I had to pause the audio and come here to share that I opened the 90's Indie Mix playlist and was surprised to see 5 songs by Tegan and Sara from UFLO and TBOA?? Until I realized that it's "Made for Deby" hahah so I think this playlist will be different for everyone. I quite loved my selection but now I wonder what does yours (and everyone else's) look like, any Tegan and Sara?
Great answers, thanks Tegan! How do you keep track of the books your read? I'm curious to know which ones you've abandoned because I do that all the time lol, excited for that future post. Also, did you win the attention of the billionaire's guests? If I were a billionaire and I hired you guys, could I pick the songs?? 😂
I too have many half-baked songs and ideas in my voice notes…most of them recorded in the middle of the night/half asleep so listening back to it is kind of a trip 🤣🙃
Tegan, thanks for answering all these questions! Adding ginger peach tea to my grocery list. I also start the day with many liquids, I am teased by my family and friends about it 😂 Lately it’s been nettle/rose tea first, water, and some days bone broth, followed by coffee.
My question was the shared dream one! So interesting, those random synchronicities you describe between you and Sara. I experience those too with some close friends, occasionally my brother, and it used to happen all the time between me and my mom. Some sort of collective consciousness, parallel connection experience thing. Kind of crazy, super cool.
Here’s my Seattle recommendations. You’ll notice a theme of other activities nearby, because I don’t live in the city, so I like to build a whole day or afternoon in an area. Not at all comprehensive. But this got longer than intended oops.
Coffee -
Milstead, Fremont: GREAT tea and coffee here, nice staff, cool vibe. It’s a nice location, grab a drink, check out the Fremont troll and walk the Burke-Gilman trail along the water.
Ada’s Technical Books & Cafe, Capitol Hill: I love this place, mostly because it’s a bookstore as well as a cafe, and it’s near a gluten free bakery we love* (see below). Also, it’s a 10 minute walk to Volunteer Park.
Seattle Meowtropolitan, Wallingford: this is a cat cafe!!! I don’t remember if the drinks were great, but the cats were exceptional. Also, Archie McPhee is across the street, and Dick’s is not too far east on 45th.
Food -
*Nuflours gluten free bakery, Capitol Hill: thumbs up for the quiche here, as well as millionaire bar, and the muffins are good. (Rosie likes the donuts, I find them too sweet) they have great tea, but coffee here is 🫤
Bok a Bok fried chicken, Capitol Hill: dairy, gluten, egg, soy and nut free fried chicken. Great salads, the dirty tots are sooo good, I like the ginger coleslaw (it can be divisive I’ve heard). take out only, so I order for pick up and go have a park picnic.
A Stir, Capitol Hill again LOL: formerly Capitol Cider. It’s quite good and accommodating for food allergies.
Virginia Inn, near Pike Place Market: this place is a gem. Fish and chips is my favorite. Great location. We have lunch here and then walk to Market, the waterfront or go to the aquarium.
Le Pichet, next to Virginia Inn: French cafe/bistro. Excellent coffee. Adorable.
I hope you have a chance to check out some of these spots on your next Seattle visit!
This was great, I haven't read Crush yet but I've asked for it for Christmas (I'm 31!)
I finished Kathleen Hanna's book Rebel Girl today, I really enjoyed it, it was a really interesting insight into the Riot Grrrl movement in the 90s. I really love your book posts and look forward to the unfinished book post! I start so many books and never finish them, I also read multiple at once, so many books and not enough time! Have you considered having a public good reads?
Who was asking about Code Names? 😂 I forget the rules/gameplay exactly, but I’ve played it and I remember having some hilarious moments from it. If we’re on the topic of games for a moment, Herd Mentality is one of my favorites for generating some funny discussions.
I like the question about hugging. I appreciate anyone having conversations about boundaries, and I want more people to feel comfortable with setting, respecting, and talking about boundaries. They’re not scary!
I’m not a touchy person at all (I like to say that there’s not one cell in my body that ever thinks “I need to go touch that person” lol.) Though I will add that hugs from other queer people usually give me life.
I had an experience years ago, when I was at a convention with friends. We were heading out to get lunch and I heard someone nearby call out my name. I looked, and it wasn’t someone that I knew as far as I could tell. I think he just recognized me from my own art. I tentatively walked over, and he was excited and asked for a hug. “Ehhhh… I don’t know… 😅” He pleaded, and I agreed. He scooped me up in a big bear hug, feet off the ground, and I thought “oh my god I’m going to get carried away by a stranger”. Amidst my nervous laughter, I said “no-! No, put me down.” When he did, I gave a quick wave and zoomed away. I don’t think he had any ill intent at all, I think he was just exuberant.
Sometimes hugs are great. Sometimes they’re overwhelming. Depends on many different factors. Maybe in the future if someone asks me for a hug, I should add 👉… “ok but feet stay on the ground 👀”
That story reminded me of an unwanted surprise hug that occurred literally after a T&S show in the parking lot next to the venue. I gave my last $5 to a woman asking for cash to get a room for the night at some kind of shelter. After she grabbed me tight into a hug, started crying and wouldn’t let go. She kept thanking me. I could see the people who had dismissed her seconds before staring. I just really wanted her to let me go for a whole bunch of different reasons.
Wow! Thanks for posting! That was a loooong ass post! (But you did warn us)
Thank u for reading it to us! (Or rather recording it for us). I usually follow along with the words and it was pretty good, mostly the stuff ups were gramma related and a few paragraphs in the middle of a sentence or word lol! Most of it was random or misplaced fullstops which was confusing but funny.
I won’t respond to every signal question or I’d be here all night. I will say a couple things though.
I feel bad for not having read crush yet, I promise it’s not my fault, I want to read it and I will but it’s still in the mail (either that or it’s a birthday present, in which case I’ll have it next month).
God, you talking about junior high brought back a lot of memories for me. Side note, in Australia we don’t have the three different ones (whatever’s before junior high, then junior high, then high school), we have kindergarten ages 3-4 (sometimes 5), then primary school ages 5-11 (sometimes 12), then we have secondary school ages 12-17 or 18. We also sometimes call secondary school high school. Anyway, thinking about that time in my life was weird. I was recently diagnosed with autism and I’ve been thinking more about my school journey though that lens, but for me attraction what’s the main part I was thinking about (at least in retrospect), I was trying not to think about how different I felt. In retrospect, I felt very different because it felt like there were these two groups on the playground girls and boys and I had to fit into one but I didn’t even get to pick which one I was supposed to be in, everyone just chose for me. So the feeling of always not feeling quite right gender wise, coupled with the feelings of knowing I was different from the other kids because I have ASD but not understanding at the time that that was why. Yeah attraction wasn’t on my mind. I had boyfriends, some of which I never even kissed (all of which were before I was 13). Figuring out I was gay when I was 12 was at the time an all encompassing experience, or it felt that way, everyone had been pushing me into dating boys but I finally understood that I felt that way about girls not boys. Then my friends (I use that term loosely in this case) told me I couldn’t be gay because I’d had boyfriends. Figuring out my gender identity 2 years later aged 14 threw me way more than the whole attraction thing. I won’t go into massive detail (not because I don’t want to, although some of that I will never be putting online, but because it’s late and I don’t have time), but let’s just say figuring out that I have gender dysphoria was not at all fun.
I’m glad to hear you enjoy travelling internationally, I’m always hopeful I’ll see you guys back in Aus one day (and finally get to see you live).
As for the double Seattle question, can’t help you Tegan, never been. Definitely won’t be going for another 4 years, probably at all depending on trans legislation. There’s nothing more I can say on that particular topic without cussing and bringing the vibe down, so I’ll move on.
Also Speaking of, happy trans awareness week!
I was going to ask you this on the zoom, but does this mean there might be an album in the works? Though I wouldn’t after you said about feeling more pressure lately. I get that, though not from my 0 adoring fans, but I get the pressure thing, so I thought I’d leave it in my long comment where it can be safely ignored if needed.
So excited for the zoom! Way to spring it on me/us, wow! Still extremely excited though! Grover and I will definitely be there, though I can’t promise he’ll be awake.
I’d write more butbit’s getting very late.
Thanks for sharing Tegan!
Phoenix, he/they/it, 17, Australia
PS: with my ASD, if I met you in person don’t worry about the touching thing, I don’t usually like touching my relatives, dogs are the only people I always want physical affection from.
I’m catching up on a lot these days; including my Substack reads. I have been settling into a new place, after a year and a half of homelessness. One thing I kept up on is my writing, though. Working on a book of poetry (including some sapphic steamy stuff), and hope to have it publishing ready by early next year. Why am I telling you this? I look to you for a lot of inspiration in my writing, and in life in general as a late bloomer lesbian. Hope you are having an awesome rest, and thank you. Sincerely, The Humble Wordsmith ❤️❤️
Tegan, I think all of us who are fans of Doctor Who can tell that you've never watched it coz you refer to the companions as "assistants" 😂
Every time you talk about touring and time away from home it resonates with me so much. I've listened to this post on my way to the airport (and now writing my comment at the gate) to go to the St. Louis International Film Festival and premiere my new film, and while I'm so very excited to start another festival cycle with a project I'm so proud of, I'm thinking about how busy the year ahead will be and I'm already exhausted 😂 (even though busy festival circuit is GOOD news! 😂)
I LOVE what you said about releasing songs as Nite Fever. Maybe it can be a little like the Gorillaz. Nite will be an animated avatar (which also means you'll never have to shoot videos!)
I also love how careful you are about saying you don't hate hugging fans 😂 You guys are so nice. "Normal" people will never apologize for not wanting to touch strangers.
In truth, every time I see people do hours upon hours of signings and photo ops at cons I'm like. "JFC". Part of my OCD manifests as germophobia and I imagine that if I ever have do anything like this, hand sanitizer would be my bestest friend. So kudos to people who do this on a regular basis.
I was at the NYCC signing and didn't try to touch anyone 😂 I just put Polaroid pics of you and Tillie on the table in front of you and gently pushed them towards you. 😂
Looking forward to the graphic novel post as a huge lover of graphic novels myself. Slightly related: Do you watch Arcane?
Thanks for doing these, Tegan! I imagine it's not easy to get back to it now that the tour momentum is over. Hope it doesn't feel like too much of a chore, just a little bit ;)
I am the one who asked about Codenames (and also NKOTB - I was one of the few Jon fans)! Codenames is a word association card game that is highly addictive/fun, and I asked because I was playing the online app version in the audience while waiting for you to appear. I played the free version often during the pandemic with friends online over Zoom. It's what I would call good online dopamine (i.e. intellectually stimulating) vs. addictive social media doom scrolling. Thanks for answering!
Thanks for this audio post. Very cool! Junior High and Crush were quite good. I enjoyed them as a fan of graphic novels, music bios, and coming-of-age stories. And the audiobook of JH was awesome. Can’t wait to read your next story, whatever form it takes. -Titus
I had to pause the audio and come here to share that I opened the 90's Indie Mix playlist and was surprised to see 5 songs by Tegan and Sara from UFLO and TBOA?? Until I realized that it's "Made for Deby" hahah so I think this playlist will be different for everyone. I quite loved my selection but now I wonder what does yours (and everyone else's) look like, any Tegan and Sara?
Great answers, thanks Tegan! How do you keep track of the books your read? I'm curious to know which ones you've abandoned because I do that all the time lol, excited for that future post. Also, did you win the attention of the billionaire's guests? If I were a billionaire and I hired you guys, could I pick the songs?? 😂
I too have many half-baked songs and ideas in my voice notes…most of them recorded in the middle of the night/half asleep so listening back to it is kind of a trip 🤣🙃
Tegan, thanks for answering all these questions! Adding ginger peach tea to my grocery list. I also start the day with many liquids, I am teased by my family and friends about it 😂 Lately it’s been nettle/rose tea first, water, and some days bone broth, followed by coffee.
My question was the shared dream one! So interesting, those random synchronicities you describe between you and Sara. I experience those too with some close friends, occasionally my brother, and it used to happen all the time between me and my mom. Some sort of collective consciousness, parallel connection experience thing. Kind of crazy, super cool.
Here’s my Seattle recommendations. You’ll notice a theme of other activities nearby, because I don’t live in the city, so I like to build a whole day or afternoon in an area. Not at all comprehensive. But this got longer than intended oops.
Coffee -
Milstead, Fremont: GREAT tea and coffee here, nice staff, cool vibe. It’s a nice location, grab a drink, check out the Fremont troll and walk the Burke-Gilman trail along the water.
Ada’s Technical Books & Cafe, Capitol Hill: I love this place, mostly because it’s a bookstore as well as a cafe, and it’s near a gluten free bakery we love* (see below). Also, it’s a 10 minute walk to Volunteer Park.
Seattle Meowtropolitan, Wallingford: this is a cat cafe!!! I don’t remember if the drinks were great, but the cats were exceptional. Also, Archie McPhee is across the street, and Dick’s is not too far east on 45th.
Food -
*Nuflours gluten free bakery, Capitol Hill: thumbs up for the quiche here, as well as millionaire bar, and the muffins are good. (Rosie likes the donuts, I find them too sweet) they have great tea, but coffee here is 🫤
Bok a Bok fried chicken, Capitol Hill: dairy, gluten, egg, soy and nut free fried chicken. Great salads, the dirty tots are sooo good, I like the ginger coleslaw (it can be divisive I’ve heard). take out only, so I order for pick up and go have a park picnic.
A Stir, Capitol Hill again LOL: formerly Capitol Cider. It’s quite good and accommodating for food allergies.
Virginia Inn, near Pike Place Market: this place is a gem. Fish and chips is my favorite. Great location. We have lunch here and then walk to Market, the waterfront or go to the aquarium.
Le Pichet, next to Virginia Inn: French cafe/bistro. Excellent coffee. Adorable.
I hope you have a chance to check out some of these spots on your next Seattle visit!
LOVE Ada’s!! 🌈🔭📚
Yeah! Such a cool spot 🧡
This was great, I haven't read Crush yet but I've asked for it for Christmas (I'm 31!)
I finished Kathleen Hanna's book Rebel Girl today, I really enjoyed it, it was a really interesting insight into the Riot Grrrl movement in the 90s. I really love your book posts and look forward to the unfinished book post! I start so many books and never finish them, I also read multiple at once, so many books and not enough time! Have you considered having a public good reads?
Who was asking about Code Names? 😂 I forget the rules/gameplay exactly, but I’ve played it and I remember having some hilarious moments from it. If we’re on the topic of games for a moment, Herd Mentality is one of my favorites for generating some funny discussions.
I like the question about hugging. I appreciate anyone having conversations about boundaries, and I want more people to feel comfortable with setting, respecting, and talking about boundaries. They’re not scary!
I’m not a touchy person at all (I like to say that there’s not one cell in my body that ever thinks “I need to go touch that person” lol.) Though I will add that hugs from other queer people usually give me life.
I had an experience years ago, when I was at a convention with friends. We were heading out to get lunch and I heard someone nearby call out my name. I looked, and it wasn’t someone that I knew as far as I could tell. I think he just recognized me from my own art. I tentatively walked over, and he was excited and asked for a hug. “Ehhhh… I don’t know… 😅” He pleaded, and I agreed. He scooped me up in a big bear hug, feet off the ground, and I thought “oh my god I’m going to get carried away by a stranger”. Amidst my nervous laughter, I said “no-! No, put me down.” When he did, I gave a quick wave and zoomed away. I don’t think he had any ill intent at all, I think he was just exuberant.
Sometimes hugs are great. Sometimes they’re overwhelming. Depends on many different factors. Maybe in the future if someone asks me for a hug, I should add 👉… “ok but feet stay on the ground 👀”
(Also excited to hear about more books!)
That story reminded me of an unwanted surprise hug that occurred literally after a T&S show in the parking lot next to the venue. I gave my last $5 to a woman asking for cash to get a room for the night at some kind of shelter. After she grabbed me tight into a hug, started crying and wouldn’t let go. She kept thanking me. I could see the people who had dismissed her seconds before staring. I just really wanted her to let me go for a whole bunch of different reasons.
Oh no 😭 “Won’t let go” hug sounds even worse than an unexpected “feet off the ground” hug!
Hey Tegan,
Wow! Thanks for posting! That was a loooong ass post! (But you did warn us)
Thank u for reading it to us! (Or rather recording it for us). I usually follow along with the words and it was pretty good, mostly the stuff ups were gramma related and a few paragraphs in the middle of a sentence or word lol! Most of it was random or misplaced fullstops which was confusing but funny.
I won’t respond to every signal question or I’d be here all night. I will say a couple things though.
I feel bad for not having read crush yet, I promise it’s not my fault, I want to read it and I will but it’s still in the mail (either that or it’s a birthday present, in which case I’ll have it next month).
God, you talking about junior high brought back a lot of memories for me. Side note, in Australia we don’t have the three different ones (whatever’s before junior high, then junior high, then high school), we have kindergarten ages 3-4 (sometimes 5), then primary school ages 5-11 (sometimes 12), then we have secondary school ages 12-17 or 18. We also sometimes call secondary school high school. Anyway, thinking about that time in my life was weird. I was recently diagnosed with autism and I’ve been thinking more about my school journey though that lens, but for me attraction what’s the main part I was thinking about (at least in retrospect), I was trying not to think about how different I felt. In retrospect, I felt very different because it felt like there were these two groups on the playground girls and boys and I had to fit into one but I didn’t even get to pick which one I was supposed to be in, everyone just chose for me. So the feeling of always not feeling quite right gender wise, coupled with the feelings of knowing I was different from the other kids because I have ASD but not understanding at the time that that was why. Yeah attraction wasn’t on my mind. I had boyfriends, some of which I never even kissed (all of which were before I was 13). Figuring out I was gay when I was 12 was at the time an all encompassing experience, or it felt that way, everyone had been pushing me into dating boys but I finally understood that I felt that way about girls not boys. Then my friends (I use that term loosely in this case) told me I couldn’t be gay because I’d had boyfriends. Figuring out my gender identity 2 years later aged 14 threw me way more than the whole attraction thing. I won’t go into massive detail (not because I don’t want to, although some of that I will never be putting online, but because it’s late and I don’t have time), but let’s just say figuring out that I have gender dysphoria was not at all fun.
I’m glad to hear you enjoy travelling internationally, I’m always hopeful I’ll see you guys back in Aus one day (and finally get to see you live).
As for the double Seattle question, can’t help you Tegan, never been. Definitely won’t be going for another 4 years, probably at all depending on trans legislation. There’s nothing more I can say on that particular topic without cussing and bringing the vibe down, so I’ll move on.
Also Speaking of, happy trans awareness week!
I was going to ask you this on the zoom, but does this mean there might be an album in the works? Though I wouldn’t after you said about feeling more pressure lately. I get that, though not from my 0 adoring fans, but I get the pressure thing, so I thought I’d leave it in my long comment where it can be safely ignored if needed.
So excited for the zoom! Way to spring it on me/us, wow! Still extremely excited though! Grover and I will definitely be there, though I can’t promise he’ll be awake.
I’d write more butbit’s getting very late.
Thanks for sharing Tegan!
Phoenix, he/they/it, 17, Australia
PS: with my ASD, if I met you in person don’t worry about the touching thing, I don’t usually like touching my relatives, dogs are the only people I always want physical affection from.
Release the Nite Fever before someone else does and the “Assistants”… I mean “Companions”. Smh. Lol.
I’m catching up on a lot these days; including my Substack reads. I have been settling into a new place, after a year and a half of homelessness. One thing I kept up on is my writing, though. Working on a book of poetry (including some sapphic steamy stuff), and hope to have it publishing ready by early next year. Why am I telling you this? I look to you for a lot of inspiration in my writing, and in life in general as a late bloomer lesbian. Hope you are having an awesome rest, and thank you. Sincerely, The Humble Wordsmith ❤️❤️
Tegan, I think all of us who are fans of Doctor Who can tell that you've never watched it coz you refer to the companions as "assistants" 😂
Every time you talk about touring and time away from home it resonates with me so much. I've listened to this post on my way to the airport (and now writing my comment at the gate) to go to the St. Louis International Film Festival and premiere my new film, and while I'm so very excited to start another festival cycle with a project I'm so proud of, I'm thinking about how busy the year ahead will be and I'm already exhausted 😂 (even though busy festival circuit is GOOD news! 😂)
I LOVE what you said about releasing songs as Nite Fever. Maybe it can be a little like the Gorillaz. Nite will be an animated avatar (which also means you'll never have to shoot videos!)
I also love how careful you are about saying you don't hate hugging fans 😂 You guys are so nice. "Normal" people will never apologize for not wanting to touch strangers.
In truth, every time I see people do hours upon hours of signings and photo ops at cons I'm like. "JFC". Part of my OCD manifests as germophobia and I imagine that if I ever have do anything like this, hand sanitizer would be my bestest friend. So kudos to people who do this on a regular basis.
I was at the NYCC signing and didn't try to touch anyone 😂 I just put Polaroid pics of you and Tillie on the table in front of you and gently pushed them towards you. 😂
Looking forward to the graphic novel post as a huge lover of graphic novels myself. Slightly related: Do you watch Arcane?
Thanks for doing these, Tegan! I imagine it's not easy to get back to it now that the tour momentum is over. Hope it doesn't feel like too much of a chore, just a little bit ;)
“The Assistants” killed me. 🪦
I mean, it makes them sounds not very important, and some are SO important, that she is, in fact, the most important woman in the whole of creation.
Zoom comment: Aside from The L Word discussion, I honestly think it’s funny anyone is wasting their time prank calling Tegan or anyone in general.
I am the one who asked about Codenames (and also NKOTB - I was one of the few Jon fans)! Codenames is a word association card game that is highly addictive/fun, and I asked because I was playing the online app version in the audience while waiting for you to appear. I played the free version often during the pandemic with friends online over Zoom. It's what I would call good online dopamine (i.e. intellectually stimulating) vs. addictive social media doom scrolling. Thanks for answering!
All of these pictures are so lovely!! 🥹🫶🏼
Thanks so much for sharing all of these questions and answers as well
Tegan is the 20th anniversary so jelous not available in UK?.
Hi from Canico,I'm by the ocean sipping aperol,I am too tipsy to read this now but will listen later lol.thankyou for answering so many questions 🙂.
Thanks for this audio post. Very cool! Junior High and Crush were quite good. I enjoyed them as a fan of graphic novels, music bios, and coming-of-age stories. And the audiobook of JH was awesome. Can’t wait to read your next story, whatever form it takes. -Titus