Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Yung Bae, BTZ & Oh Joy Sex Toy

Weekly Update 2018-15: Portland producer Yung Bae takes us on a future-funk disco journey as we explore Bunz' new cryptocurrency and Erika Moen's revolutionary take on sex education through her webcomic series Oh Joy Sex Toy.


Bunz is now a purveyor of their own cryptocurrency - the BTZ. Cute animations explain the transformation from Polyester Studio. Read more in the Random Thought section below.


Music: Yung Bae
I shouldn't be surprised to learn that Yung Bae is Portland-based after seeing this media photo.
I have no words for this.

Spinning and sampling all sorts of musical styles from disco to R&B to funk and my personal favourite Japanese city pop, Yung Bae creates a dance party that just makes me want to wiggle. I guess it's one part very danceable and happy music, one part nostalgia for songs from 70s, 80s and my personal favourite - 90s and 00s music that reminds me of elementary school dance parties. Plus it's fun to guess what songs he samples and mixes together! Take a listen and you'll see what I mean.


Favourite tracks include It's a Party and Ain't Nobody Like You.

Want more? Yung Bae is playing a set in Toronto at the Baby G on July 28.

Accomplishment:
I have been hemming and hawing about a lot of stuff lately, feeling like I've been in an excuse-making rut. I keep thinking about doing things and then rationalizing that I'm not ready yet because x-y-z. Looking back on the past year or so, pretty much every time I have decided to say "fuck it" and jump into something before I thought I was ready, it has worked out in my favour. This is the first time I am really realizing that what they say is true - you'll never be 100% ready to do anything, so just do it. I know it sounds so obvious, but it didn't really sink in until I saw it in a meme group last night. Pathetic, I know. Anyway, I learned from it.

As French author André Gide said, On ne découvre pas de terre nouvelle sans consentir à perdre de vue, d'abord et longtemps, tout rivage. Or in English, One doesn't discover new lands without consenting to lose sight, for a very long time, of the shore. I'm beginning to accept the fact that new experiences sometimes scare the shit out of me, but I have been overwhelmingly successful at throwing myself into things without overthinking them and I need to remember that!

Specifically, we had a pretty successful Dungeons & Dragons session last week in which I showed off my high accuracy with a longbow, and I checked out OCAD's Sunshine Eaters exhibition before it closes this Sunday. (You still have time and you should go!)

Shary Boyle's work is so beautiful.

Last but not least, we welcomed a new roommate to the Noodle this weekend - meet our new fluffy boy Ario Speedwagon (or Ario for short).
He is a furry boy and I love him.


This was within ten minutes of Erika meeting him!


The true accomplishment here goes to my roommate Erika, who said she was going to get a dog, and then went out and got one. She did the research and has been putting in the time this week to train Ari and build their bond together! I am just the cool aunt this time around, but I hope to pick up her methods for when I eventually get my own dog.

Goal:
The weather is (sort of) getting nicer which means it's almost time for Jane's Walks - my favourite series of free walking tours in the city! I'd like to see what's being offered this year and make some picks for the weekend. It's pretty far off (May 5-6) but some walks require reservation, and I just plain can't wait to see what's going down this year.

I'll also be visiting my parents on the weekend to do another workthrough of all the crap we have in our house, for Bunz, donation or our upcoming Garage sale.

Random Thought: Bitcoins and BTZ
Like many others, I have been waving to this trend of cryptocurrency as it passes by. It's not that I think it will ever fully fade away, but I suppose I'm not quite ready to dive into it with my wallet before I truly understand how it works and see a drop in volatility. Meanwhile, instead of me searching it out, a cryptocurrency found me. Yes, my beloved Bunz - the barter system of the future - has taken on its very own cryptocurrency. The BTZ (pronounced bits) is a new currency that can be used to even out the value of item-for-item trades, and can be used in the real world at various goods/services establishments around Toronto. One of such establishments is my favourite bar Northwood, which also happens to be the closest bar to my place. On top of that, Bunz has given every user 1,100 BTZ to start off - which is about $11 worth of real-world goods. I haven't done any trades for BTZ yet, but I am definitely open to the idea. Especially since I already have enough for a free cocktail!

This video explains BTZ.

One definite bonus to the addition of BTZ is that when TTC tokens are phased out in 2019, we won't be left with only tall cans of beer to use as currency. 

Inspiration: Oh Joy Sex Toy
I completed a very worthwhile Bunz trade last week for a couple of graphic novels I have been looking to own for a while. Ever since I visited the sex-positive Portland sex store She Bop last summer and found them on the shelves, I knew these were a very important read.

Erika's husband Matthew Nolan is a recurring character (of course).

Erika Moen's Oh Joy Sex Toy is a revolutionary read that manages to fill in all the gaps (ha-ha) of sexual education that one may have missed along the way in their own journey, while managing to be extremely charming, unapologetic, non-shaming, and just plain interesting to read, no matter what you (think you) know about sex and everything that goes with it. The project began as a webcomic series that Moen still updates weekly, and has now been published in book format (I traded for the first two volumes - I believe there are four total at the publishing of this post).

I suppose I am biased because I already have a soft spot for the comic format, but I think the illustration style and light, celebratory and humourous mood of the project really lend themselves well to soften the stigma around talking about sex that we have developed in the Western world.

I have been hearing about this series for quite a while, many modern sex educators recommend it as required reading (including my favourite Dan Savage of Savage Love). I am about halfway through the second volume and I simply must agree - it's required reading for life.

Check out more about Erika Moen (and buy these books!), or catch her weekly webcomic series - updated every Tuesday.

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