Otters young and old! (But most likely young.) This is Ottavia Paluch and you’re reading Things You Otter Know. Thanks for reading this, by the way. It’s been so long since I last wrote that I’d be shocked if this email didn’t end up in your junk folder.
First of all, our usual ICYMI: my last post went out a month ago yesterday, and the response to it was fantastic. If you haven’t read it yet, it’s the longest post in TYOK history, so save it for this weekend when you’re snowed in and can’t bother to move from your couch:
A whole month, eh? I’m pretty sure that’s the most time I’ve ever taken away from this Substack, shockingly enough. So I wanted to apologize for that. I’ve been really slacking in the writing department. Which…I’m not gonna make excuses, but I’m gonna make excuses. I’ve been bombarded these last few weeks with university assignment after university assignment, most of which I did not or will not do particularly well on. So that sucks.
As for the future:
Since you know I love to make promises about the future of this Substack and never fulfill them.
Today I’m writing a final exam for what is easily my hardest course of this semester. I have studied a grand total of 5 hours for this exam. KILL ME.
Tonight should be fun. I’m going to my first scene show. Anyone who knows me knows I love the music coming out of Toronto and the GTA but I’ve had to skip out on SO many good shows because getting home from downtown Toronto at 2am when you have awful vision is not a thing my parents (understandably) want me to do. But yeah. This is something I’ve wanted to experience for, what, almost four years now?
It’s gonna be at Lee’s Palace. Which is a legendary little venue. So legendary, in fact, that Nirvana’s first Toronto show was here, for those of you who are Nirvana stans like myself. Arctic Monkeys and Blur and Oasis and the Smashing Pumpkins also played their first Toronto shows here. Oh yeah, and Elliott Smith, MY HERO ELLIOTT SMITH, played Lee’s in 1998. Here is the proof. He’s with a band this time and they are so tight.
Anyways, I’m going there tonight to see four bands I dig quite hard. Including NERiMA, who my high school friends and I affectionally call the Nerms because we’re tight with them and they’re all around our age. They have great taste in music while releasing music of their own that’s been getting a lot of attention within the scene, and rightfully so. Please stream their EP and make them rich:
And then there’s also this other band called Waxlimbs who make nearly genreless, out-of-the-box music that I promise isn’t boring. One minute they sound like Radiohead and the next minute like Deftones. Their singer is unreal and she doesn’t even sing lead on this song! Which tells you a lot about the musicianship of all 4 Waxies. This is easily my favourite Waxlimbs song. Please stream it.
On Monday I will hopefully be doing a write-up of this show for this Substack and it will be full of exclamation points and CAPITAL LETTERS because I LOVE THIS SCENE.
The week after that is the last week of 2022! Meaning I’ll be sending out my last post of the year! Ridiculousness. What a year it’s been. I would not have gotten through it without Things You Otter Know. Actually, I would’ve, I just survived a whole month without it, but just pretend I have more eloquent and sincere things to say.
Expect a long and ramble recap of the year that was coming your way then. I know some of you wanted me to talk about my first semester of university so I’ll definitely be touching on that. But then also some talk about the songs and albums I loved most this year, because I still have thoughts even though it feels like I only listened to a band from the 80s called the Replacements for the last four months of the year. And then also some very reflective thoughts, too, because this was a life-changing and super transitional year for me.
Speaking of transitions! We’ll all be transitioning into a new year soon! Can you believe it?!
January 2nd, 2023: that’s the official 1-year-anniversary of this Substack. I can’t wait to celebrate it with all of you.
You otter know that 2023 is going to be the YEAR of Things You Otter Know. I have big plans ahead. I hope all 120 of you stick around. We are going to turn SO MANY PEOPLE INTO OTTERS.
Before you freak out, though, I should probably ease a few of your fears.
Long, rambly posts about John Mayer? Those aren’t going ANYWHERE.
My thoughts on the 2.7 books I read per year? Here to STAY.
Complaints about school? I mean, I might be halfway through the year, but I have PLENTY OF GAS LEFT IN THE TANK.
Significant Otters? Might be on a break for now, but it’ll be back next year WITH A VENGEANCE.
I want this dam FILLED with Otters. As I’m sure you do. And here’s the kicker: with your help, we can make it happen.
I sound like a Democrat fundraiser email right now, eh?
Really, though:
Please do share Things You Otter Know with all the funny people you know!
Tweet out your favourite post while Twitter’s still around! Screenshot your favourite Jared quote and post it to your Instagram story! You can even talk shit about me in the DMs for all I care. But get the word out somehow!
Because the more Otters on board, the more enriching the experience of being an Otter will be. That’s not hyperbole. Okay, maybe a little. But shhh, don’t tell anyone.
That’s it for now! See you Monday. Say a prayer for me as I write this exam.
🦦 —O— 🦦