New Year Things
It's somehow still January.
January won’t seem to end, along with its many horrors. Here are some things that gave me hope this month.
This animated video:
This excerpt from Eve Babitz’s Journal, 1969-1970 in the Paris Review. I hope we get a whole book.
Happy Womb Tea which always gets me through the days leading up to my period. Also good for the final month of pregnancy!
My friend Annie Pendergrast’s show, Taut, at Megan Mulrooney in West Hollywood. Go see her indelible work in person if you can!
Mad Men. For the first time ever. As someone who has worked in advertising my entire career on both the accounts and creative side, I was a bit allergic to this show. Oh, how wrong I was. Every shot is a mid-century photograph. Peggy. Betty. Joan. Of course, the misogyny and lack of diversity are painful and unnerving to watch. And I’m here to report that the battle between creatives and account executives is alive and well, or at least it was when I worked in the marketing department at Metro.
The Chronology of Water film adaptation directed by Kristen Stewart. I walked in a skeptic and walked out truly moved. I enjoyed this film and how it depicted memory as timeless flashes, but I must warn you the subject matter is heavyyy. It stayed true to one of my favorite memoirs by the same name by the singular, Lidia Yuknavitch.
While I’m on the subject of memoir, check out this essay in Aeon: Sure AI Can Do Writing, but Memoir Not So Much. I’ve suspected this to be true, so it’s nice to see article after article agree. Phew.
Feeding emus and ostriches at Ostrich Land in Solvang, as a remedy for dark times and to celebrate our one year wedding anniversary!
And miniature horses in Los Alamos…
This 4-7-8 Calm Breathing Exercise.
The new Bruce Springsteen song, Streets of Minneapolis.
Some Writing Things…
Wrote about my love-hate relationship with potatoes and (of course) the immigrant experience for a new exciting Substack publication, All-American Story. Stay-tuned for an event this Spring in Los Angeles to celebrate their launch and consider submitting your work.
Check out my latest interview for The Creative Independent with writer and comedian and overall wise human Amy Silverberg.
And here’s a craft essay I wrote for Brevity Blog about how to organize your elusive, free floating ideas.