The Joy Document.
Inspired by Jennifer McGaha.
To celebrate 500 subscribers, not even a week after 400 subscribers (hello? insane?), I read a book recently called The Joy Document which genuinely did fill me with joy. The concept of it is to document all little stories that brought you joy, past to present. Whilst I love this concept, so much, I could be here for literally yonks detailing out my little moments of joy, so I thought I’d do a Mia Media Joy Document, also as a way for all 300 new of you to get to know me (shameless plug but you can also follow me on ig miacaven, mwah).
A Show To Watch If You Want To Know Me: Better Things.
Before Mikey Madison was the big Hollywood star, she was in my favourite show Better Things as one of Sam (Pamela Adlon)s children. 2018 began my love affair with Better Things and rekindled an old one with Los Angeles and the feeling of coming of age. If you are a mother, a daughter, or a sister, you will understand this beautiful show of all of the above and more.
An Album To Listen To If You Want To Know Me: Vows by Kimbra.
And the cars could all collide,
The shards of glass won’t catch my eyes
Because you’re almost by my side
In one album, Kimbra seems to somehow be a jazz artist, rnb, pop, and blues singer. This has been on rotation for me (literally, I play it every day), since 2011. I was nine. It was the first proper artists album I owned physically. To this day, I have yet to find an album as diverse, beautiful and brilliant.
A Movie To Watch If You Want To Know Me: Marcel The Shell With Shoes On.
My direct introduction to Jenny Slate who voices Marcel, who is also now tattooed on my right shoulder. Jenny Slate is also now one of my favourite authors and has always been one of those side characters of comedic relief I looked out for. This movie changed my life two years ago, it is all I can watch when I am sad, and I know it will change yours.
An Artist To Listen To If You Want To Know Me: Yoke Lore.
baby, could you kill a man?
could you look in his eyes and feel the fire drain out of his hands?
2016, Beige was on rotation. Then Goodpain. Then Cut and Run… and I found myself very quickly obsessed. Two barricade gigs later, a battle against republicans in his comment section (he is wildly political, which I adore), where he told people to fuck off and leave me alone, several happy birthdays and a book recommendation later, here we are. I'm still obsessed. But, I will keep hounding him to release Tom Robbins. (It’s on YouTube, live. Listen to it.)
A Book To Read If You Want To Know Me: Just Kids by Patti Smith.
I don’t ever shut up about this book or Patti Smith or Robert Mapplethorpe or literally anything related to said book, so this won’t come as a surprise. I have Patti’s lightning bolt tattooed in the exact same place as her also; left kneecap.
A Game To Play If You Want To Know Me: Life is Strange.
This series of games will fuck you up so deeply it sent both myself and my sister into depression pits. Not an exaggeration at all, as it’s important to note that each game holds extremely heavy topics such as rape, murder, death/grief, and more. Also, the famous spiral is tattooed under my Marcel the Shell. What this is telling me is that I need a few more tattoos, specifically for vows, Yoke and Better Things. Anyway, to end this Media Joy Document, here’s an ironically misleading compilation of the game being gay (yes, it is actually very gay. almost every story is about a queer person. you’re welcome. i’m also, sorry).
— Love,
Mia xx