What if I said you need to stay tuned?
On making moves, digital cameras, and Big Brother. This is a newsletter from the GRIEF AND MEDIA PROJECT!
It is April, which means many things: my birthday month (starts next month); I completed a first full draft of my thesis (and it wasn’t that bad!); I’m plotting, planning, and scheming (and get to do so with a 7:37 p.m. sunset as the backdrop). Life is sort of ramping up this time of the year. For one, I find I have a lot of Aries in my life. And I do love an Aries. Two, Netflix launched a really great show called Something Very Bad is Going to Happen, which I had to watch twice and will be doing a third time. Three, I am presenting my research at a conference in Atlanta this week, which means I will not be recording grief support group on Thursday. However, I will be doing a podcast episode about aforementioned Something Very Bad is Going to Happen that will come out in the next week. Four, and this is important… you must stay tuned.
I love saying stay tuned. Like, stay tuned!! You may know what I have in store, or you may not, but you must turn on my channel and find out. I find you can use this in any setting. The fact that I’m graduating in May? Stay tuned. Will I text you back? Stay tuned. Am I going to have a cheese quesadilla for dinner again? Stay tuned.
Something in particular I want you to stay tuned about: I’m launching a video series! This is coming at the end of April. I've done lots of brainstorming and even held an all hands Zoom meeting with friends for more ideas, which was helpful but also something I did because I found it funny to do so. I’m super excited to share more about the series in just a few weeks.
Side note: I got a new digital camera. I had a shit unbranded one that was $25 on Amazon that I bought three years ago and had chocolate caked on it because it was sitting on the bottom of my bag, untouched, for the past year next to a dark chocolate peanut butter cup from Trader Joe’s that I similarly forgot about. This new one is much better—it’s a Kodak so I can say the Pitbull lyric picture that with a Kodak repeatedly when it’s in use—and I vow that better care will be taken of it and also that I’ll take more pictures in general. These vows have taken form under my own roof: first, I keep it on my desk looking cute. Second, I keep turning it on just to take a photo of Dory and then shut it back off. You can hear the noise—do do-do do!—of me turning it on loud and clear; luckily for me, this doesn’t make her run. I think Dory acts like she doesn’t but in fact likes the camera.
Media I’ve been into lately:
Perhaps this is more of a third space than media itself, but movies and seeing them at a theater!!!! I have a Regal unlimited membership, and I’m not afraid to use it! (I am, actually, but I’ve been making it more of a priority.) I saw The Drama—which I’ll likely discuss on my next grief support group—and Project Hail Mary—which you’ll never hear me talk about again. (Rocky was cool!) I love media, obviously, and I love watching it in community.
Big Brother. I am a previously watcher, but I’ve been getting back into it. I rewatched season 16, which I love for many reasons but especially “My sister is a mega, mega pop star.” “…Amanda?” and have moved onto Big Brother 18 for nostalgia reasons. I am constantly chasing the high of binge watching Survivor and Big Brother seasons on the papasan chair in my room knowing I’m safe and sound because my mom is in the next room over. The re-creation of this in 2026 isn’t perfect, but it’s something.
I just started Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking as it was assigned in my death and dying class, and I absolutely love it so far. I’m kind of a fraud, because I love reading but I haven’t had too much exposure to some of the big names like Didion. She describes the moment in which she lost her husband in the very first chapters of the book, and she says, “I remember thinking that I needed to discuss this with John” (p. 16). I’m still at the very beginning, but I’m in awe at the ways she describes familiar feelings about loss.
No grief support group this week, but catch up on my latest show below. I talked about the Summer House drama, why we love unpacking celebrity culture, and my ‘dating a friend’s ex’ framework. The framework in particular I’m excited about—husband of GRIEF AND MEDIA told me I should make it into a zine. Don’t give me any ideas!!!! Or, should I say: stay tuned.
grief support group #21 💌 on my 'dating a friend's ex' framework and celebrity culture
Welcome to the 💌💗GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP🪩🍒‼️. This is my radio show on KSFS Radio at San Francisco State where I talk all things pop culture, my research on grief and media, and answer your advice questions.
This is a month late, but I was also on moreNOISE recently and had lots of (more??) fun as always. We discussed the pop girls, including Ariana Grande because I can’t help myself.
That’s all from me this week. See you soon~~
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