Well, I’m finally feeling better after battling back-to-back colds for a month, so while I’m still finishing up the final essay in Volume 06: Future Anticipation, I thought we’d switch it up a bit! So today, let’s chat about our favorite content.
I’d love to know any music, books, articles, podcast episodes, movies, shows, museum exhibits, etc. that you’ve found particularly enjoyable, thought-provoking, and/or generative to your own creative practice. What’s something that moved you? Delighted you? Inspired you? What’s making you dance? What tends to resonate with you?
Here are three things I’ve been digging!
This New Yorker article about imposter syndrome, “Why Everyone Feels Like They’re Faking It” by Leslie Jamison. How did the term originate, evolve, and fall short in encapsulating a seemingly ubiquitous feeling? This article made me think more critically about my own understanding and experience of imposter syndrome—not as a blanket term for feeling insecure and inept, but in the systemic ways capitalism and patriarchy exploit those anxieties. (Thanks to Jesús Rodríguez of Alienhood and Politico for sharing this with me.)
N.K. Jemisin’s second book to The Great Cities duology, The World We Make. What if each city had its own human avatar that personified its cultures, communities, history, and attitude—and ultimately protected its citizens from forces aimed to destroy them? I read the first book, The City We Became, right before I moved from New York, and it made me feel that much more connected to my neighborhood, my borough, and my memories there. The second book expands on worldbuilding outside of New York in exciting, imaginative ways.
The Forty-Year-Old Version, a gorgeous film by Radha Blank, which you can stream on Netflix. Radha, a playwright who’s about to turn 40, feels stuck in her career, and gets reminded of it daily by her cheeky students and the “30 Under 30” award collecting dust on her mantle. Funny, witty, and poignant, Radha’s story explores the challenges of being an artist, specifically in the tensions of selling out for success and the pressure to change her voice for White theater world gatekeepers. Returning to her teenage passion for hip hop in this time of her life sparks joy and inspiration as she collaborates with a young producer to record a mixtape. Never forget what you loved as a kid, it’ll save you over and over again. “This is about creating something that is mine,” she declares, along withall the messy vulnerability required to bear its truth.
I’m so curious to know what you, dear readers, are into. Feel free to plug your own work while you’re at it!
I’ll be reading and responding this afternoon, in between doses of DayQuil. Come and say hi!
Last night I was talking with a friend about formative books - specifically books we come back to over and over again because they either bring us right back to the place we were when we first read them or because as we revisit those books the things we take away from the story/characters/intent changes in an interesting way. We came up with the idea of making book playlists - like in the same way you'd make a mixed CD in like 2007 for a crush - how does that playlist change if you're making it just for yourself vs. if you're making it with a specific person in mind/hopes for what they'd take away/learn about you? It was just a really fun concept to bat around and got me super curious what my friend's playlists might look like.
Ah, I love this Jordan! I feel like you just came up with an amazing idea for another discussion thread. Maybe there's a way you can combine concepts and make an audio book CD (or like multi-disc compilation aahahaha). Now That's What I Call Literature! I want to think more about this. What would be some titles on YOUR play/reading list?
I LOVE the idea of a book playlist. Your comment about the books we revisit made me realize -- I haven't re-read a book since, oh I don't know, 2010. I used to re-read old favorites all the time. Now I wonder if that was more to do with childhood or with a slower, pre-smartphone life.
It's also rare for me to re-read a book, and I think it's because there are so many books I haven't read yet that I feel like the next one should be a new one. I'm here for the book playlist idea!
I saw Big Thief perform yesterday at Radio City. One of the best vocal performances I've ever seen. Adrianne Lenker whispers, growls, impersonates, shrieks, shreds (guitar and vocals!)—and somehow it totally works. She seemed to be bringing so many different parts of herself; so often performers bring just the polished stuff, as if they don't know what to do with the rest, or don't believe they'll be loved for it. Maybe it's a credit to the kind of career that she & the band have built (authentic? wide-ranging?) that they can bring this range and their fans love them for it. Truly, it was one big love fest.
omg. I saw them for the first time last year and it was unbelievable. I have seen some pretty amazing bands play live, but they are the only ones I've ever seen where you just ... felt like they'd invited you into their living room and they were there playing. I love their flexibility and how much they embrace the present moment, always in an experiential and interpretive relationship. Their songs move and evolve rather than being the same locked-in performance. Really incredible stuff. Love Adrienne's incredible solo work too (and the band's interpretations thereof-- they played Ingydar last year and I think my soul left my body haha).
Always excited to learn about a new band! (How have I not heard of them before?!) Thanks for sharing this Jon. Taking a break from this merengue remix of Flowers to listen to their stuff now. Do you feel like their live performance is a lot different from their recordings? I love how you described the singer bringing so many different parts of herself to the show—I also appreciate when artists bring out their more raw, weirder sides on stage. I think that happens more when people are new to touring and figuring out their stage personas, so it's nice to see that kind of risk taking showing up in more seasoned acts. Any albums/songs you can recommend?
Their style evolves a lot! If you are feeling more weird/experimental/contempletive, UFOF is really cool. Their latest, dragon new warm mountain I believe in you, is more folky with some good upbeat tunes and some really beautiful songs in there too. Also if you just want singer/songwriter and some really deeply emotional tunes, Adrienne Lenker's solo work "Songs" is a great place to start too since those bodies of work do overlap (she's the lead songwriter for Big Thief).
They can be a lot different live because they experiment with their own work a lot. Also it's funny, Adrienne's recorded vocal style (on UFOF which was the first song/album of theirs I heard) really bothered me at first until I watched a video of her. It sounded strained/artificial to me, but then when I saw her I could connect that her natural tone can just sit really comfortably in a space that's unusual for many, and now I love listening to her sing. Go figure. :D
BABY'S FIRST!!! SO EXCITED TO BE HERE!!! Mine is a good for a little *theoretical* and philosophical discussion. I recently watched "Ancient Apocalypse" on Netflix (https://www.netflix.com/title/81211003 don't judge, it was a kind of a mindless background watch and I love archaeology). It's hosted by Graham Hancock, and his thesis is that there were advanced societies on the planet *much* earlier than currently proven, and they were mostly destroyed by an apocalyptic event and/or the ice age. He hypothesizes that some of the survivors went around the world teaching others and helping groups advance faster than they would have. Graham has been billed as a "pseudo-scientist" and has ruffled a lot of feathers in the anthropology community (https://slate.com/culture/2022/11/ancient-apocalypse-graham-hancock-netflix-theory-explained.html).
OK, so you go in knowing some of the facts and reality of this may be in question -- HOWEVER I think it brings up some important questions, and I actually found it to be very interesting and thought provoking.
For instance... what we take as "Fact" and base our history on is not complete... what if we just haven't dug in the right place yet? What happens if tomorrow archaeologists discover a site that can be confirmed to be 12,000 years old that has advanced art, time keeping, astrology, etc... how does that change our perception of facts and history? What changes in our society? How much of our society is built on shaky ground?
Another interesting thing to ponder is the role of mythology, mythical beings, and the lessons taught... what if these tales are actually stories based on real people and real stories? What if they're no longer JUST tall tales meant to teach stories about human truths? How much more weight would we give to these stories?
Interesting musings! It makes me think about how, without even going to pre-ice age, there are so many inexplicable human creations. Many of the ruins in Peru contain HUGE pieces of rock that are cut to fit perfectly together without mortar and withstand earthquakes while Spanish construction fell. Ostensibly these giant rocks were built and moved without wheels having been invented. But like how TF did they have the ability to precision cut these giant rocks and understand the way earthquakes stress buildings? Seems like there's a ton we could learn from the mysteries of the past.
So much to respond to here! I have not watched this show, but now I'm curious. This reminds me of headlines of archeological discoveries that shift our chronologies about organisms and civilizations, and I think you raise a good point here. The book I just mentioned above, The World We Make, (spoiler alert) reimagines Atlantis as once a real city in a different multiverse, so this ties into some of the things I've been thinking about recently re: mythology and inspiration for the supernatural. Thanks for sharing this Sydney!
FIRST! Fashion as a form of personal expression has been on my mind lately. I’ve been inspired by the super cool Amy Smilovic, founder of Tibi, whose IG is a masterclass in developing your own personal style. Also, she links to people in the greater Tibi-loving community who broadly identify as creative pragmatists, each with their own 3 personal style modifiers (vintage, humor, classic, etc.). I know it’s in large part excellent marketing. But the lessons around balancing proportions, colors, having a single wardrobe that spans work and play have helped me see my closet with a fresh eye. So, coming out of the pandemic, a career change, having developed a CrossFit butt, I’m finding new ways to express who I am and who I want to be through style.
Awesome! Following her now, and I'm seeing what you mean. Thanks for this rec! And yes, fashion can be such a powerful source of inspiration and joyful creative outlet. (Shout-out to CrossFit!) I feel like my "style" has changed (devolved) a lot being mostly wfh these days, so it's nice to think about injecting some life back into it. Any other favorite designers/stylists?
Another game changer: doing away with the idea of flattering. Coming out of the trump era, which caused me to dress the opposite of the right wing-femme and often rather shlubby. I’m finding a new way to define what femininity in clothing is for me. I also love that streetwear and matching tracksuits in their unisex vibe.
So cool how this has opened new questions and explorations for ya! Can you say more about what has opened up for you when you let go of "flattering"? I think it keeps me in pretty redundantly cut clothing, curious what tossing it has let you experiment with.
It opens a new world of considerations when dressing. On a practical level, it opens up new silhouettes. Slouchier waistlines to achieve "ease" rather than always the "flattering" high waist, architectural shapes in necklines rather than whatever makes your neck look xyz, generally looser fitting clothing.
Two concepts that I especially love:
Thinking about where the eye rests on your fit to create cohesion. To that end, there's a concept of One/ton/none https://tibi.com/pages/tibictionary "One pop of color gives focus where two pops can distract. Ironically, a full flood of colors creates calm. And conversely, the absence of color – through neutrals –ensures equilibrium is met."
Also, the concept of big/slim/skim: having one part of your outfit be bulky, one comparatively slim, and then a glimpse of skin or a sock or tights. The idea is to create balance in the shapes.
It means that my eye has shifted (and continues to shift) in what it finds appealing. I am less concerned with whether an item overwhelms me in size or color. If I like a dress that I would have previously thought I didn't have the legs for, I instead apply these principles in cohesion to balance the fit as a whole, body trends be damned.
I found @irene_kf through her. She’s a stylist out of Toronto (I think). Give her a follow as well for thoughtful mixes of sportswear and blazers and vintage.
As you may well know, I’ve been really enjoying the poems of @maryoliversdrunkcousin aka Lyndsay Rush on Instagram. On the surface, they read rather tongue-in-cheek—or the meme version of a Mary Oliver poem. But what I love about Lyndsey’s delightfully unique voice and style is how she captures (nail right on the head, truly) the poignancy of the most mundane aspects of our twenty-first century lives/existential crises—tampons, french fries, online dating—while standing in brazen defiance of the expectation to conform to societal expectations. Lyndsay is the cleverest of wordsmiths (like someone else I know😉) whose poems are at times breathtaking, laugh out loud funny, and heartbreaking. I appreciate how they help me find a little more beauty, and a little more poetry, in my own day to day.
I follow this account too and it always makes me chuckle or take a beat to think. "She's a Bit Much" is a favorite of mine. And I just read the one about tampons, so good. Thanks Emily!
I read that New Yorker article too, and it resonated with me how the term can be a red herring distracting from the structural inequality that impedes women's success. I also appreciated the also the intersectional lens.
It was interesting to reflect that I don't think I have impostor syndrome as they define it-- when I am awarded things, I don't doubt that I was chosen for a reason. I do often feel that my privilege--whiteness, access to top notch education my whole life, acculturation into White dominant norms--gives me an unfair advantage. I know how to "talk the talk" that a university wants to hear, for example.
While I don't doubt my merit when it's validated by an institution, I've realized that I have fear when I think about putting new ideas/ventures into the world *without* an institution telling me that I should. The thought that "someone else has probably done this already and better," and "why would my thoughts matter when there's SO MUCH CONTENT" out there, often stop me from acting on ideas. It's hard to parse what of this is valid humility and what is self sabotage.
So kudos to Elspeth for putting her ideas in the sea of content. I think they stand out as an original gift!
Thank you so much Kelin! I'd love to have a deeper discussion about this and hear what resonated with people. Re: the intersectional lens, this article reminded me of a design networking event I went years ago that paired mentors with mentees. (This group was for women and non-binary people.) One of the mentors introduced herself and told everyone that she had never experienced imposter syndrome before. The entire room low-key gasped. After the event, I went up to her and asked her about it. If I'm remembering this correctly, she talked about her experience being a first gen college student and the daughter of immigrants and how she felt like yes, there were spaces that weren't designed for her, but that she never felt like she didn't belong there. I'm so grateful she shared that, it really made an impression on me! I'm glad the article tackled how "imposter syndrome" gets misapplied and puts the responsibility on the individual to deal with it rather than address gender bias and systemic racism. "As they put it, "Imposter syndrome directs our view toward fixing women at work instead of fixing the places where women work."
Another friend of mine posted about reading this too, AND I saw it on display at my local bookstore! Will add it to my list, thanks for sharing! Have you read anything else by Bonnie Garmus?
Lately, I've been enjoying the podcast "Terrible, Thanks for Asking" with Nora McInerny. Started in 2016 as a response to a period of significant loss and grief on McInerny's part, it really provides space for folks to embrace and think through feeling bad. And bad feelings. Which I think can be two very different things. What I love about the podcast, besides its ability to let people exert autonomy over the affective nature of their own stories, is that it serves as a kind of antidote to moments in which positivity can feel suffocating. It's a nice, albeit counterintuitive, affirmation that there is a kind of community and humor to be found even in moments of committed negativity and misanthropy.
I also recently reread The Hours by Michael Cunningham, a perpetual favorite. It had been some years since I'd encountered it and I was moved again not just by the beauty and lyricism of the language, but by the intellectual audacity of claiming, extending, and modifying the seemingly sacred legacy of a literary object like Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway. Iconoclasm isn't always purely destructive. It's often beautiful and generative and even reverential. It's been wonderful to read more about these kinds of exchanges in hip-hop and the visual arts in The Drip.
Thank you Jackie! I'm always eager for podcasts recs. After such an eloquent write-up of The Hours ("Iconoclasm isn't always purely destructive"—BARS) I have to ask...have you seen the movie haha and if so, did you think it was a good adaptation?
Oh and I’ve been really into slacker movies as a genre lately. I rewatched Richard Linklater’s “Slacker” the other day. I hated in college, because I was a dumb moron. Upon rewatching, I found it lyrical and delightful. And the structure/camerawork itself is wandering, like maybe a slacker would be.
I’ve also been listening to different rapper’s discographies from start to finish. Currently doing mos def / Yasmin bey & Talib Kweli. Have done Nas, Camron, and MF DOOM (inspired by the drip!). In all cases it has deepened my appreciation of each one of them, often discovering tracks where they delve beyond their “schtick.” Highly recommend
Big fan of doing this! I used to keep in touch with a friend by listening to the entire discography of an artist together. We'd then pick a day to text debate what we thought their most important album was—not their best, mind you, but the album that unlocked something special. This was years ago, but we did Kanye, Drake, Missy Elliot, and Bon Iver? Ha, maybe a few others? I really enjoyed the process—it took weeks sometimes, but it was a lot fun to state your case.
I’ve been working my way through Yasujiro Ozu’s movies. Been really digging his very layered ways of approaching composition, and his ability to tell moving stories with minimal use of camera movement or even that much of a plot. Also, he’s been surprisingly antijob in his themes so that’s always a plus.
The early ones are all available on YouTube cause they’re from the 20’s and in the public domain. His later “talkies” and color films are sometimes also on YouTube, sometimes on plex, sometimes on HBO
Lately I have been super into queer YA- something I wish existed when I was in high school! So many sweet, relatable stories. Let me know if ya'll have any other recommendations- I've been obsessed lately!
Some of my favorites:
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (Benjamin Alire Saenz)- about two Latino high school boys in El Paso, Texas
Last Night at the Telegraph Club (Malindo Lo)- about Chinese American lesbian youth in San Francisco in the 1950s
Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating (Adiba Jaigirdar)- about Indian and Bengali queer young women in Ireland
One Last Stop (Casey McQuiston)- about queer youth community in New York City
Some Girls Do (Jennifer Dugan) - so many interesting issues around mental health and how it shows up in young, queer relationships!
And a great memoir: Life as a Unicorn by Amrou Alkhadi, a British-Iraqi drag performer navigating life
Thanks Rachel! I love this list and am so intrigued by the descriptions. I've been focusing on reading more fiction this year, and YA is a genre that I don't know much about but have always enjoyed and been curious to delve deeper into. And thanks to you, I just requested Life as a Unicorn from the library. Can't wait!
So many good recommendations to add to the list, this is awesome!
A few things have have been on mine recently:
- Féminismes & pop culture by Jennifer Padjemi. It’s a french book, but I really hope they translate it to english cause I think you would like it. As the title indicates, through a series of essays, the author takes a critical eye to the intersection of pop culture and feminism, and how the former is a reflection of different movements, has a special place as a mirror of our society and in helping or sometimes hindering progress.
- Still in the world of books, I absolutely adored Deborah Levy’s “Things I don’t zany to know” - a response to George Orwell’s essay “Why I write”, this is the first of a memoir triology, and to which the quote “To become a WRITER I had to learn to INTERRUPT, to speak up, to speak a little louder, and then LOUDER, and then to just speak in my own voice which is NOT LOUD AT ALL” is attributed. There isn’t much to reveal about the book, but rather it is experience and a discovery and I highly recommend it.
- Ok and now for some mussiiiic: I’m digging the track Fever Dream by SG Lewis and featuring Charlotte Day Wilson (https://youtu.be/C61xfJT4yEM); and when I can’t get inspired or decide what to listen to, I turn to the radio station FIP (https://www.radiofrance.fr/fip), they have a great selection of tunes and I always discovery new tracks and remixes.
I just Googled "Féminismes & Pop Culture by Jennifer Padjemi English translation" and I got nothing, but love the cover. Will keep that on my radar, and I definitely appreciate the international flavor of these recs, thanks Soraya! Still behind on New Yorkers (a memoir) but will prioritize that article next! Digging this SG Lewis track, adding it to this month's playlist. Also I haven't ready anything by Deborah Levy and I think it's time to change that! Have you started Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow yet? I'm still deep in Wu-Tang research, that Hilma Af Klint graphic novel, and Gucci Mane's autobiography, but hoping to start it soon...hahaha.
Gah for real. Some books about fashion (another frenchie: La mode est politique/ Fashion is political), a german language detective book (lol!), and the next Deborah Levy (The Cost of Living). Haven’t made much progress so need to carve out the time, but also squirrel…😬
OMG so many things have been helping my process in the last few months- I feel lucky to have found them.
The first is Dead Eyes- I came a full 3 years late to this podcast but it meant I had 3 series to binge! Although it says it’s about a man searching for answers about whether Tom Hanks fired him 20 years ago, it’s really about failure, feedback, the pivots life takes and the madness of being a creative. When I was in the depths of depression I found listening to smart, “successful” creatives, actors and writers talking about the times they failed and how they still feel like imposters, supremely encouraging.
I keep returning to Jonah Hills film, Stutz, that he made with his therapist. Great for giving you actual tools to help you take the next step (or just get out of bed) plus I live for any content where two grown men look each others eyes and tell each other they love each other without flinching.
And then I recently saw American Movie- also came about 18 years late to this film but it defies adequate description - an utter joy to watch, hilarious and unbelievable that the hapless cast of characters frantically trying to make a movie are actually real people.
And I’m nearly done with Rick Rubin’s new book- the Creative Act- a sparse, zen masterpiece that makes you want to put it down every 5 mins to actually go and create art (which is the point) enjoy and feel better! ❤️🔥
Thanks for all these recs Katy! Rick Rubin's book is definitely on my list—I recently had a conversation with someone who is also enjoying it right now. Can't wait to dig into it. I'm excited about the other stuff you listed—all new to me, and I'm especially intrigued by Dead Eyes. I really appreciate hearing stories about how people have handled failure and imposter feelings, particularly in their creative work. I'm also now thinking about the stuff I keep returning to for inspiration. Do you keep a list of things you continue to find inspiration from, like a greatest hits kind of thing?
I don’t keep an inspo list but I really should. My coach recommended it to me last year- actually it was more like a joy list - any link, post, article, movie, song etc that just made me happy or tickled me.
Things that would go on it are these 2 articles that joyfully absurd( type of inspo I love for my own writing)
I also return to the Vox Explained series on Netflix a lot. Particularly the one of the Mind. Loads of great info and thought-starters in there about the nature of self and reality.
I’ve reread Simon Rich’s Spoiled Brats many times. Thats a book of funny short stories I return to a lot
And then really- if I’m looking for a more general it’s all gonna be ok vibes inspo I go to Tracee Ellis Ross’s Instagram, any song by Kate Bush (particularly Suspended in Gaffa) and the Ram Dass doc on Netflix
Joy List! I'm definitely borrowing this idea. Vox Explained is great, I love the music/art/design ones but haven't seen the one you mentioned, another thing to add! Thanks again!
Adding that movie to my queue! Thanks for the recs!
I’ve been loving Sally Bayley’s new podcast, “A Reading Life, A Writing Life”; she’s a scholar, teacher, and writer of (amongst other things) beautiful, lyrical memoirs, and the podcast is like being in one of her workshop classes: I just want to listen to them again and again.
Yes! When she was working with ReLit: the Bibliotherapy Foundation, I took some of her summer workshops. She’s one of the best teachers I’ve encountered: the level of attention and care and intellectual rigor and thoughtfulness she brings to her work is unparalleled. These days, I think she’s shifted into more private coaching/tutoring: if you want coaching on a creative endeavor, she’d be at the top of my list.
Last night I was talking with a friend about formative books - specifically books we come back to over and over again because they either bring us right back to the place we were when we first read them or because as we revisit those books the things we take away from the story/characters/intent changes in an interesting way. We came up with the idea of making book playlists - like in the same way you'd make a mixed CD in like 2007 for a crush - how does that playlist change if you're making it just for yourself vs. if you're making it with a specific person in mind/hopes for what they'd take away/learn about you? It was just a really fun concept to bat around and got me super curious what my friend's playlists might look like.
Ah, I love this Jordan! I feel like you just came up with an amazing idea for another discussion thread. Maybe there's a way you can combine concepts and make an audio book CD (or like multi-disc compilation aahahaha). Now That's What I Call Literature! I want to think more about this. What would be some titles on YOUR play/reading list?
I LOVE the idea of a book playlist. Your comment about the books we revisit made me realize -- I haven't re-read a book since, oh I don't know, 2010. I used to re-read old favorites all the time. Now I wonder if that was more to do with childhood or with a slower, pre-smartphone life.
It's also rare for me to re-read a book, and I think it's because there are so many books I haven't read yet that I feel like the next one should be a new one. I'm here for the book playlist idea!
I saw Big Thief perform yesterday at Radio City. One of the best vocal performances I've ever seen. Adrianne Lenker whispers, growls, impersonates, shrieks, shreds (guitar and vocals!)—and somehow it totally works. She seemed to be bringing so many different parts of herself; so often performers bring just the polished stuff, as if they don't know what to do with the rest, or don't believe they'll be loved for it. Maybe it's a credit to the kind of career that she & the band have built (authentic? wide-ranging?) that they can bring this range and their fans love them for it. Truly, it was one big love fest.
omg. I saw them for the first time last year and it was unbelievable. I have seen some pretty amazing bands play live, but they are the only ones I've ever seen where you just ... felt like they'd invited you into their living room and they were there playing. I love their flexibility and how much they embrace the present moment, always in an experiential and interpretive relationship. Their songs move and evolve rather than being the same locked-in performance. Really incredible stuff. Love Adrienne's incredible solo work too (and the band's interpretations thereof-- they played Ingydar last year and I think my soul left my body haha).
So excited they are touring again this year!
I just missed them in my city but will definitely check them out next time they come through!
So cool! There’s something metaphysical about a performance like that.
Always excited to learn about a new band! (How have I not heard of them before?!) Thanks for sharing this Jon. Taking a break from this merengue remix of Flowers to listen to their stuff now. Do you feel like their live performance is a lot different from their recordings? I love how you described the singer bringing so many different parts of herself to the show—I also appreciate when artists bring out their more raw, weirder sides on stage. I think that happens more when people are new to touring and figuring out their stage personas, so it's nice to see that kind of risk taking showing up in more seasoned acts. Any albums/songs you can recommend?
Their style evolves a lot! If you are feeling more weird/experimental/contempletive, UFOF is really cool. Their latest, dragon new warm mountain I believe in you, is more folky with some good upbeat tunes and some really beautiful songs in there too. Also if you just want singer/songwriter and some really deeply emotional tunes, Adrienne Lenker's solo work "Songs" is a great place to start too since those bodies of work do overlap (she's the lead songwriter for Big Thief).
They can be a lot different live because they experiment with their own work a lot. Also it's funny, Adrienne's recorded vocal style (on UFOF which was the first song/album of theirs I heard) really bothered me at first until I watched a video of her. It sounded strained/artificial to me, but then when I saw her I could connect that her natural tone can just sit really comfortably in a space that's unusual for many, and now I love listening to her sing. Go figure. :D
Thanks Michelle! I'm going to do a deep dive of their music.
BABY'S FIRST!!! SO EXCITED TO BE HERE!!! Mine is a good for a little *theoretical* and philosophical discussion. I recently watched "Ancient Apocalypse" on Netflix (https://www.netflix.com/title/81211003 don't judge, it was a kind of a mindless background watch and I love archaeology). It's hosted by Graham Hancock, and his thesis is that there were advanced societies on the planet *much* earlier than currently proven, and they were mostly destroyed by an apocalyptic event and/or the ice age. He hypothesizes that some of the survivors went around the world teaching others and helping groups advance faster than they would have. Graham has been billed as a "pseudo-scientist" and has ruffled a lot of feathers in the anthropology community (https://slate.com/culture/2022/11/ancient-apocalypse-graham-hancock-netflix-theory-explained.html).
OK, so you go in knowing some of the facts and reality of this may be in question -- HOWEVER I think it brings up some important questions, and I actually found it to be very interesting and thought provoking.
For instance... what we take as "Fact" and base our history on is not complete... what if we just haven't dug in the right place yet? What happens if tomorrow archaeologists discover a site that can be confirmed to be 12,000 years old that has advanced art, time keeping, astrology, etc... how does that change our perception of facts and history? What changes in our society? How much of our society is built on shaky ground?
Another interesting thing to ponder is the role of mythology, mythical beings, and the lessons taught... what if these tales are actually stories based on real people and real stories? What if they're no longer JUST tall tales meant to teach stories about human truths? How much more weight would we give to these stories?
Interesting musings! It makes me think about how, without even going to pre-ice age, there are so many inexplicable human creations. Many of the ruins in Peru contain HUGE pieces of rock that are cut to fit perfectly together without mortar and withstand earthquakes while Spanish construction fell. Ostensibly these giant rocks were built and moved without wheels having been invented. But like how TF did they have the ability to precision cut these giant rocks and understand the way earthquakes stress buildings? Seems like there's a ton we could learn from the mysteries of the past.
Ya can't even fit a knife in between those rocks! Incredible. Agreed, ancient civilizations are endlessly fascinating and perplexing.
So much to respond to here! I have not watched this show, but now I'm curious. This reminds me of headlines of archeological discoveries that shift our chronologies about organisms and civilizations, and I think you raise a good point here. The book I just mentioned above, The World We Make, (spoiler alert) reimagines Atlantis as once a real city in a different multiverse, so this ties into some of the things I've been thinking about recently re: mythology and inspiration for the supernatural. Thanks for sharing this Sydney!
FIRST! Fashion as a form of personal expression has been on my mind lately. I’ve been inspired by the super cool Amy Smilovic, founder of Tibi, whose IG is a masterclass in developing your own personal style. Also, she links to people in the greater Tibi-loving community who broadly identify as creative pragmatists, each with their own 3 personal style modifiers (vintage, humor, classic, etc.). I know it’s in large part excellent marketing. But the lessons around balancing proportions, colors, having a single wardrobe that spans work and play have helped me see my closet with a fresh eye. So, coming out of the pandemic, a career change, having developed a CrossFit butt, I’m finding new ways to express who I am and who I want to be through style.
Awesome! Following her now, and I'm seeing what you mean. Thanks for this rec! And yes, fashion can be such a powerful source of inspiration and joyful creative outlet. (Shout-out to CrossFit!) I feel like my "style" has changed (devolved) a lot being mostly wfh these days, so it's nice to think about injecting some life back into it. Any other favorite designers/stylists?
Another game changer: doing away with the idea of flattering. Coming out of the trump era, which caused me to dress the opposite of the right wing-femme and often rather shlubby. I’m finding a new way to define what femininity in clothing is for me. I also love that streetwear and matching tracksuits in their unisex vibe.
So cool how this has opened new questions and explorations for ya! Can you say more about what has opened up for you when you let go of "flattering"? I think it keeps me in pretty redundantly cut clothing, curious what tossing it has let you experiment with.
^Also curious to know Helena!
It opens a new world of considerations when dressing. On a practical level, it opens up new silhouettes. Slouchier waistlines to achieve "ease" rather than always the "flattering" high waist, architectural shapes in necklines rather than whatever makes your neck look xyz, generally looser fitting clothing.
Two concepts that I especially love:
Thinking about where the eye rests on your fit to create cohesion. To that end, there's a concept of One/ton/none https://tibi.com/pages/tibictionary "One pop of color gives focus where two pops can distract. Ironically, a full flood of colors creates calm. And conversely, the absence of color – through neutrals –ensures equilibrium is met."
Also, the concept of big/slim/skim: having one part of your outfit be bulky, one comparatively slim, and then a glimpse of skin or a sock or tights. The idea is to create balance in the shapes.
It means that my eye has shifted (and continues to shift) in what it finds appealing. I am less concerned with whether an item overwhelms me in size or color. If I like a dress that I would have previously thought I didn't have the legs for, I instead apply these principles in cohesion to balance the fit as a whole, body trends be damned.
Fashion theory?! This is blowing my mind.
I found @irene_kf through her. She’s a stylist out of Toronto (I think). Give her a follow as well for thoughtful mixes of sportswear and blazers and vintage.
As you may well know, I’ve been really enjoying the poems of @maryoliversdrunkcousin aka Lyndsay Rush on Instagram. On the surface, they read rather tongue-in-cheek—or the meme version of a Mary Oliver poem. But what I love about Lyndsey’s delightfully unique voice and style is how she captures (nail right on the head, truly) the poignancy of the most mundane aspects of our twenty-first century lives/existential crises—tampons, french fries, online dating—while standing in brazen defiance of the expectation to conform to societal expectations. Lyndsay is the cleverest of wordsmiths (like someone else I know😉) whose poems are at times breathtaking, laugh out loud funny, and heartbreaking. I appreciate how they help me find a little more beauty, and a little more poetry, in my own day to day.
I follow this account too and it always makes me chuckle or take a beat to think. "She's a Bit Much" is a favorite of mine. And I just read the one about tampons, so good. Thanks Emily!
I read that New Yorker article too, and it resonated with me how the term can be a red herring distracting from the structural inequality that impedes women's success. I also appreciated the also the intersectional lens.
It was interesting to reflect that I don't think I have impostor syndrome as they define it-- when I am awarded things, I don't doubt that I was chosen for a reason. I do often feel that my privilege--whiteness, access to top notch education my whole life, acculturation into White dominant norms--gives me an unfair advantage. I know how to "talk the talk" that a university wants to hear, for example.
While I don't doubt my merit when it's validated by an institution, I've realized that I have fear when I think about putting new ideas/ventures into the world *without* an institution telling me that I should. The thought that "someone else has probably done this already and better," and "why would my thoughts matter when there's SO MUCH CONTENT" out there, often stop me from acting on ideas. It's hard to parse what of this is valid humility and what is self sabotage.
So kudos to Elspeth for putting her ideas in the sea of content. I think they stand out as an original gift!
Thank you so much Kelin! I'd love to have a deeper discussion about this and hear what resonated with people. Re: the intersectional lens, this article reminded me of a design networking event I went years ago that paired mentors with mentees. (This group was for women and non-binary people.) One of the mentors introduced herself and told everyone that she had never experienced imposter syndrome before. The entire room low-key gasped. After the event, I went up to her and asked her about it. If I'm remembering this correctly, she talked about her experience being a first gen college student and the daughter of immigrants and how she felt like yes, there were spaces that weren't designed for her, but that she never felt like she didn't belong there. I'm so grateful she shared that, it really made an impression on me! I'm glad the article tackled how "imposter syndrome" gets misapplied and puts the responsibility on the individual to deal with it rather than address gender bias and systemic racism. "As they put it, "Imposter syndrome directs our view toward fixing women at work instead of fixing the places where women work."
Reading Lessons in Chemistry! It’s a novel about a chemist in the 50s (who is also a woman) who is a general badass :) absolutely loving it so far!
Another friend of mine posted about reading this too, AND I saw it on display at my local bookstore! Will add it to my list, thanks for sharing! Have you read anything else by Bonnie Garmus?
It's her first book, but she wrote this funny article: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/bonnie-garmus-scallops
Just read it! Ha! The twist at the end, delightful.
Lately, I've been enjoying the podcast "Terrible, Thanks for Asking" with Nora McInerny. Started in 2016 as a response to a period of significant loss and grief on McInerny's part, it really provides space for folks to embrace and think through feeling bad. And bad feelings. Which I think can be two very different things. What I love about the podcast, besides its ability to let people exert autonomy over the affective nature of their own stories, is that it serves as a kind of antidote to moments in which positivity can feel suffocating. It's a nice, albeit counterintuitive, affirmation that there is a kind of community and humor to be found even in moments of committed negativity and misanthropy.
I also recently reread The Hours by Michael Cunningham, a perpetual favorite. It had been some years since I'd encountered it and I was moved again not just by the beauty and lyricism of the language, but by the intellectual audacity of claiming, extending, and modifying the seemingly sacred legacy of a literary object like Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway. Iconoclasm isn't always purely destructive. It's often beautiful and generative and even reverential. It's been wonderful to read more about these kinds of exchanges in hip-hop and the visual arts in The Drip.
Thank you Jackie! I'm always eager for podcasts recs. After such an eloquent write-up of The Hours ("Iconoclasm isn't always purely destructive"—BARS) I have to ask...have you seen the movie haha and if so, did you think it was a good adaptation?
Oh and I’ve been really into slacker movies as a genre lately. I rewatched Richard Linklater’s “Slacker” the other day. I hated in college, because I was a dumb moron. Upon rewatching, I found it lyrical and delightful. And the structure/camerawork itself is wandering, like maybe a slacker would be.
I feel like I have a big knowledge gap when it comes to *cigarette* cinema, so these film recs are great!
I’ve also been listening to different rapper’s discographies from start to finish. Currently doing mos def / Yasmin bey & Talib Kweli. Have done Nas, Camron, and MF DOOM (inspired by the drip!). In all cases it has deepened my appreciation of each one of them, often discovering tracks where they delve beyond their “schtick.” Highly recommend
Big fan of doing this! I used to keep in touch with a friend by listening to the entire discography of an artist together. We'd then pick a day to text debate what we thought their most important album was—not their best, mind you, but the album that unlocked something special. This was years ago, but we did Kanye, Drake, Missy Elliot, and Bon Iver? Ha, maybe a few others? I really enjoyed the process—it took weeks sometimes, but it was a lot fun to state your case.
Ooh that is such a good idea! Yes it’s surprising/gratifying to find entire albums you didn’t know about that then become your faves
I’ve been working my way through Yasujiro Ozu’s movies. Been really digging his very layered ways of approaching composition, and his ability to tell moving stories with minimal use of camera movement or even that much of a plot. Also, he’s been surprisingly antijob in his themes so that’s always a plus.
Whoa, always love learning about Japanese artists, and I've never seen any of his movies. Where do you stream them? Thank you for sharing!
The early ones are all available on YouTube cause they’re from the 20’s and in the public domain. His later “talkies” and color films are sometimes also on YouTube, sometimes on plex, sometimes on HBO
I'll check it out!
Omg I love this!! Thanks for organizing Elspeth!
Lately I have been super into queer YA- something I wish existed when I was in high school! So many sweet, relatable stories. Let me know if ya'll have any other recommendations- I've been obsessed lately!
Some of my favorites:
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (Benjamin Alire Saenz)- about two Latino high school boys in El Paso, Texas
Last Night at the Telegraph Club (Malindo Lo)- about Chinese American lesbian youth in San Francisco in the 1950s
Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating (Adiba Jaigirdar)- about Indian and Bengali queer young women in Ireland
One Last Stop (Casey McQuiston)- about queer youth community in New York City
Some Girls Do (Jennifer Dugan) - so many interesting issues around mental health and how it shows up in young, queer relationships!
And a great memoir: Life as a Unicorn by Amrou Alkhadi, a British-Iraqi drag performer navigating life
Thanks Rachel! I love this list and am so intrigued by the descriptions. I've been focusing on reading more fiction this year, and YA is a genre that I don't know much about but have always enjoyed and been curious to delve deeper into. And thanks to you, I just requested Life as a Unicorn from the library. Can't wait!
Yeah! I would recommend their most recent album
Great, I'll take it out for a walk this weekend.
So many good recommendations to add to the list, this is awesome!
A few things have have been on mine recently:
- Féminismes & pop culture by Jennifer Padjemi. It’s a french book, but I really hope they translate it to english cause I think you would like it. As the title indicates, through a series of essays, the author takes a critical eye to the intersection of pop culture and feminism, and how the former is a reflection of different movements, has a special place as a mirror of our society and in helping or sometimes hindering progress.
- Somewhat relatedly, as Grey’s Anatomy is heavily cited in the book and representation is a repeated topic, I really enjoyed the Sandra Oh profile in the New Yorker (https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/sandra-ohs-sense-of-purpose), and how she is now deciding which stories to tell and represent on screen.
- Still in the world of books, I absolutely adored Deborah Levy’s “Things I don’t zany to know” - a response to George Orwell’s essay “Why I write”, this is the first of a memoir triology, and to which the quote “To become a WRITER I had to learn to INTERRUPT, to speak up, to speak a little louder, and then LOUDER, and then to just speak in my own voice which is NOT LOUD AT ALL” is attributed. There isn’t much to reveal about the book, but rather it is experience and a discovery and I highly recommend it.
- Ok and now for some mussiiiic: I’m digging the track Fever Dream by SG Lewis and featuring Charlotte Day Wilson (https://youtu.be/C61xfJT4yEM); and when I can’t get inspired or decide what to listen to, I turn to the radio station FIP (https://www.radiofrance.fr/fip), they have a great selection of tunes and I always discovery new tracks and remixes.
I just Googled "Féminismes & Pop Culture by Jennifer Padjemi English translation" and I got nothing, but love the cover. Will keep that on my radar, and I definitely appreciate the international flavor of these recs, thanks Soraya! Still behind on New Yorkers (a memoir) but will prioritize that article next! Digging this SG Lewis track, adding it to this month's playlist. Also I haven't ready anything by Deborah Levy and I think it's time to change that! Have you started Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow yet? I'm still deep in Wu-Tang research, that Hilma Af Klint graphic novel, and Gucci Mane's autobiography, but hoping to start it soon...hahaha.
Hahha nah man, waiting for you on Tomorrow! Also technically have you own pile to get through before i start a new one…
Too many books, not enough time! (a memoir part deux) What's in your pile?
Gah for real. Some books about fashion (another frenchie: La mode est politique/ Fashion is political), a german language detective book (lol!), and the next Deborah Levy (The Cost of Living). Haven’t made much progress so need to carve out the time, but also squirrel…😬
OMG so many things have been helping my process in the last few months- I feel lucky to have found them.
The first is Dead Eyes- I came a full 3 years late to this podcast but it meant I had 3 series to binge! Although it says it’s about a man searching for answers about whether Tom Hanks fired him 20 years ago, it’s really about failure, feedback, the pivots life takes and the madness of being a creative. When I was in the depths of depression I found listening to smart, “successful” creatives, actors and writers talking about the times they failed and how they still feel like imposters, supremely encouraging.
I keep returning to Jonah Hills film, Stutz, that he made with his therapist. Great for giving you actual tools to help you take the next step (or just get out of bed) plus I live for any content where two grown men look each others eyes and tell each other they love each other without flinching.
And then I recently saw American Movie- also came about 18 years late to this film but it defies adequate description - an utter joy to watch, hilarious and unbelievable that the hapless cast of characters frantically trying to make a movie are actually real people.
And I’m nearly done with Rick Rubin’s new book- the Creative Act- a sparse, zen masterpiece that makes you want to put it down every 5 mins to actually go and create art (which is the point) enjoy and feel better! ❤️🔥
Thanks for all these recs Katy! Rick Rubin's book is definitely on my list—I recently had a conversation with someone who is also enjoying it right now. Can't wait to dig into it. I'm excited about the other stuff you listed—all new to me, and I'm especially intrigued by Dead Eyes. I really appreciate hearing stories about how people have handled failure and imposter feelings, particularly in their creative work. I'm also now thinking about the stuff I keep returning to for inspiration. Do you keep a list of things you continue to find inspiration from, like a greatest hits kind of thing?
I don’t keep an inspo list but I really should. My coach recommended it to me last year- actually it was more like a joy list - any link, post, article, movie, song etc that just made me happy or tickled me.
Things that would go on it are these 2 articles that joyfully absurd( type of inspo I love for my own writing)
https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/please-watch-my-big-break-as-an-actor-on-a-new-hbo-drama-where-my-character-is-dragged-nude-behind-a-horse-with-my-penis-showing
https://the-toast.net/2016/06/29/paintings-of-the-torture-of-prometheus-where-it-actually-looks-like-the-eagle-assigned-to-tear-out-his-liver-is-his-new-boyfriend/
I also return to the Vox Explained series on Netflix a lot. Particularly the one of the Mind. Loads of great info and thought-starters in there about the nature of self and reality.
I’ve reread Simon Rich’s Spoiled Brats many times. Thats a book of funny short stories I return to a lot
And then really- if I’m looking for a more general it’s all gonna be ok vibes inspo I go to Tracee Ellis Ross’s Instagram, any song by Kate Bush (particularly Suspended in Gaffa) and the Ram Dass doc on Netflix
Joy List! I'm definitely borrowing this idea. Vox Explained is great, I love the music/art/design ones but haven't seen the one you mentioned, another thing to add! Thanks again!
I've been enjoying Kristian Bob's Merengue Remix of Mylie Cyrus' Flowers...https://youtu.be/Y_s19EXYaXk
Hell ya! Flowers and this remix thereof are my absolute fave right now. I love the upbeat yet melancholy tone.
Yesssssss this is sending me straight into the weekend. Thank you for sharing!
Adding that movie to my queue! Thanks for the recs!
I’ve been loving Sally Bayley’s new podcast, “A Reading Life, A Writing Life”; she’s a scholar, teacher, and writer of (amongst other things) beautiful, lyrical memoirs, and the podcast is like being in one of her workshop classes: I just want to listen to them again and again.
I love this, thank you Alexandra! Have you taken any of her workshop classes?
Yes! When she was working with ReLit: the Bibliotherapy Foundation, I took some of her summer workshops. She’s one of the best teachers I’ve encountered: the level of attention and care and intellectual rigor and thoughtfulness she brings to her work is unparalleled. These days, I think she’s shifted into more private coaching/tutoring: if you want coaching on a creative endeavor, she’d be at the top of my list.
Awesome, I just checked out her website and will take a deeper dive!
Thank you to everyone who shared today!