Pioneer Nights

Written 3/31/20

It's two a.m., and I can't sleep, so I'm going to talk about Welcome To Night Vale. I want to share some quotes from episode 143, Pioneer Days, which I listened to on Sunday.

"Habits are comforting; rituals are important. It’s what keeps us grounded. It’s what prevents us from shouting uncontrollably and clutching at our eyes."

And later in the episode, "But now that I think of it, we do spend a lot of our days distracting ourselves from physical reality. Maybe we really can use this time to experience life more solidly in the physical world, the way our ancestors did. Who needs modern conveniences when we have each other, right? Hold your loved ones close tonight. After all, you have nothing better to do."

I paused the episode before the end credits and proverb because there was a good bit to think about. Pioneer Days is one of my favorite episodes now, up there with Old Oak Doors, Toast, and Brought to You By Kellogg's.

Taken on their own, the lines I shared could offer some inspiration for the situation we face right now. In context, they're about an arbitrary holiday on which every citizen is forcefully immersed into pioneer life by having all of their utilities shut off. I think this episode can be fully enjoyed even if you haven't heard all the preceding episodes. I encourage you to listen to it, partly for the plot and partly for the odd nuggets of wisdom.

Quotes to fuel midterm week

I have 4 midterm tests this week. If you're in a similar boat, here are some quotes from my friends.
If these can't brighten your outlook, I don't know what can. Enjoy.

• "You can be dead. I'm gonna cry on you." 
• "Curling irons are gay."
• "Kittens are prettier than Jesus." 
• "Just your average ripped pregnant lady."
• "Shh, I'm trying to learn about killing people!"
• Walks into class "Oh good, we're summoning the devil!"
• "Not everyone needs pants all the time."
• "Can we get our drugs out after the test?"
• "He looks like a really gay McDonald's worker."
• "I may not look like a banana on the inside, but I sure do on the outside!"
• "That's not an insult! Bill Nye is gay!" 
• "The police are afraid of me." - my French teacher (you get context for that one because it's not as funny otherwise.)
• "Guys, you're both ugly. Wait, I meant they're! Please don't hate me."
• "If someone asks you to do something and you can't do it, just lay on the floor."
• "McDonald's may or may not have a vampire working for them." 
• "You murder small stuffed animals by force feeding them kale?"
• "Your mom's a bootleg Disney movie."
• "We can feed him raw fish and not be arrested."
• "I'm going to eat a homeowner."
• "No, I found him on the floor. His name is Rob."
• Whispers "I killed your husband."
• "I don't know how necromancy works under constitutional law."

Man, I really wish I could remember what some of these were from. I wrote them down without context.
Good luck on your midterms and stuff. I'm going back to studying.

(And to anyone who was expecting only poetic things from this blog, note that I said "unfiltered.")