Colin McGowan
@csmcgowan.bsky.social
Used to write for lots of places. Now mostly at Flaming Hydra, a co-op newsletter: https://flaminghydra.com/contributor/colin-mcgowan/
DMs are fine // colinsilasmcgowan at gmail
DMs are fine // colinsilasmcgowan at gmail
All this high-protein crap is some kind of tariff workaround or meat industry subsidy, right? Because most people in this country do not need more protein.
February 12, 2026 at 3:01 AM
All this high-protein crap is some kind of tariff workaround or meat industry subsidy, right? Because most people in this country do not need more protein.
I like to think I bring an "injured on the first day of Spring Training, out until mid-July" kind of energy to the workplace.
February 11, 2026 at 3:28 PM
I like to think I bring an "injured on the first day of Spring Training, out until mid-July" kind of energy to the workplace.
I've been working for two weeks straight and feel as if my grip on reality is tenuous at best. A hypothetical version of life must be worth living but this ain't it.
February 11, 2026 at 5:07 AM
I've been working for two weeks straight and feel as if my grip on reality is tenuous at best. A hypothetical version of life must be worth living but this ain't it.
Trying to fathom how much of a prick you'd have to be to hit the "notify anyway" button if you weren't literally holding somebody's lost child in your arms.
February 11, 2026 at 12:30 AM
Trying to fathom how much of a prick you'd have to be to hit the "notify anyway" button if you weren't literally holding somebody's lost child in your arms.
Taking in the curling, hollering "let's fuckin' go!" when it seems like something good has happened. I'm like a dog at the opera, more or less.
February 10, 2026 at 6:17 PM
Taking in the curling, hollering "let's fuckin' go!" when it seems like something good has happened. I'm like a dog at the opera, more or less.
I remember when Megyn Kelly was still trying to play the "who knows what my politics really are?" game when she had a child named Thatcher.
February 10, 2026 at 4:43 AM
I remember when Megyn Kelly was still trying to play the "who knows what my politics really are?" game when she had a child named Thatcher.
Rhythm Ice Dancing is the most Eurotrash thing I've ever seen. Two Georgians dressed like Avril Lavigne are doing pirouettes and pop-and-lock to The Offspring's "Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)."
February 9, 2026 at 8:05 PM
Rhythm Ice Dancing is the most Eurotrash thing I've ever seen. Two Georgians dressed like Avril Lavigne are doing pirouettes and pop-and-lock to The Offspring's "Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)."
If I gotta whack into all those slalom gates, I'm going down the hill looking like Patrick Roy.
February 9, 2026 at 6:04 PM
If I gotta whack into all those slalom gates, I'm going down the hill looking like Patrick Roy.
Suffering a Wile E. Coyote-like emotional plunge as I go from "look at the Dutch lady fly!" to "Jake Paul."
February 9, 2026 at 5:44 PM
Suffering a Wile E. Coyote-like emotional plunge as I go from "look at the Dutch lady fly!" to "Jake Paul."
Nothing like this ever needs to be published.
February 9, 2026 at 4:20 AM
Nothing like this ever needs to be published.
I'm gonna hold fast to my idea that any legit actor in a commercial is a piece of shit and that we don't need to compliment pop stars for selling their services to Apple and the NFL's advertising partners. Mass culture sucks and it's not hard to turn down millions if you're rich.
February 9, 2026 at 3:07 AM
I'm gonna hold fast to my idea that any legit actor in a commercial is a piece of shit and that we don't need to compliment pop stars for selling their services to Apple and the NFL's advertising partners. Mass culture sucks and it's not hard to turn down millions if you're rich.
In the same way that snowboarding shouldn't be scored and medals should be handed out based on vibes, curling should be staged with all participants moderately drunk. Guys should be skulling Labatts in between ends.
February 8, 2026 at 10:42 PM
In the same way that snowboarding shouldn't be scored and medals should be handed out based on vibes, curling should be staged with all participants moderately drunk. Guys should be skulling Labatts in between ends.
The Super Bowl feels like an unreal epilogue to the NFL season. The two-week break, the contest-dwarfing corporate spectacle, the dead crowd. I know the players are trying their hardest, but all the signifiers scream EXHIBITION GAME.
February 8, 2026 at 9:59 PM
The Super Bowl feels like an unreal epilogue to the NFL season. The two-week break, the contest-dwarfing corporate spectacle, the dead crowd. I know the players are trying their hardest, but all the signifiers scream EXHIBITION GAME.
I made arancini strictly to commemorate the Milan Winter Olympics and not because I wanted a delicious meal of crisp rice and melty cheese.
February 8, 2026 at 12:21 AM
I made arancini strictly to commemorate the Milan Winter Olympics and not because I wanted a delicious meal of crisp rice and melty cheese.
The luge or, as I call it, the suicide machine. The ski jump or, as I call it, the aerial suicide machine.
February 7, 2026 at 5:39 PM
The luge or, as I call it, the suicide machine. The ski jump or, as I call it, the aerial suicide machine.
I was not previously aware of this Howard Cosell banger. youtube.com/watch?si=hiU...
Howard Cosell Exposes Sham of Smith & Carlos Expulsion from 1968 Olympics - ABC News - 10/18/1968
YouTube video by Shatner Method
m.youtube.com
February 7, 2026 at 4:33 PM
I was not previously aware of this Howard Cosell banger. youtube.com/watch?si=hiU...
I like the Winter Olympics but it's also a kind of fraud designed to give Greenwich, CT residents the same award Usain Bolt and Katie Ledecky win.
February 7, 2026 at 12:45 AM
I like the Winter Olympics but it's also a kind of fraud designed to give Greenwich, CT residents the same award Usain Bolt and Katie Ledecky win.
I actually think it's somewhat helpful and instructive how crude Trump is. We're bullying Venezuela for oil, he thinks the black ex-president is a monkey, etc. But also jesus fucking christ it's bleak.
February 6, 2026 at 10:11 PM
I actually think it's somewhat helpful and instructive how crude Trump is. We're bullying Venezuela for oil, he thinks the black ex-president is a monkey, etc. But also jesus fucking christ it's bleak.
Horrified the antique store lady by showing up with a dinky little wagon and telling her "this'll take four or five trips." People always assume you have a car. Nope, I've got a flask and too much free time. Which is basically just as good.
February 6, 2026 at 7:56 PM
Horrified the antique store lady by showing up with a dinky little wagon and telling her "this'll take four or five trips." People always assume you have a car. Nope, I've got a flask and too much free time. Which is basically just as good.
Independent media, which is hard as hell to get off the ground and maintain, is the only thing worth doing.
February 4, 2026 at 6:01 PM
Independent media, which is hard as hell to get off the ground and maintain, is the only thing worth doing.
The thing about Woj, who sucked, is that he had a little bit of a personality because he came up writing columns. The thing about Shams, who some familiar with experts say is on a suck-ward trajectory, is that he came into the game a pure scoop artist and is basically illiterate.
February 4, 2026 at 1:05 AM
The thing about Woj, who sucked, is that he had a little bit of a personality because he came up writing columns. The thing about Shams, who some familiar with experts say is on a suck-ward trajectory, is that he came into the game a pure scoop artist and is basically illiterate.
I braised some lamb loin chops with white wine, garlic, leeks, and carrot. Then I whipped up a very basic risotto. Married with some parsley and a glug of good olive oil. And holy fucking shit, this is the best dish I've made in months.
February 3, 2026 at 12:42 AM
I braised some lamb loin chops with white wine, garlic, leeks, and carrot. Then I whipped up a very basic risotto. Married with some parsley and a glug of good olive oil. And holy fucking shit, this is the best dish I've made in months.
Reading up on disastrous early aughts sitcoms, as one does. I have zero memory of Geena Davis's eponymous project.
February 2, 2026 at 5:21 AM
Reading up on disastrous early aughts sitcoms, as one does. I have zero memory of Geena Davis's eponymous project.
Reposted by Colin McGowan
It's belated on my end but @flaminghydra.com celebrated its second birthday yesterday and I'm really proud of and happy about what a cool and scrappy thing it has become. There's some free blogs in here, but it remains one of the great deals in the Reading Stuff space: flaminghydra.com/issue-492/
And now we are two
Celebrating Flaming Hydra’s second birthday
flaminghydra.com
January 31, 2026 at 6:54 PM
It's belated on my end but @flaminghydra.com celebrated its second birthday yesterday and I'm really proud of and happy about what a cool and scrappy thing it has become. There's some free blogs in here, but it remains one of the great deals in the Reading Stuff space: flaminghydra.com/issue-492/
Lots of writers are bastards and I can't say I'd be all that saddened to hear of their passing beyond the fact they wouldn't produce any more excellent work. Dan McQuade isn't like that. He radiated generosity and positive vibes. For that reason his death is very sad. RIP to a good one.
January 29, 2026 at 3:03 AM
Lots of writers are bastards and I can't say I'd be all that saddened to hear of their passing beyond the fact they wouldn't produce any more excellent work. Dan McQuade isn't like that. He radiated generosity and positive vibes. For that reason his death is very sad. RIP to a good one.