And just like that, we’re waiting for answers!

We are, as they say HOLDIN’ OUR HORSES!

Hiya Homekins!

****(read to the end for a special offer!)****

Waitin’ just a New York minute…

Both Paul and myself (yeah, it’s your gal Janie here!) are proud members of the screen actor’s union, SAG-AFTRA. Last week, all 160,000ish of us joined the 11,000ish Hollywood writers on strike for reasonable wages and modernized work contracts to reflect the new structure of our industry dictated by the streaming tech takeover that left us all out. In what’s being coined Hot Labor Summer, many workers are demanding a shift from the current state of LABOR in America. UPS workers and other teamsters are poised to suffer in the short term, in the hopes of winning deserved, long term gains and improvements since no one is looking out for us but our collective selves. The performers at Medieval Times are on strike, the Broadway IATSE collective is issuing a strike authorization vote! Even the storied United Mine Workers of America union have spoken in support of the Hollywood strikes! THANK YOU, MINERS! Workers can unite, even in different areas of expertise! Thank you, United Mine Workers of America!

There’s a unionized worker VIBE out there, and it’s GIVING “We’re mad as hell, and we’re not going to take it anymore!”

We recorded our usual, bonus episode recap last night of that fun show alternatively known in our neighborhood as SO THAT JUST HAPPENED (shout out to Craig Cackowski for that apt alt title 😂). Episode six might be our punch-drunkest, funniest, most unhinged recap YET!

SAG-AFTRA members are prohibited to promote work from struck companies. The streamer that presents our recap subject is one of the most out of touch entities with whom we’re seeking to bargain. It’s run by this champagne-loving mid-sixties bro-daddy, Zaslav, whose salary is over $200 million in stock options. He’s a servant to a STOCK ticker that rewards him in perverse proportions compared to his average worker’s salary, and, turns out, he’s NOT interested in his laborers that make his product. Although, goddess bless these audacious Boston students for heckling him at this graduation speech! Does public shame work anymore? Probably, no, but they sure TRIED and it was Boston bold and glorious! SI SE PUEDE, YA YACHT RIDING SUCKER!!

ALL THIS IS TO SAY! We do not have clarity yet from our union on where our recap bonus episodes fall within the guidelines… Is it promoting a struck company or are these episodes exempt, since it promotes us, SAG-AFTRA members, more and keeps us sustained through our generous subscribers during a time of labor crisis…? Rather than risk our standing in the union, we’re awaiting more clarity as they navigate this huge and complicated strike that just started last week.

WE WILL REFRIGERATE our precious recaps in BPA-free Tupperware and release them when we either get a union waiver or a resolution! We can still do our conversation SAG-AFTRA covered podcast (yeah, that’s right, STAY F. HOMEKINS is union covered, baby✊). We’ll continue updates and any bonus episodes we see fit, outside of struck companies while we wait to learn more from the hardworking union organizers making our historic double strike a massive success for us all!

SINCE you have all been so kind by sticking with us and just generally being GREAT, we’re offering 10% off a yearly subscription to WEEKEND WATER through August 15!

Yeah! That’s right! A summer sale 🏷️

And, let’s face it, we’re currently underemployed in our chosen vocation for the foreseeable future, and any and all support of our side hustle is beyond treasured. That said, we are also trying to pump up our subscribers even at our free tier, too, so even if you sign up as a casual observer here WE ARE HEARTENED BY YOUR SUPPORT AT ANY LEVEL. So, please help spread the word about our substack! And if any of you know Zaslav, gift him a subscription and let him know he could be a hero instead of a zero by writing us new, fair contracts!