Work Notes 

THIS WEEK IN LANDSCAPES : Feedback Party today 3-5pm EST + Tue and Thu 11-1 EST Co-Working + Rituals for Writing : Co Creating a Magical Writing Practice with Casey Zabala this Wednesday at 2pm EST + Jump on the waitlist to get your first week free and give it a try

PROMPTS : Subscribe to my analog newsletter that includes a letter and ten writing prompts. Subscribe by the end of July to receive August's issue on Edges

Dear reader, 

There are so many places to draw our attention to in these times, and today I am drawn to the word health. Health for the mind, the body, and the planet.

The last few days for my own physical health have been hellish due to the wild fire smoke from Canada billowing down into Michigan, sending me on a multi day migraine spree. In this migraine spree I have taken medicine, taken naps, worn my headache hat (an ice pack that wraps around your head), and taken account of the privilege of normally living in clean air.

Smoke is such a grief portal, and even sheltering in place in the house with the air purifier on, it’s haze over everything makes way for big feelings. Feelings about this Earth and all it endures, feelings about the people and animals who are displaced, feelings about my own fragility as a human on this spinning planet.

It all can feel like nonsense in these times. The worrying, the waiting, the wondering.

I am procrastinating dear reader, that’s what I’m really doing. While the cluster migraines did provide some real setbacks, my school work to finish my MFA is hovering above me. I am so close, only a few papers and assignments left. And yet I find myself barely able to open the pages to complete this two year long endeavor.

It feels like some sort of epic resistance to leaning into my self worth. Like if I really finish this thing, I’ll have something to be proud of. And who am I to have something to be proud of? Some sort of self deprecating demon that hovers over my shoulder while I attempt to work. I wrote about this a bit a few weeks ago in the way this comes up for me when I am teaching. The devil that says I am not good enough, no one cares, no one wants to be here.

Yesterday I taught a one day version of my quilting class and it was a total blast. The little devil demon did not make an appearance and I was able to teach with confidence and calm. The group was amazing and everyone seemed to leave with new entry points for creation and improvisational intuition.

I sit in the forever gratitude, that my job is to steward others through the journey of coming back to their art practice. Which in turn leads them back to themselves.

Today marks coming back to my own practice of writing this newsletter for free every Monday. Paid subscribers can read about this change in a newsletter I sent out last Thursday.

There is much on the horizon, I feel like the tides are turning. But I also see how slow this process is. To be buried in struggle and to work to climb out takes effort and time. And it will take the time it takes.

As the smoke clears I find myself ready to run again, ready to return to a movement practice, ready to write more. It signals a shift in perspective that I have been waiting for.

Praying for lung health, safe animals, safe people, and safe air.

There are a number of fundraisers happening for those most affected by wildfires, here are a few :

→ Veterinarians helping animals affected by wildfires

→ In Northern Ontario entire First Nations communities are being evacuated, often without a plan for their pets - Northern Reach Dog Resuce Network

→ Donate to True North Aid for Indigenous Support in Ontario

→ A Langauge of Stitches : The Radical Quilts of Rosie Lee Tompkins, beautifully created by Constance Moore - is available for pre-order (SO excited about this!)

→ This video of Harry Styles singing Aperture live really does it for me

→ Still one of my favorite albums to listen to while I write

CLASSIFIEDS : 

stop the new idea > all talk > inaction loop and become a person who makes cool shit. enter the [enough.talk] action portal for creatives

Embodied human design readings with em. Deepen in solidarity w/ your vulnerabilities, gifts, unique wiring, + internal GPS. 20/45/90min readings ❤️‍🔥

Are you a budding birthworker? Build your birth biz with mentorship + community. Follow @bigcatbirth to join Cocoon! 

Book a classified ad for next week here 

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