McSweeney’s List (25 June 2025)
Welcome to Summer 2025. It's a once in a lifetime moment, one generations before us dreamed about, and here we are, overwhelmed by the current state of affairs, barely even thinking about how The Jetsons were set in 2062. Spoiler, I don't think we'll get flying cars in time. Another spoiler, big pictures are best seen in the cool detachment of hindsight, or the revved up fantastical dreams of future possibilities. While in the shit, all you can see is the shit. While you're playing the game, you are confined by the rules of the game. This is why revolutions are hard, and so few people manage to shake off expectations and become actual player characters instead of NPCs.
This essay isn't really about that, but it is about small, tangible changes against the backdrop of overwhelming helplessness. Because in a timeline that stumps all the bingo cards, tending your own garden becomes a revolutionary act.
See, I'm in a new relationship (hello, Handsome Reader). Not a situationship, or a “let's see what happens here”, but something notable. And by embarking on this fab journey, I'm closing the chapter on what was my longest stretch single. To be fair, it was just less than a year, and I know that can be read as a humble brag or a red flag, so uh, oops? I don't know what to tell you about that part. But I've learned some interesting things over the past year, so let's dive in.
I enjoy silence more than I knew
I've always been a background noise kinda gal. The TV was always on, or something streaming to the speaker. Left to my own devices (haha electronics joke), it turns out I enjoy being alone, in silence. I'm writing this with nothing on (“It's not true I had nothing on, I had the radio on.” - Monroe). No seriously, I'm wearing clothes, but there's no music, no video, just the sounds of birds, and my Hazelnut cat wondering why I can't have one hand on her at all times as I type. I noticed this change as soon as I moved into my own place, but I thought it might pass. Instead it's more present, and I take time to notice and appreciate it. When I do watch stuff, it's more intentional than it once was. I don't have to worry about whether someone else will like it, and I'm untethered to the old watch list I had. If I need a recharge, I put on things that uplift my energy, if I want to laugh, I put on things that make me laugh.
My eating habits changed
For instance, I eat less meat. Sure, I still eat it, but I can also go days without it and not miss it (until I do, and then I eat so much meat). Couples dinners and cohabitation had me falling into food ruts, not listening as closely to my body as I might've. I was eating more processed foods, and often meals that lacked the savory range I prefer. My taste buds had grown complacent.
While single life showed me that I genuinely have no concept of meal times, it also showed me that meals can be anything, really. Total girl dinner / neurodivergent eating, often eating the ingredients instead of putting them together, but I ate what I craved, and learned about my own tastes.
I tried to date myself, but…
Just take yourself on a date, they say. Well, it's not as easy as all that. Yes, I made a point of going out when it was easier to stay in, and to do the things I would want to do with a partner. But, and it's a big’un, it seems my favorite parts of dating are in the conversations, the shared observances (hey, doesn't that tree look like it has a face?). I love to know what catches someone's attention when we're out and about. My Boo digs dogs, especially ones with poofy tails. While I noticed dogs before, now I really notice, and find myself smiling when I know he's liking a dog. I also find myself judging the puffiness of their tails, which wasn't even on my radar before. I also love to learn the stories that no one else has. This is the park where I broke my leg, this is where I had my first kiss. These stories add depth to my surroundings as I internalize the memory, and I feel closer to my partner for it. Trying to date myself led to fun outings, and many bougie coffees, but lacked so much. Nothing beats talking about the event after the event, and you can't do that alone.
I'm romantic, and snuggly
Ok, so for years I've been saying that I wasn't romantic or snuggly. It seemed like posturing; oh, look, I took you out to a restaurant with the adequate number of candles, thus this is a romantic dinner. *Yawn, eye roll. What I realized is that romance speaks a million languages. Romance is also trading music, goofy gifs, and inside jokes. Romance is whatever makes you sigh happily, and gets your eyes all sparkly, and makes cartoon hearts pop out over your head. Many times over the past year, I wished I could be sitting where I was, watching what I was, but sharing it; curling up and unwinding together, laughing till we snort, and then laughing more because we snorted. Doing nothing is greatly enhanced by cuddling while doing it. Everything is improved by reaching over and finding a hand reaching back for yours. As much as I love sleeping diagonally and tossing the blankets around, I missed spooning like I had all the soup in the world, and only a knife that Alanis Morissette gave me.
The apps really aren't what they used to be
I've been using “the apps” since 2005. I've met friends, lovers, and a fiancé. I don't know how I would've even met people in those early days without them. My Boo and I were discussing how much they've changed, and he brought up some good points. First, online dating doesn't just feel different; we haven't aged out, we haven’t grown jaded. The whole system has actually changed. Consider the first matching apps: they weren't apps, they were websites. You had to sit your ass down and set the whole thing up. And we weren't taking pictures at the same pace we do now, so we also had to dig up a picture, or have a friend send a pic they snapped of us…it was a mission. If you wanted to talk to someone, you gave them your number, or you waited until you were back at the computer. People sent missives. There were paragraphs, and punctuation, and no one asked wyd. Additionally, there was a level of embarrassment about the whole thing: it was new, which meant it was weird. There weren't yet any happy endings facilitated by dating sites, so a lot of people didn't know what to think. Plus, a ton of people were still dating the old fashioned way. There were only a subset of people actively trying to find their partners online, and that subset was a literate, nerdy bunch who didn't want to pick up at the bar. Now, well, wtf? The bio says “hey, just ask me” and the picture has been posed, cropped, and filtered. Or the picture is a group shot. There's no in between. For the sake of humanity, some of these people need to go back to the club.
I'm sure I learned more; I'm either forgetting things, or they haven't sunk in yet. But nonetheless, Dear Reader, I suggest you take a minute to reflect on what you're learning wherever you are, and what you'd like to learn next. This life is an all-too-short walk home, so you should smell every flower and clock every poofy tailed dog.
Café Eevee Triple Header
With 3 great shows in 3 nights this week, Café Eevee deserves some extra attention. This sweet, family owned café goes the extra mile for the comedy scene. Sure, you're used to seeing comedy in bars, but have you ever seen a room of comedians jazzed up on sugar and too much caffeine?! It's pretty great. You're bound to see someone you know, or make a friend, because it's such a warm, social room. You should totally go, and give them loads of money too, so they know that we appreciate them holding space for us.
Temporary Home
As you've surely heard, Peel Pub is no more, leaving their open mic temporarily homless. You might've even seen Erik Intrevado on the news, giving him more TV credits than the rest of us. It's the talk of the town (half the people didn't know Peel Pub was still open, which is probably how they went bankrupt. But that's not the point.
The point is, Erik's open mic is proverbially crashing on the café’s couch for now, so the comedy continues every Thursday!
Show up, sign up.
WHAT: Open Mic at Café Eevee
WHERE: Café Eevee, 1251 St. Zotique St. E., Montreal, H2S 1N8
WHEN: Thursday, June 26, Sign up @ 7 PM, Show @ 730 PM
METRO: Beaubien (Orange)
RSVP: Eventbrite
FTB X Laugh Knights
Forget the Box is teaming up with Laugh Knights for an incredible night of stand up comedy! Andrew Jamieson and Dawn McSweeney (hey, that's me!) will host the show up, sign up night, and it's bound to be a blast!
Come get some laughs, come do a set, or just come say hi and hang out!
WHAT: Forget the Box & Laugh Knights Present: Show Up Sign Up Comedy Night
WHERE: Café Eevee, 1251 St. Zotique St. E., Montreal, H2S 1N8
WHEN: Friday, June 27, Sign Up @ 7 PM, Show @ 8 PM
METRO: Beaubien (Orange)
RSVP: Eventbrite
So, It's Sir Laughs?
Dan Kestler hosts this night of laughs, and Alvaro Salvagno headlines, featuring Steve Patrick Adams, Alan Fregtman, Saanya Nanda, Michael Pecker, Erik Intrevado, and Claudio Capri. Seating is limited, so grab your tickets now!
WHAT: Laugh Knights
WHERE: Café Eevee, 1251 St. Zotique St. E., Montreal, H2S 1N8
WHEN: Saturday, June 28, Doors @ 7 PM, Show @ 8 PM
METRO: Beaubien (Orange)
TICKETS: Eventbrite
no one listens to poetry
Five young writers from the U.S. and Canada will gather to read both works-in-progress and works past. Five different readers, five different styles, five different ways of addressing silence. Not slam poetry, not diaristic autofiction, not gently narrative epiphanic verse, the work to be presented will challenge the conventional scope of poetry and what it means to write something “new” in our current climate. If “no one listens to poetry,” as Jack Spicer has it, then come and find out why some should.
$5 Entry (suggested donation NOTAFLOF)
6-9 p.m.
Cash bar
WHAT: No One Listens To Poetry: A Reading
WHERE: #204-170 Jean Talon O., Atlas Building, Little Italy, Montreal, QC, Canada, Quebec H2R 2X4
WHEN: Saturday, June 28, @ 6PM
METRO: Jean Talon (Orange)
DETAILS: Facebook
STUDIO B SUMMER POP-UP
We're kicking off summer with a curated pop-up experience you won’t want to miss.
Expect:
Handpicked vintage vendors from all over the city
Live DJ spinning
Fresh mocktails on deck
Tooth gems + press-on nails for extra sparkle
A photo backdrop in our light-filled warehouse space
…and all the stylish vibes.
Just steps from Sauvé metro.
Come shop, sip, dance, and hang with us.
Free to attend. Friendly to all.
WHAT: Studio B Summer Pop Up
WHERE: 9540 Boulevard St-Laurent, Montréal, QC H2N 1R1
WHEN: Saturday, June 28 – Sunday, June 29 @ 12-7PM
METRO: Sauve (Orange)
DETAILS: Facebook
Laughs In The Grass
This amazing show celebrated its 5th anniversary last week, and Zak Kik has some really huge surprises for NDG this season!
It's a free comedy park show supported by generous donations, and everyone is encouraged to bring their blankets, drinks, and camping chairs, for a cozy and relaxed night. It's become a staple of summer evenings in NDG, a Saturday night tradition for locals and visitors alike.
The show will take place in the outfield of the baseball diamond.
WHAT: Stand-up Comedy in Girouard Park
WHERE: Girouard Park, Corner of Girouard and St. Antoine
WHEN: Every nice Saturday @ 8 PM through autumn
METRO: Vendôme (Orange)
DETAILS: Facebook
Sexy Science
Get ready to wiggle, shimmy, and crawl your way into summer with Bugout Burlesque! It's a sultry, silly, and science-filled night celebrating the strange and wonderful world of insects!
From glittering wings to venomous stings, this entomological extravaganza features an all-star cast of creatures who'll make you squirm with delight: Minx Arcana, Malinka Molotov, Irony, MILF Shake, Dora Bones, Spiked Corona, Cypresse, and Mina Minou will all be buzzing through the night just for you!
Come ready to buy tickets for a chance to win some extra juicy raffle prizes. All raffle sales go to raise funds for Young Roots Farm, a local nonprofit cultivating sustainable land relationships and empowering urban youth.
Finally, enjoy an extra special treat for this show only with an on-site bug scientist, ready to tickle your brain with all sorts of facts!
WHAT: Bug Out Burlesque
WHERE: The Wiggle Room, 3874 St. Laurent Blvd., Montreal, H2W 1Y2
WHEN: Sunday, June 29, Doors @ 7 PM, Show @ 8 PM
METRO: Sherbrooke (Orange)
DETAILS: Facebook
World's Smallest Week
World’s Smallest Comedy Night has so many cool things happening, so here are their events this week in order!
What Do You Know? Like, Seriously…
Tonight! Come to Hurley's for Trivia Night, and get bonus laughter! Enjoy delicious pub fare, and get ready to show off your trivia skills. Grab your team, and enjoy this night of comedy, friendly competition, and great company! Hosted by Vance Michel.
WHAT: Trivia Night at Hurley's
WHERE: Hurley's Irish Pub, 1225 Crescent St., Montreal, H3G 2B1
WHEN: Every Wednesday @ 8 PM
METRO: Lucien l'Allier (Orange) & Guy-Concordia (Green)
RSVP: Eventbrite
Classic Coke
Beat the Monday Blues with WSC’s OG offering, The World's Smallest Comedy Night!
Enjoy a showcase of the best comedians in the city, hot up-and-comers, national and international touring comics, and surprises!
Hosted by Vance Michel.
WHAT: The World's Smallest Comedy Night
WHERE: Hurley's Irish Pub, 1225 Crescent St., Montreal, H3G 2B1
WHEN: Monday, May 12 Doors @ 7 PM, Show @ 8 PM
METRO: Lucien l'Allier (Orange) & Guy-Concordia (Green)
TICKETS: Eventbrite
Dirty Monday
The Monday Night Dirty Mic is the place to be! Hosted by Vance Michel, every show is an unpredictable and unique experience as a hilarious collection of comedians from newbs to pros take the stage. See the best before anyone else, and catch seasoned locals doing their freshest funnies!
Comics: show-up, sign-up
WHAT: Monday Night Dirty Mic
WHERE: Hurley's Irish Pub, 1225 Crescent St., Montreal, H3G 2B1
WHEN: Every Monday, Sign-up @ 1020 PM, Show @ 1030 PM
METRO: Lucien l'Allier (Orange) & Guy-Concordia (Green)
DETAILS: Facebook
McSweeney’s List drops every Wednesday with the best events, workshops, and more, each week in Montreal!
