At what point do people accept this is how the world is now? In 1977 the first video rental store opened in Los Angeles California. I wondered if at that moment there was someone who was like fuck this is going to ruin movies forever. There had to be right! For most people, I assume the introduction of the video store was seen as a positive. From 1977 until roughly 2013 the video rental store was a staple of American culture. It helped turn a mundane Friday night into a low-budget blockbuster hit. No pun intended. Just don't go racking up the late fee. It just became one of those things you did. I never remember wishing that it could be any other way.

As time went on the world was introduced to new technology. Things became more convenient with these technological advances. Fast forward to 2002, Redbox was introduced into the world. This took the idea of a video rental store and put it into a self-serve kiosk. Gone were the recommendations from the video store guy. This was a cheaper and faster alternative to a blockbuster or Hollywood video. By 2008 this was the new standard for video rental. I do remember being adverse to this change.  With a wave, smile, and the blink of an eye it was gone and a new thing came into play, Netflix’s video streaming service. Gone were the brief days spent outside your Walgreens in the dead of winter trying to decide what movie to rent. Now we had almost every movie in our room and you didn’t even have to worry about storage space. 

Living through all of these changes I remember the grief my peers and I felt at the loss of things that seemed like they’d be around forever. I will admit Redbox came and went so fast that no one was up in arms about that loss. the changing over the guard hurt because it also took away our childhood. I know Netflix is way more convenient and to some degree consumer friendly. I guess this is just the way the world is, something I say to myself every time I see the empty blockbuster in my hometown that still 14 years later has yet to be leased. Should it be this way? Maybe its just part of growing up? Then someone a few months ago told me that some asshole decided that this is how the world is going to be and now we have to live with it. So true! S/O Uncle Chip. 

Yesterday I decided to face my fears and work outside of one of LA’s hippest coffee shops. Canyon Coffee nestles into a cozy corner on Echo Park Ave, and may or may not be the scene’s coffee shop. Whatever that means. As I sat outside typing away on my laptop, 3 twenty-somethings walked up. One of them was on the phone, talking in the lackluster way you do when someone on the other end is trying to get you to hang out when don’t want to. Unable to know for sure what’s happening on the other end of the phone I tune out. Only brought by catching him state, “Idk I'll see what’s good I’ll call you after canyon”. The trio walks inside and returns with 3 Instagramable drinks. Taking up my sight directly ahead of me, I watched these three “hang out”. For 45 minutes they set there in a way that almost felt like they weren’t even at the same table. Phone in hands of course watching, Reels and Tik Tok’s, only speaking in 5-word blips every 8 mins. Then they just got up and left. No conversation has been had, nothing. Just sharing a table and a car ride I guess. I can’t stop thinking about what he meant by saying “I’ll call you after Canyon” when nothing happened at Canyon. This feels less and less of an abnormality as the days pass and more like how the world is now. 

I just want to know when someone decided this was the new normal.

• Vidiots: I rewatched Go last night on DVD with some friends, thanks to my local video store. If you're in LA please check it out!
• I hate myself :) directed by Jonna Arnow: it’s so 2013 but I enjoyed it. Give it a watch. 
•  They Don’t Make Words For This by Been Stellar: I think these videos are so cute and cool. I wish I was in this band. Such an honest depiction of being in a band.