> 183: He stole forsythia.
Photo: Majdi Fathi, Corbis
Something I’ve realized recently about myself is that I have musicals running through my head at least 60 percent of the time. I don’t even really like musicals. I thought the new Merrily We Roll Along revival was… fine. But during a formative period of my life, from seventh grade to junior year or so, I listened to them constantly, culminating in the year I was 17 and listened to the Rent soundtrack multiple times a week. Now, I will be wandering around the house doing something and become aware I’m internally reciting a snippet of Will You Light My Candle, or the Story of Chess from Chess, or, good lord, part of the song late in Miss Saigon where the new wife meets Kim. Les Mis makes appearances too. I haven’t consciously listened to any of these songs or soundtracks in years, if not decades. None of this is a problem or anything, just… what? Does anyone else have this low-grade theatre kid energy lurking inside them? Report back.
Here's some art, internet, and ideas for you:
Joan Baez: “I realized that the music needed my time and attention if it was going to be any good. Learning to live with the state of the world’s a daily practice. Everything we do, we do against the backdrop of global warming and fascism. I never dreamed I’d live in a world this chaotic and discouraging, and I’m overwhelmed but I’m also a great believer in denial—I think that’s where you have to be in order to create, or have fun or dance—providing that we set aside a certain amount of time to come out of denial and actually do something to help.”
The quote above is from a really excellent (and huge) package from the New York Times Style Magazine (gift link) for which they talked to artists at all stages of their career about how to get started in creative fields, and how to keep going.
A real source of unexpected joy and inspiration over the last couple of weeks is that The Onion was bought by people who really love The Onion and want to help keep it doing what it does best, versus a group of private equity chodes named Peter. Ben Collins, the new CEO, tells the story (it started on BlueSky—has the juice!) and additionally shared: “This is more doable than you'd think, and it doesn't have to be a media thing. Save your defunct bowling league, run for one of New Hampshire's 900 State House seats, revive a dogshit museum. Be open about what you don't know and call friends who do. It's fun, it's good for you, and it's the future.” Hell yeah.
As an experiment, I did a vacation recently where I went somewhere warm with bodies of water and did basically nothing but read books by those bodies of water the whole time. I know many people had figured out this kind of vacation long ago, but it was my first time, and I can report that it ruled. Try it if you haven’t. Maybe you don’t like reading and it’s an all-video-games vacation. You do you.
Books I read (on that trip and otherwise lately) that I’ve enjoyed: Naomi Klein’s Doppelganger, Rebecca Makkai’s I Have Some Questions For You, Jo Baker’s Longbourn (telling the story of the servants who care for the Bennets in Pride and Prejudice), Tara French’s The Hunter, Ann Patchett’s Tom Lake.
Mushroom risotto with peas (gift link) went over super well in our house, is easy, and uses lots of freezer and pantry ingredients.
I am really enjoying the supergrouping of Jason “Blogfather” Kottke (sorry) and Edith “Drawing Links” Zimmerman, two longtime Newsletter Faves, who are now working together regularly on kottke.org. They’ve also brought back comments! This whole time, did we have to raze the old world in order for the new one to be born?
If you’re in New York and you like absurdist humor, please go see Oh, Mary at the Lyceum.
The woven designs of Paris sidewalk bistro chairs and public transit upholstery patterns.
New geriatric millennial trend just dropped: gardening with native plants.
“Do you publicly explain why you avoid someone at a party? Do you feel compelled to justify it to the world every time you don’t answer a phone call? Of course not. The same logic should apply to our online interactions.”
He stole forsythia.
He lived for love.
He never got caught.
Jim Moore, Epitaph
Laura