Blog No. 215: Queer Eye: Billy the Librarian, Former Republicans Speak Up, Bob Dylan: A Complete Unknown
Queer Eye: Billy the Librarian
In the next life I would like to be a librarian. I love everything about these places: the books of course: the smell of them, the stories and knowledge hidden behind those exciting covers we are not supposed to judge. The idea of just having so much knowledge at our fingertips, as if all these beautiful words just jump out of the pages into our brains and hearts. A library is definitely my kind of temple...
I also love the netflix series Queer Eye--it is a tv show that teaches empathy, compassion, and brings us closer to the diversity, joy and pathos of human existence. These fab five have love in their hearts and they go out and attempt to share it...
The episode "Are You There Fab 5? It's me, Billy combines both of my loves in an inspiring episode--the Fab Five help out a man who had some wild partying years in his past but turned it around by going back to school and finding his calling.
Billy Allen is known in his Las Vegas Whitney Library Clark County community as a hip hop head librarian, who not only hosts a very popular animated hip hop story hour and inspires children to love books but also has an expanded view of what a library can do for a community. He realizes that a library is a tremendous place to hook up people with essential resources in the community and has made his library into that kind of hub. For that reason, he was awarded in 2024 a Compassionate City Awards by the city of Las Vegas.
To quote Billy in his acceptance speech: "To me, compassion embodies the essence of empathy and sympathy towards others. It's about understanding and acknowledging the struggles and joys of those around us, and actively seeking ways to support and uplift them. In the context of libraries, compassion is fundamental to our mission of serving our community. It's about creating welcoming spaces where everyone feels valued and respected, and where their needs and aspirations are met with understanding and care. Libraries are beacons of compassion, offering solace, support, and opportunities for growth to all who walk through their doors."
Former Republicans Speak Up
Substack is quickly becoming the place I go for real information on a variety of subjects, especially political ones. And one of the people I rely heavily on these days is Steve Schmidt, founder of the Lincoln Project, who had the courage to stand up as a Republican, a sorely lone voice in his party, to reject MAGA and fascism.
Another voice that I respect on substack and who has been very outspoken along with Liz Cheney is Adam Kinzinger, another former Republican. Here he laments indignantly "where are the democrats.." I would like to help their voices spread and be heard by more people.
Please consider subscribing as a paid or unpaid subscriber to their substack newsletters:
steveschmidt.substack.com
adamkinzinger.substack.com
Bob Dylan Movie
A Complete Unknown
I spent many of my coming of age years with Bob Dylan--my first boyfriend was a huge fan and then I married a Dane who was also in awe of the musical legend. (Sometimes I think one of the main reasons Gert married me was so that I could translate and fill him in on Dylan's lyrics that he so wanted to understand.) My daughter will attest to the fact that Dylan's music was the soundtrack to her childhood in our studio in northern Westchester.
The movie A Complete Unknown is fabulous. Don't miss it. It documents Dylan's early days of his career from 1961 to 1965 and really captures that epoch to a tee. Timothée Chalamet does a superb job of playing Dylan and capturing his essence. I hope he wins the Oscar. I didn't realize ahead of time that he plays his own guitar and does all the singing, something which he worked on for many years before making the movie. Zane Lowe's interview with Chalamet is fascinating and a real behind the scenes look at the making of the film and Timothée's background.
The supporting cast also did a great job--Monica Barbaro was awesome as Joan Baez and she too plays her own guitar and it is her voice, not Joan's, that sings. It was wonderful to see Ed Norton doing wonders with the Pete Seeger character.
Painting of the Week
Charity of the Week: Pasadena Humane Society
About The Author
New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow, began writing the creative lifestyle blog “things we love” in an effort to foster a sense of community during times of isolation and reflection. To read more about her and her art, visit her website and check out the essay written by Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.