Oh Messy Life #16: Quick Lore
Plus, a Proper Chune courtesy Djo.
Welcome to Human Pursuits, the column that features need-to-know names and stories in media and other creative spaces. Today, the first Oh Messy Life column of 2025.
In April I debuted Oh Messy Life, my semi-regular column designed to keep you informed on various Friends of the Newsletter. Since then my subscriber base has grown by roughly 60 percent. This is flattering, but also intimidating, as the list has grown from people I know almost exclusively IRL, to people who know me almost exclusively online.
I don’t believe that your inbox is a sacred space. I do, however, feel you deserve some basic facts about the person emailing you interviews with socialist meme accounts, punk non-profits, and more.
So, by way of reintroduction, here’s some quick lore. To keep things interesting, I’m including a few facts I’ve never written about before.
I live in Vancouver, Canada but am contractually obligated to mention that I was born in Edmonton, and raised in a suburb outside the city until I was about twenty.
I’m married to Leah and we have a cat named Stu, which is short for Studio, not Stuart. Crucial distinction.
Co–Star tells me I’m a Pisces sun, Taurus moon, and Scorpio rising. I think this makes sense.
My favourite food is smoothies. My favourite movie is probably Superbad.
I named this newsletter Human Pursuits mostly because the website domain and social media handles were available, but also because, when I started it, I felt sort of alien to myself. I thought writing would make me feel human again. I was right.
I chose the sender name “Ethan from Human Pursuits” as an homage to Tom from MySpace. More on him below.
I am a How Long Gone completist and have listened to every episode, including the one with Hunter Harris that they scrubbed from the internet because she didn’t think they were funny or whatever.
Related: the first person I ever interviewed for the newsletter was from DIMEPIECE. One of my goals for this year is to frame the painting she did of Stu.
One time I bumped into Nardwaur outside my work and when he went “Doot-doot-a-loot-do” I froze and, rather than complete the sequence, told him “And a doot-doot-a-loot-do to you as well!” People have called me blundersome.
My favourite book is Ask The Dust by John Fante. Or The Valley of the Dolls. I try to re-read both once a year.
Oh Messy Life
There are about 50 tickets left for the Catcade’s Prom. Read this week’s interview with Chris Gutierrez HERE, if you haven’t already.
Don’t quit your day job: closed out their tour opening for Sum 41 with two nights at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena. You should stream their new single ‘Paranoid’ if you haven’t already. It’s good!
keeps adding things to her plate. She’s now the co-host of Slate’s ICYMI. I enjoyed their recent episode on the Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni drama.
Media editor to the stars is also getting behind the mic. Semafor recently announced he’s co-hosting Mixed Signals with Ben Smith.
And just published her first episode of The New Garde for 2025. I think she’s in for a big year.
Seven year itch: announced that, after seven years with VOX, she is moving onto something else. Excited to see what she does next!
’s most recent newsletter on the enduring appeal of Tom from MySpace is a total banger. Top 8 for sure.
Justice for Notes 📝 Dirt and Night Gallery are paying homage to the “humble iPhone note” by releasing a book full of them. was kind enough to ask me to contribute and, reader, I am slightly nervous about what I submitted. Thankfully every entry is anonymous (I think). PRE-ORDER HERE.
Proper Chune
He’s best known for his role as Steve in Netflix’s Stranger Things, but all signs point to Joe Keery, a.k.a Djo, having a solid musical career when the show wraps later this year. His new single, ‘Basic Being Basic’, builds off the synthy sounds that made him a breakout star, and adds a Bleachers-esque bridge for good measure. Is he the best singer? No. But the man has something to say.
thank you for the kind words <3
Hi Ethan from human pursuits