Ode to Bobbie Gentry
The Birthday Edition
I’m back on my Bobbie bullshit.
Every few years I go through a period of only listening to music by Bobbie Gentry. This newsletter is written from inside of a Bobbie episode.
This current phase started on the night of my birthday a few days ago. After an iconic day of beachside sandwiches and my favorite bookstore, Collin and I went out for a cocktail. The fourth Old Fashioned found me at a vibey bar where we could listen to Honey D spin some records. We sat in a booth before her set started and toasted to a great new year of growth.
Bobbie Gentry’s Courtyard came on over the speakers just as the smells of orange rind met my nose. Suddenly I had achieved Incredible Vibes Nirvana.
Bobbie Gentry entered my life when I was 12 on a road trip with my dad. We were on our way to our trainer’s ranch to see horses and we listened to a compilation of 60s hits on several burned CDs. Bobbie Gentry’s Ode to Billie Joe was on one of the CDs.
If you have never heard the song, please watch the video above. I was immediately captivated by her velvety voice but what kept my focus were her lyrics. The song is such a short and brilliant story of mystery, and she herself called it “a study of unconscious cruelty.” 2003 Alberto was shaken to his husky core.
My dad told me it was made into a movie in the early 70s and the reason Billie Joe threw himself off the bridge was because he was ashamed that he had just hooked up with a man. I of course internalized it, but I also knew I was about to create an entire personality around this diva.
If you don’t know her for Ode to Billie Joe, you might know her as the creator of the song, Fancy. Written as her “statement for women’s lib,” the song has been covered many times, including by Reba in the 90s.
To learn more about this icon, I highly recommend listening to this deep dive about her from the podcast Cocaine & Rhinestones.
2025 has gotten off to a challenging start. The skies of San Diego have stayed clear, but every now and then I will catch the terrifying scent of burning carried on a breeze.
Bobbie Gentry’s voice is what has been flossing the ridges of my brain for the last few days. Her songs are where I find comfort. She grew up in a similar geographic region as me* and though I’ve been a San Diegan for years, I will always be a child of the Delta. The ocean is nice, but I prefer to be soothed by sad songs about rivers.
History, books, and music have taught me that the world has ended many times before. We are all the products of people who just kept going and we must do the same.
In the meantime, just know that you will all be Gentle on my Mind.
*if I ever do drag I would like to be called the Delta Queen. Only people who have eaten taffy from a barrel in Old Sacramento will understand this.
My Favorite People’s favorite things.
I love the Celebrity Shopping lists on The Strategist and the “10 Essentials” videos on GQ’s YouTube channel. I think you can learn a lot about people based off of their favorite things. This recurring segment highlights some of My Favorite People’s favorite things.
If you can’t Favorite People yourself how in the hell are you going Favorite People anybody else? Can I get an amen up in here?
Please enjoy my Favorite Things, as told by me!
Turmeric & Cranberry Seed Energizing Radiance Mask: This mask has been marketed as a “facial in a jar” and I fully endorse this statement. I used it on the morning of my wedding and I think it helped me glow all day. It’s also become an important part of my grounding routine while I’m traveling. I can’t sleep in a hotel bed until I’ve had this mask on and ironed my clothes for the following day. It’s a travel-size jar of portable peace and I think that’s worth the price.
Books with handwritten notes scribbled inside: I love every gift I have ever been given because it truly is the thought that counts. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have favorites. I love when people give me books with handwritten notes inside. Whether it’s a note saying why they think I’ll like the book (Emily) or it’s a threat saying they’d make me eat the book if I didn’t read it (Michele), I love them all. It’s like getting a handwritten card but even better.
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza: This game was recommended to me by an employee of Games of Berkeley when I asked for a fun and easy game that could be played with family. I love this game so much and everyone I have played it with has ended up loving it, too. I’ve played this while babysitting my nieces and nephews and with coworkers and it’s fun every time. Plus, it’s tiny so it can easily be thrown into a suitcase or backpack when traveling.
Getting out of my comfort zone: Life is too short to be scared of things. 2025 is the year of trying new things and expanding my proverbial horizons. I am famously a scaredy cat, but this year I have already read a horror novel (Monstrilio) and watched a horror movie (The Substance) and I loved them both! I have also started to bottom more than I ever have in my life and I finally get the appeal. Try new things this year (and take lots of deep breaths)!
Talking on the phone: Please don’t text me - I’d rather gab on the phone with you. It’s not practical but I would love to have a landline with a cord again, if only so I could pretend to be in that one scene from Bye Bye Birdie. If you’d ever like to talk to me, give me a ring instead of a text.
Guittard Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: I don’t have the chill that many people possess when cooking, which I think is why I’m so drawn to baking. It reminds me of the chemistry labs of my youth, but without the stress of worrying about my GPA. One thing I’ve learned in the last few years of baking is that getting a nice cocoa powder makes a difference and this one is my favorite. All of my other ingredients are generic store-brand versions, but nice cocoa powder is what will elevate the cookies or cakes I’m baking to something memorable. Plus, it’s unsweetened so I don’t feel guilty when I add it to my morning oatmeal sometimes.
Airport Design: I love when airports incorporate their regional charm into the architecture and artistic designs. The Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport feels like a hunting lodge and there are Saguaro cacti everywhere you look in the Tucson International Airport, and the logo for the Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Kentucky is a nod to the region’s horse racing culture. I spend a lot of time walking through airports and I love soaking up the tiny pieces of regional flavor while overpaying for a banana.
Goodr Sunglasses: These sunglasses are cute, comfortable, and versatile. I can wear them on my run, I can wear them on the beach, and I can wear them while traveling. Since they’re not too expensive I’m also not too bummed if I lose a pair to the sea or in a hotel bathroom.
Making eye contact with someone and knowing we’re going to debrief about what we just witnessed at a later time: Is there a better feeling? I try to move through the world with kindness and light, but at the end of the day I’m still a hater to my core. Few things bring me as much delight as a good shit-talking session with someone I love.
Horses: Duh.
Hater to my core!!