July 14th, 2022
If you know me even a little, you know that I think pop culture is important, and that I use it to make sense of our existence.
The following is an ambitious use of popular culture to explain behavior that is not popular at all, but I really hope you’ll follow.
I’ve been very adamant that my book, Brushfire, is for all ages. Yes, it’s for kids; but yes, it’s for adults. At its best, it’s for both.
I have put pieces of myself in many of my characters, but Bay, a squirrel, is the most of me.
In a scene, he is ambushed by wildlife who want to see him. When asked about it by Erwin, he shrugs that adoration off:
“My father died when I was really young, so I think they just feel sorry for me.”
Bay’s self-esteem is so bad he can’t even accept that others would like him just for being him.
I only recently jumped on the Kardashian train.
The new Hulu series intrigued me, and since the end of the first installment, I’ve found myself Keeping Up with their past seasons.
Since the moment I met him, I hated Scott.
I don’t mean hate in a literal sense; I just found every aspect of him despicable. I cannot understand the family’s adoration for him; someone like Chloe, who I really respect, is constantly proclaiming her love for Scott.
And now I’ve found myself in the part of his story where he’s really fighting his demons.
And I get it.
Something I’ve learned is that, sometimes, when you hate someone, the thing you actually hate about them is the thing you hate about yourself.
And when I applied that logic, I suddenly found that I didn’t hate Scott. And I realized it wasn’t that I can’t understand how anyone could love him.
It’s that I can’t understand how anyone could love me.
Just like the squirrel.
And if you know what I’m talking about, then you know this post isn’t about pity. It’s about understanding.
That when I can recognize who the reality star is, and I can express that through the squirrel, I can pick up the broken pieces of myself and glue them, carefully, back into place.
Recognition and expression.
And some markers, glitter, and super glue.
The Den 
I also watched the new Hulu series and I loved it. I also completely agree with you regarding Scott. I think it’s easy to despise him, but if you see it through his lens, I do feel that Scott has been through a lot. To your point, his addiction, but also losing his parents. He sees the Kardashians as his family. I think Scott has come a long way and I think he’s one of my favorites now.
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