Whatever Best of 2019

And here we are again on Christmas Eve, which is my time to take a look back on what I’ve written on Whatever over the year, and pick out the pieces I think have some special merit — whether because of the writing, or because they characterize events, or because they note some (usually goofy) aspect of my life. This year we have pieces ranging from serious thoughts on the president’s impeachment all the way to a piece about putting gummy worms into burritos. Yup, that’s 2019, all right. It had range.

In any event, if you missed them the first time, or just simply want to read them again, over and over, obsessively, because it’s just been that kind of year, hasn’t it: My picks for the Best of Whatever in 2019, in alphabetical order.

Not a bad year for Whatever posts. Thanks for reading them, and me, for another year.

7 Comments on “Whatever Best of 2019”

  1. Thanks John – nice to be reminded of some of my favourites (Endgame review being one) but extra special to read the Felonious Bread story. Loved it then & love it even more now.

  2. 1967 USS Guardfish SSN612 was coming home after 74 days submerged

    She ran aground Christmas eve.

    We survived. A couple years later a great modern
    writer was born.

    Keep up the great work.
    Love you kiddo.

  3. Oh foo. Your TRoS review thread is closed. I was going to ask you, in retrospect, if you feel that your TLJ review stands the test of time, AND for your thoughts on the Disney trilogy as a whole.

    Spoiler-free if you can. I haven’t seen it yet, and you should see the mute-list I’ve employed to avoid any discussion that might spoil things.

  4. But seriously, Merry Happy Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanza, Mid-Winter’s Day, Season’s Greetings, and Happy Holidays to all Scalzis of all species and all commenters!

  5. One, it’s very very enjoyable to watch all the other GenXers simultaneously shrugging and saying, “yeah that’s fine, come at us, seems legit, plus what else is new.” I’m so much more lighthearted as life wears on, even though I seem to spend increasing amounts of time trying to rouse GenZers to go put their hands on the fucking levers of power and do something with their eminently sensible horror. Not enough of them believe they’re allowed yet, are sure they’ll get tasered one way or another if they think too much about it, and besides nobody’s shown them where these things are. I’m also noticing more often that GenXers who’ve made it into positions of power are still operating the way we always have: under the radar. I meet high-level managers, deans, editors, people like this who’re very quietly going around making radical shit happen. Just tucking things into whatever’s being built, quietly shifting things in unintended directions. I wonder if we’ll be able to keep operating this way as the kids take over, or whether they’ll notice. Probably they’ll notice because they’ve grown up with us.

    Two, I’ve been thinking more and more lately about your classic post about how much work it is to be poor. For the first time in my adult life I’m not poor. I have significant money left over every month. I’m very good at managing money generally, including large money when it’s other people’s, but I’m completely baffled and a little unnerved by this extra. I don’t know what to do with it except sock it away, which is exactly what the Boomers’ parents did. I find myself in a very weird position at work, where they want to promote me and I’m like no that’s cool, I’m fine, I already drink fancy wine and go to the opera and don’t worry about a thing in life, I’ve got a house and all, so don’t make me a bunch more expensive; it’ll land on the backs of people who can’t afford it. Which of course disturbs them because they don’t want to think of their own salaries and promotion ambitions that way.

    Merry Christmas to all whose speed that is.

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