Author Archives: Chloe Desilets

Billy McFarland

‘Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.‘ –Sir Walter Scott, Marmion, Canto Six, Stanza Seventeen

“This thing is like an onion. The more layers you peel, the more it stinks.” –George Costanza, Seinfeld, ‘The Soul Mate,’ Season 8, Episode 2

Yes, now that I and the rest of the industrialized world have learned that Billy McFarland is organizing a second Fyre Festival, I’m jumping on the bandwagon–here and in my most recent podcast episode. But this is just as much a public-service announcment as it is the latest entry into this rogues’ gallery.

As so many people before me have pointed out, McFarland was sentenced to six years in prison for various forms of fraud, but was released after less than four–and his life after prison has been less then exemplary. One of the first things he did when he got out of prison was launch a social-media campaign for a ‘remote-island extravaganza’ he called PYRT (pronounced ‘Pirate’–how appropriate); some time after, he connected Donald Trump with rappers, who he managed to convince to endorse Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign (presumably at Trump’s request–as if rappers and their endorsement would make him cool to anyone outside of his fan club). Apparently, Billy McFarland isn’t very good at keeping his head down, even after a public embarrassment–even if it isn’t the magnitude of the first Fyre Festival.

And now there’s the alleged Fyre Festival Part 2.

Just the first Fyre (non)Festival alone should alert us all that Billy McFarland cannot, and should not, be trusted. As Calvin Wells pointed out at the end of the Netflix documentary Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened, “if there’s anything the guy is good at, it’s separating consumers from their cash.” There’s no doubt McFarland is good at marketing; former Fyre Media employee Shiyuan Deng stated in The Greatest Party That Never Happened that, “He can sell you on anything.” Unfortunately (from what I’ve heard and read), McFarland has decided to use his marketing skills to con people out of their money rather than for any good purpose. As Magnesis, Fyre, NYC-VIP Access, PYRT, and now potentially Fyre Festival 2 show, Billy McFarland is, as they say in Texas, all hat and no cattle. In fact, it seems to me that McFarland would rather play at being an entrepreneur than actually be an entrepreneur–and scam people out of their money in the process, while other people do the actual work and eventually have to come to terms with the fact that they won’t get paid–or, if they do, it won’t be for the right amount (they’ll be short-changed). He reminds me of Cartman in the South Park episode ‘DikinBaus Hot Dogs,’ except McFarland has no Butters Stotch to pick up the slack for him and make sure his ‘businesses’ actually deliver, especially in the long-term. And let’s not forget McFarland has been barred from ever serving as director of a public company–for good reason, from where I’m standing.

In this economy–hell, in any economy, but especially in this one–I’d recommend against buying any bill of goods this guy sells you; it’s clear he can’t–or more to the point, won’t–deliver. I’d just hate to hear any more about people forking over their money for something that doesn’t deliver on promises its creator/s made or doesn’t even exist; even more than that, I’d hate to hear any more about people, locally and in far-off locales, enduring hardship because they didn’t get paid for their labour–or didn’t get paid enough–for the sake of the aformentioned something, especially because someone like one William Zervakos McFarland doesn’t want a regular, legitimate job–or at least put in a stroke of work at any of the businesses he starts, and check his ego at the door.

For the love of all that is holy, do NOT, under any circumstances, buy any tickets to Fyre Festival 2, or anything else Billy McFarland feels like selling you. Learn from the first Fyre Festival–this individual will not deliver. as he has a mouth full of thunder but no lightning in either of his hands.

Sources (in no particular order):

https://www.businessinsider.com/fyre-festival-billy-mcfarland-magnises-history-townhouse-2019-1

https://fortune.com/2017/08/30/fyre-festival-billy-mcfarland-magnises/

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/jimmy-kimmel-surprised-fyre-festival-161158179.html

https://www.foxnews.com/us/convicted-fyre-fest-fraudster-billy-mcfarland-return-mexico-sounds-like-ticking-time-bomb-experts

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_McFarland

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/fyre-festival-fraudster-launching-latest-thing-looks-party-island-rcna62564

Elon Musk

I know, I know–this has been a long time coming. But, I have to be honest, I was just too damned lazy to post anything about anything–and keep up with the news–within the last couple of years or so, and I’m only writing this because two-time United States President Donald Trump has apparently allowed Elon Musk more than a fair amount of power in the United States government, and between them they will mess up United States government policies and more for years to come. I’m Canadian, but I’m speaking out because I want my American neighbours to know that i am not OK with what is going on south of the border right now–even if Trump and Musk supporters are.

I’ve logged into my X (formerly Twitter) account recently, and came across this gem:

Though the added reader context may state that there is no record of Musk ever tweeting that, I wouldn’t put it past him, especially given the kerfuffle over his Nazi-esque salute and apparent sense of entitlement, which has become more pronounced since he purchased the site formerly known as Twitter and renamed it. Ignoring for a second that there are plenty of posts on Twitter (yes, I still insist on calling it that) calling out Trump and Musk and, as far as I know, those accounts haven’t been suspended, it still sticks in my craw that the owner of a social-media platform is flexing his muscles like this. In this manner, Musk reminds me of this:

But it doesn’t end there.

Apparently, once he was back in the Oval Office, Donald Trump has made Musk a ‘special government employee’ and given him special powers–such as dismantling government agencies like USAID (which he has called a ‘criminal organization’)–and allowed him to create a group called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is made up of young men who look like they recently graduated from college or university (if not younger) who have so far accessed people’s personal data and the nation’s money; apparently, lawyers are going after anyone who reveals the identities of these young men (you’ve seen their pictures if you’ve been on Twitter/X and/or Bluesky)–so much for freedom of speech and information, transparency, and accountability. Several people on X have pointed out that Musk is neither an elected nor an appointed official, and thus does not have the authority to do what he’s doing–but it doesn’t help that the current leader of the so-called free world is enabling him. But–stating the painfully obvious here–Trump and Musk are like two peas in a pod.

Unfortunately, I know, in terms of everything wrong with Elon Musk and what he’s doing with the power he has, I’m just scratching the surface.

I can’t tell you how bad I feel for everyone living south of the 49th parallel and north of the Rio Grande right now–well, those who didn’t vote for Trump, anyhow. As for those who did…well, I don’t know what to say, especially to those seeing the consequences of that action and having regrets.

I know Elon Musk is just another rich man looking to flex his muscles and avoid accountability while screwing over those who are most in need, but, much like Trump, his actions in his new position have serious repercussions, especially for those less fortunate than himself. The next President of the United States is going to have a hell of a job cleaning this administration’s mess; I can only hope that when Trump goes, Musk goes with him.

P.S.: I know this post is rather disjointed and incoherent, and I could make a million and one excuses for why that is, but I trust everyone reading it sees the point(s) I’m trying to make.

Silencing the Inner Editor is Easier Said Than Done

I was three weeks into writing the second draft of my current novel when I’ve already started mentally plotting my next draft–namely, what I’m going to cut out of it. Now I’ve given in to temptation and stopped writing what I thought was going to be the second draft of this novel, and actually started planning this draft of my novel again.

Everyone who’s ever said anything about writing says you’re supposed to silence your inner editor; let me tell you, it’s harder than it sounds. Every time I write something–even if it’s a first draft–my inner editor is working overtime. It’s hard for me to remind myself that nothing is ever right the first time–or the second or even third time–and to just finish the draft. My inner editor is screaming in my ear, nitpicking every detail, telling me everything that’s wrong. Regardless of where I am in the process, my inner editor’s voice is hard to shut off.

I’m now realizing that writing is like gardening, in that anyone who engages in the activity has to do quite a bit of weeding–that is, in the case of writing, cutting out all of the scenes and plots that don’t serve the story. For the project I’m working on now, I need to boil down what the story is, and plot out plots and scenes that serve it. After I’m done this draft, I’m sure I’m still going to do a lot of weeding before writing the next draft.

Now I’m going to have to concoct a strategy for silencing my inner editor–but it’s going to be difficult.

Now, i understand quite a few of you other writers find it easy to tune out your inner editor while you’re writing, and only let them have the floor when your project is done and you need to revise it. But I can’t be the only writer in the world who has to endure the presence of my own inner editor during the process of writing any draft of any of my work.

Making a Deal (Or More) With the Future

It’s a new day, a new month, a new year, and I have so much on the ball this year: seeking a new career, writing a novel, various other projects in the pipeline, and trying to restart new good habits and maintain others. I still have to create a schedule for it all–as we all know, that’s the easy part (please note the tongue in my cheek).

In several areas of my life, I’ve really let myself down last year, but I don’t plan to repeat that this year. That means not being so lazy; if that means waking up before the roosters on some–or most–days, then so be it. I’ve always wanted my life to be different from what it is; now it’s time to do something to make that happen.

Looking beyond myself and my own stupid life, I have, within recent weeks, entertained fantasies of things I can do to help those less fortunate than myself, and using whatever resources I have, and get my hands on, to give people who are struggling a hand up; this year, I start making those fantasies a reality, in one way or another. Also, I plan to give my take about issues at the local provincial, national, and international levels more often than I have in the past.

One thing I’ve learned within the past year–articulated for me by the Netflix series The Fall of the House of Usher–is that a resolution is a deal you make with the future, and that keeping resolutions requires resolve. So this year, I resolve to find, and maintain, my resolve, and achieve all of the goals I can.

Spring Cleaning: Some Reflections

I’ve just finished spring cleaning–my first time ever–and, if you’ve never cleaned your home in its entirety in one day–as I never have until today–let me tell you, it’s hard, hot, sweaty work. But I did it–though I’m sure I didn’t do it well–and, right now, I’m satisfied.

I began my spring cleaning by organizing boxes and bins containing my belongings, which further hammered home the point to me to consume more mindfully and intentionally, as opposed to being so impulsive with my purchases. After today, I will at least try to consider all of my nonessential purchases.

Another thing I will attempt to do is make spot cleaning–beyond washing dishes–a habit, so I’ll have less work to do with next year’s spring cleaning.

I will say that my home–especially my living room–looks a lot better than it did this morning before I started, and with that, I’m happy.

National Novel Writing Month: Finally at the End–and a Lesson Reiterated

I am finally finished my entry for National Novel Writing Month; I didn’t want to, but I rushed to the end just so I could finish this project, and be done with it.

But, all through the last week of my writing this book and trying to finish it, a lesson was reiterated for me: I and my book would be in a much better position if I had taken the months I had–during which I had planned my NaNoWriMo entry for this year–to outline the story…even a rough outline would have sufficed. But, because I didn’t outline my story, the first 50, 000 words are dominated by fluff, and I rushed the ending, just so I could (finally) finish.

Reiterated lesson and regrettable ending aside, I don’t regret participating in this year’s National Novel Writing Month, nor the project I chose to work on for this year’s event–even if I would have done one or two things differently.

National Novel Writing Month: In the Winners’ Circle–But Still Not Done

I wrote 3,024 words today, putting my total National Novel Writing Month word count at 52, 338 words, thus putting me in the National Novel Writing Month winners’ circle. However, I’m still not done the book itself. And with eleven days to go…

This isn’t the first time I’ve gone over the 50, 000-word word-count goal when participating in National Novel Writing Month, but I have a feeling this is going to be my longest NaNoWriMo entry yet–and I’m still going to be leaving out a lot of what I originally planned to put in.

I may have met the word-count goal prescribed by National Novel Writing Month, but I’m still have a ways to go before I’m actually finished, so I’m not resting on my laurels yet.

National Novel Writing Month: One Lesson Learned…So Far

I’ve cranked out 2, 470 words today, and my overall word count is now 45, 596 words. But having said that, I have learned at least one lesson about writing and story planning during this experience…and that lesson is, to have an outline before starting a project, especially one of this magnitude.

At this juncture, I believe I’ll actually write over 50, 000 words–especially seeing as I haven’t fit everything into it that I wanted to, and I still have quite a bit of this story to tell. I know that, seeing as I didn’t take the time to write an outline for this story before this year’s National Novel Writing Month started, this version of my story is going to be a huge mess. But I’ve come across some unexpected pleasant surprises while writing this story as well, so I guess it isn’t all bad.

November is over half over, and I’m still working on not being so hard on myself over this project. I may not have been fully prepared for this experience, but, regardless of what happens with this story, I’m determined to see it through.

National Novel Writing Month: Rounding the Bend–And Some Realizations

Well, here I am, having worked on my novel during National Novel Writing Month for exactly two weeks; in terms of word count, I did much better, yesterday and today, than I did last Tuesday and Wednesday. I am now at 40, 916 words altogether, meaning I am 9, 084 words away from 50, 000 words.

But I’m afraid I’ve focused so much on word count that I’ve more or less put the story aspect on the back burner; I’m still thinking about the story, but I’ve left out so much that I’ve planned to put in–that’s actually my biggest blunder for this year’s NaNoWriMo entry. Even now, I know I’m going to have a lot of work to do to make this story workable, much less marketable. But this is the first draft of this particular story, so I should know better than to expect too much–even if I’m still not feeling too good about the story.

But there are fifteen days left to National Novel Writing Month, so I’m going to make the best of it, and focus on the story aspect of my entry as well as the word count.

National Novel Writing Month: (More Than) Halfway There

I’ve just updated my word count (3, 861 words) on my National Novel Writing Month website account dashboard, and my overall word count is now 26, 961 words, meaning I’m slightly more than halfway finished my novel–and this challenge.

Even at this point, I know there’s a lot of this book I’m going to have to rewrite to make it make sense, much less make it good–but this is the first draft, so I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.

We’re barely halfway through November, but I’m more than halfway through my National Novel Writing Month entry. As always since I got started on this project, I’m excited to continue…but, right now, I need a break, so I’ll pick this up again tomorrow.