MOON BULLETIN - Q3, L1263
i, like many of y’all, have been eagerly awaiting the first signs of spring. particularly in this frigid, blustery winter, it can feel like the notion of warm weather and bursts of green is a far-off, impossible one. i love winter and its invitations to slow down, to rejoice in the invigorating sensation of cold wind on exposed cheeks. and yet i find myself perhaps more greedy than ever for the changing of the seasons, to reflect the changes i experience in my own life.
i don’t know when it will happen exactly, so i can’t put it on the bulletin, but i feel keenly aware that we’re coming up on what i call the “first day of false spring” — it’s the first time the temperature reaches around 60 degrees, it’s sunny, and it feels like spring might just be upon us. usually it’s followed by another cold snap of at least one or two weeks, but for a brief moment, we are gloriously alive. the city takes on a feral energy on this day, with an abundance of people out and about (prompting many a comment of “don’t y’all have jobs?”), enjoying the freedom of a park day without worries of frostbite. whenever that day happens, perhaps this can be an invitation to bask in it. attend to the change in the world around us, a reminder that seasons and cycles stop for no one (and no administration). flowers start peeking out, new migratory birds appear, trees begin to bloom. whatever linear time keeps us marching towards productivity can pause; let this moment inspire awe. let it enchant you.
speaking of enchantment, some magical events upcoming:
🌘 nora rose thomas, Chase Elodia, Eden Girma + Emmanuel Michael at The Owl Music Parlor: Waning Crescent (Sat Feb 22 @ 7:30pm). Eden and Emmanuel are not only incredibly talented, but also two of the kindest people I know. That kindness infused into their music is sure to inspire. $15.
🌘 Sidewalk Study on In Pursuit of Revolutionary Love in BedStuy: Waning Crescent (Wed Feb 26 @ 7pm). “If through Revolutionary Love we develop the communal structures, political will, and emotional intelligence to sustain longevity in struggle, then we build capacity to embrace and learn from the survivors of genocide, enslavement, political imprisonment, and mass incarceration.” — Joy James. Abbi and I are facilitating this study of James’ powerful Black feminist text. Email me if you’d like to be added to the list. Free, RSVP for address.
🌑 The Poetics of Tea at the School of Radical Attention: New Moon (Thu Feb 27 @ 7pm). Tea ceremony + attention activism + creative writing practice! Cammie is a gentle and gracious host; this will be a special chance to grow a deeper connection to your own senses. Free.
🌑 New Moon (Thu Feb 27) 🌑 Each new moon I do a personal ritual of letting go. This time, I’m letting go of the feeling of control over day to day life. Every day is a mystery! I wake up and ask myself “what do I need today?” Sometimes, the answers surprise me.
🌒 SLAMDANCE garage closing party with sets by Justin Allen, Shara Lunon, aden, Bri Frei, FISHLORD, Pucker Up!, & Lake Lanier at Trans-Pecos: Waxing Crescent (Sat Mar 1 @ 5:30-9:30pm). Punk x Blackness x Theater x Other things too probably? Should be electrifying! $15 adv, $20 door.
🌒 Chase Away the Winter Blues Tour at Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Waxing Crescent (Sat Mar 1 @ 11am). Over a dozen different kinds of flowers grace the grounds of the late-winter garden at BBG. Celebrate the transition from winter to spring by admiring these petite, colorful, and sturdy blooms undeterred by the frost. Also, just obsessed with that title. Free with $22 garden admission.
🌓 Why Humans are Unremarkable at the American Museum of Natural History: First Quarter (Wed Mar 5 @ 7pm). “From an evolutionary perspective, modern human bodies are surprisingly unremarkable compared to other species.” So goes the event description; I’m all in favor of knocking humans off our exceptionalism pedestals. Free with RSVP.