Hey, everybody. It is time, once again, to meet the Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Michaela Dietz.
Who are you?
Woah. So introspective. So soon.
What are you?
A human being named Michaela Dietz. I'd also like to throw myself into a few other categories. I am Korean-American. I am a transracial adoptee. I am a writer and performer. I am a fan of declarative sentences.
Where are you?
Venice, CA. At my kitchen table! And yes, I'm wearing pants!
Where are you from?
A tiny, bucolic village in Upstate NY called Cooperstown! Growing up, I was one of a handful of Asian-American residents (most of us were transracial, Korean-American adoptees).
I love The Coop, but I'd be telling a fat one if I said growing up with little ethnic diversity was easy. Back in the day, claiming that I was from Korea always felt fraudulent to me. Even calling myself Korean-American felt like a stretch.
I emigrated when I was 3.5 months old, so I never truly felt like I lived in Korea. But, over the past 8 years, I've had the opportunity to travel back a bunch and see much of the peninsula. Being in touch with the food, art, quirks and style of Korean people, has made me feel like yeah, I am from here. This is my heritage.
What do you do?
If you logged the hours of what I do on a daily basis it would appear that my full-time job is to sit in traffic and nod when anyone on NPR cracks a quasi-joke (cough cough, Marco Werman). Alas, I'm actually scramming to auditions or sessions re: CN's Steven Universe (I voice Amethyst!), Disney's upcoming 101 Dalmatian Street (I voice Dolly!) and other unannounced projects!
I'm also working on a book about my search for my birth family. I had to take a break from it for a while because I was too close to the experience, but I'm back in the QWERTY saddle now and it feels pretty great.
What are you all about?
Lately, I'm all about that untethered life, man! Well, I'm trying to be. So I guess... I'm all about trying to be all about that untethered life, man!!! Recently I was in Chilean Patagonia with remarkably limited access to any type of screen or service. Being immersed in primal nature, inhaling non-LA air and bonding with other humans sans distraction was wonderful.
Pssst. Being all about that good book life helps my untethered plight too. Confessions of a Fox, The Nix and Lake Success are some recent favs.
What makes you angry?
What outrages me is when smart, feminist, science accepting, self-proclaimed "liberals" -- usually baby boomers, comment that AOC is "too strident." Too strident?! I'm sorry, but when have you ever said that about a male politician? WT HECK. Is this a generational thing?! We're now talking about taxing America's oligarchs and The Green New Deal because AOC is talking about it! She, like many of her new peers are engaging younger voters. They're pushing talking points into mainstream consciousness! And ew, don't tell me that "they need to be more like Nancy Pelosi." Hey, power to the Pelosi-meister, but being ingrained in DC isn't the only way to enact change, is it? And how the heck is anyone supposed to get to a leadership position like Pelosi's?? By silently sitting by as EPA standards are lifted, economic inequality deepens and racism and sexism continue to plague our country?!!
Also, I really hate it when people wear too much perfume or cologne and then feel the need to hug me. Like, please no. I have undiagnosed hyperosmia.
