:
Recommendations!
The Birth of Espresso. Video. This 3-minute YouTube video from “coffee influencer” and gentle British voice James Hoffman is just a really soothing journey through espresso, poster art, and enterprising Italian men in fedoras.
Jackman. Album. The new Jack Harlow Album is minuscule at 23 minutes, and has a couple kinda weird songs on it, but I’m of course a fan. I’ve listened twice. Right now, They Don’t Love It and Blame On Me Are my favorites.
God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian. Elevated Bathroom Book. Famed Christianity-loving Atheist and totally my guy Kurt Vonnegut did a bunch of little 90 second spots for WNYC back in the day which were fictional accounts of him letting Jack Kevorkian give him a controlled near-death experience so he could go interview people just outside the Pearly Gates. This book collects them and it is as delightful and profound as Vonnegut ever is. You can get the vibe for some of the pieces here.
Psychic Therapist. Newsletter. My friend Olivia threatened for years to start a Substack and she’s finally done it and it’s good. It is (I think [mostly]) about astrology, which you know I don’t love, but she tells it like it is, which you know I do love. Read her most recent post, about her recent “rabbit hole of alarmingly negative astrology listicles,” here. If you like it, subscribe!
The Funny Thing About a Panic Attack. Poetry (and arguably also an Elevated Bathroom Book). You will hear more about this book and this man Ben Kassoy who wrote the poems in it, both in the Sternal Journal, and in real life (by which I mean entertainment news). If you like poetry, you’ll love it. If you don’t like poetry, you’ll go “Wow, I though I didn’t like poetry.” Happy birthday, Ben, even though you will probably not see this until you catch up on your SternJourns in a few weeks.
And finally, I had to see this Kraft Singles ad on Reddit, so now you do too:
You said it, Kraft Singles! Alrighty, folks! That’s all!
Sending much love!
Julian!
This is a thing that actually happens, and while I always respond with insistence that they not feel a need to catch up, it does make me feel nice.
Jules! Thanks so much for the shout and the kind words and, as one of those gah!-I'm-three-behinders, seeing me. Jazzed to catch up and to make the Stern Journ all about ME and MY POETRY and NOTHING ELSE very soon! <33333