McSweeney’s List (17 July 2024)
This week, Dear Readers, I am writing you a permission slip. I'm giving you permission to step away, to step up, to cancel plans, to make better plans. Of course, you don't need permission, but sometimes it feels like we do, doesn't it?
When I was very young, my Dad told me I could always use him as an excuse. Friends going to do something sketchy I don't wanna do? Tell them my Dad won't let me out. Wanna ditch a sleepover or non-credit school field trip? Tell them Dad's taking us to Albany to visit his Mom. (Seriously, I saw no charm in sleeping in an old Ottawa jail, I regret nothing.) This continued well into adulthood even though I used it far less. Nah, I have to help my Dad that weekend, was a pretty solid excuse for all occasions. When he died, well, it became much harder to blame things on him. My cancellations became honest as I blanked on a story that would get me out of things. I had to use my own voice and say that I didn't feel like it. It was scary, and also liberating, and that's when I realized that my father had never been giving me excuses, he'd been offering me permission.
Often when we want to bail, or be honest, make the first move, or say the last goodbye, we become riddled with uncertainty and guilt. Is this the right choice? Will I hurt someone's feelings? Will I regret this down the road? And we need someone we trust (or someone at least quite compelling) to push us over that threshold. Let this Totally Official Permission Slip™ be that for you, and feel free to use me as your excuse.
By the power I have invested in myself, and to the extent that you will allow me, you are now permitted to do a list of beautiful things. You're allowed to believe your gut and not feel weird or silly about it. You're allowed to say that you can't do a thing because your Aunty / Sister / Friend / Mom Dawn needs you to help her paint that day. You're allowed to cry in public even when you don't want to but can't help it. You're allowed to tell that person that your Aunty /Sister / Friend / Mom Dawn did their chart, and you guys shouldn't talk anymore. No, I don't know how to do charts, but they don't either, and my permission wand is out, so fuck the details. I give you permission to try with a full heart and fail in glorious fashion. More than anything, when they tell you you're too much, this is your permission slip to be even more.
double feature
Tonight at NDQ catch Tony McIntyre hosting The Poly Mic at 7PM, and stick around for The Crochet Show, hosted by Sho Sho at 9PM!
WHAT: The Poly Mic / The Crochet Comedy Show
WHERE: Bar Notre-Dame-Des-Quilles, 32 Rue Beaubien E, Montréal, QC H2S 1P8
WHEN: Wednesday, July 17 @ 7PM
METRO: Beaubien (Orange)
achievement unlocked!
Tomorrow at NOON, our Creative Director Andrew Jamieson will be on “Achievement Unlocked”, a radio show on the local online radio station n10.as, hosted by Alo Azimov! They discuss all things Forget The Box, and Montreal’s artistic community, and there are plenty of laughs!
Tune in tomorrow: www.n10.as
GOT A STORY?
Join us for the inaugural edition of a Moth-inspired event in Montreal! We’re excited to host a storytelling evening in English, centered around the theme of “people and their interactions with machines”.
Ten storytellers will have 5 minutes each to vie for prizes.
The venue is a newly transformed space repurposed from an industrial-era building near the Old Port. During the intermission, enjoy a jazz performance and explore the art exhibitions on display.
Want to participate? Storytellers will be given 5 minutes to tell their stories on stage. We have spots for the general public available here.
Want to come? Tickets are $15 in advance via Eventbrite.
WHAT: Machines, Eh? A Story Telling Competition
WHERE: 785 Rue Mill, Montreal, H3C 1Y5
WHEN: Sunday, July 21 @ 5 PM
METRO: Square Victoria-OACI (Orange)
DETAILS: Facebook
POETRY IN MOTION
Join us at La Marche a Cote for another evening of poetry with featured readers Kat Mulligan and Misha Solomon.
Theme: Solar.
Sign up for the open mic at the door.
WHAT: Accent Volume 95: “Solar” with Kat Mulligan & Misha Solimon
WHERE: La Marché à Côté, 5061 Rue St. Denis St., Montréal, QC H2J 2L9, Canada
WHEN: Sunday, July 21 @ 8 PM
METRO: Laurier (Orange)
DETAILS: Facebook
IT'S A BIG DEAL
The second edition of World's Smallest Comedy Festival kicks off this Sunday! 25 shows, 11 days, 1 venue, and all your favorite comedians! The full preview is right here, so get out your calendar and start planning, because this is going to be amazing!!!
WHAT: World's Smallest Comedy Festival
WHERE: Hurley's Irish Pub, 1225 Crescent St., Montreal, H3G 2B1
WHEN: Sunday, July 21 - Wednesday, July 31, multiple shows, multiple showtimes
METRO: Lucien-L'Allier (Orange), Guy-Concordia (Green)
DETAILS: Troy Stark
THE ONLY BOULEVARD THAT MATTERS
The best multidisciplinary mic in town is back this week with music, laughs, and whatever weird wonderful shit y’all are up to. Now presented with closed captioning, we’re striving to be not only one of the most inclusive, but also one of the most accessible mics in town! As always, the show is PWYC with proceeds going to keep our magnificent magazine running smoothly. There are a couple of coveted sign-up spots available at the door, so arrive early if you want to take the stage.
McSweeney’s List drops every Wednesday with the best events, workshops, and more, each week in Montreal!
