MALONEMAIL No. 8: West-Coasting

Afternoon, chiclets! Okay, I don't mean to brag, but for the past two weeks I've been spending at least 30 minutes sitting outside in direct, warm sunlight with an absurdly fluffy dog every day. It is positively transcendent and I realize that when I recommend that all of you do the same, it's sort of cruel, but after this winter, I have become a cruel person. I have accepted this, as should we all.

Here's what I've been writing:

For WIRED, I interviewed sociologist/tech culture analyst Sherry Turkle about why people like Buzzfeed/Zimbio personality quizzes so much. A CTV News show, Kevin Newman Live, interviewed me via Skype about it! (I think this might have been my first television appearance??)

For Grantland, I wrote an essay about Kesha getting out of rehab and dropping the dollar sign from her name, and why that's portentous for pop music.

Also for WIRED, the second installment of my dystopia column! I interviewed people behind the Hunger Games and Divergent franchises to explore why dystopia became so young & female. I was invited to come talk about it on Wisconsin Public Radio this upcoming Tuesday evening at 5p ET, if you're interested in tuning in.

Here's what I've been reading (so much this week!):

Julia Angwin, honorary dystopian, writing at the NYT about privacy and its evolution into a luxury good.

My BFF Lindsay Zoladz wrote another entry of her column Ordinary Machines, about the art and power of the hashtag in pop music.

Stacia L. Brown wrote an important piece at Slate about race, Lupita Nyong'o, and her future in Hollywood.

Ann Friedman talks about the idea of the "dream job" in journalism for CJR, speaks some serious gospel (at least for broke, ambitious freelancers like me).

The situation with Conor Oberst and Joanie Faircloth and her rape allegations makes me really ill, but Tracy Egan Morrissey explores the topic well at Jezebel.

Zachary Lipez wrote a really compelling piece for Noisey about the navel-gazing turn of indie rock (the topic is tired, but his take and prose are really great).

This essay by Lili Loofbourow at the LA Review of Books is the ultimate collection of words about True Detective, IMO.

Shani O. Hilton, on Medium, explains what actually goes into building a diverse workplace.

My comrade-in-WIRED-arms Rachel Edidin destroying worlds with her piece about Cosmos (WHICH IS AMAZING, WATCH IT) and its progressive politics.

Here's what I've been listening to:

Decided to give Miley's Bangerz another shot. AND DAMN IT, MOST OF IT'S NOT BAD. Choice cuts: "F U," "#GETITRIGHT."

Also revisited Kelis' Kelis Was Here (thanks for that, at least, #banbossy), because I'm Bossy.

Look forward to EMA's Future's Void, y'all. It's out 4/8 and it's SO good.

And that's it! You made it through the wilderness — of MalonEmail! Hope you're all clinging to every moment of spring as it creeps over the horizon. I know I will be when I return to NYC this week (sniff).

TO SUNSHINE,

Devon

P.S. (Parting Shot):

It's been over a week, but I seriously can't stop watching this GIFset of Eartha Kitt being the supreme goddess of all humankind.