Friday, June 05, 2020
Sunday, May 24, 2020
writing furiously
i've been thinking a lot lately about who i was and what i was doing a decade ago, a decade and a half. i was writing writing writing writing. writing furiously. writing on my blog. writing comments on other people's blogs. writing on message boards. writing to my friends.
in person interaction was a lot more limited and frankly that's the way i wanted it. there's no block button irl. there's no time to erase, edit, rewrite. it's not safe.
of course, I learned that the internet isn't safe either. "sticks and stones" is bullshit WORDS FUCKING HURT whether they're yelled at you in person or typed. online you can be swarmed, you can be doxxed. you can be thrown out of virtual community with little effort (this is where that accessible block button shows it's shadow side).
but i took comfort in the distance created by the screen. frankly, I still do. if there's a difficult thing to be said, something full of emotions, i'd still rather write it/type it out before i have to deliver it. because i know words hurt. I know words are limited, meanings multiple, interpretation real and imagined; and being misunderstood is incredibly painful for me. and because when i'm in the middle of emotions, I have a very hard time feeling and articulating what I'm feeling at the same time.
i don't write like that anymore really. i journal for myself, often lately. i share the words of others on ig and fb. i listen and read more. i'm working on being present with my feelings and not trying to rush through them to articulation. i'm trying to be more curious. i talk things through with people i trust and love. sometimes i wonder what is better, and then I think "not better or worse, just different". i reflect more now. i'm learning how to have joy in my life (i hope). i'm finding that's easier in person.
it also seems like the blogosphere is not what it was. do people read blogs anymore? if you are reading this, hi. :) but also there's a freedom in anonymity. it's nice to write this way again after so long. and maybe some of what i've been working on will be good to share. maybe it would be nice to be able to trace my evolution here... if i do, it will be very different than it used to be.
anyway, in the style of my old blogs I will share what I'm reading right now -- adrienne marie brown's "Pleasure Activism" on advice from my sister/friend/life coach/spiritual advisor, Natasha. It's been interesting, and i'd recommend it. especially if you, like me, have been trying to find ways to bring more joy into your life, but not divorce it from the very-serious-politics that matter to you.
also, I saw a couple of drafts I left here from 4 years ago and was stunned how much they resonate with my current inner work, i'll probably edit and roll those out also.
with love and solidarity in joy and chaos,
whatsername
in person interaction was a lot more limited and frankly that's the way i wanted it. there's no block button irl. there's no time to erase, edit, rewrite. it's not safe.
of course, I learned that the internet isn't safe either. "sticks and stones" is bullshit WORDS FUCKING HURT whether they're yelled at you in person or typed. online you can be swarmed, you can be doxxed. you can be thrown out of virtual community with little effort (this is where that accessible block button shows it's shadow side).
but i took comfort in the distance created by the screen. frankly, I still do. if there's a difficult thing to be said, something full of emotions, i'd still rather write it/type it out before i have to deliver it. because i know words hurt. I know words are limited, meanings multiple, interpretation real and imagined; and being misunderstood is incredibly painful for me. and because when i'm in the middle of emotions, I have a very hard time feeling and articulating what I'm feeling at the same time.
i don't write like that anymore really. i journal for myself, often lately. i share the words of others on ig and fb. i listen and read more. i'm working on being present with my feelings and not trying to rush through them to articulation. i'm trying to be more curious. i talk things through with people i trust and love. sometimes i wonder what is better, and then I think "not better or worse, just different". i reflect more now. i'm learning how to have joy in my life (i hope). i'm finding that's easier in person.
it also seems like the blogosphere is not what it was. do people read blogs anymore? if you are reading this, hi. :) but also there's a freedom in anonymity. it's nice to write this way again after so long. and maybe some of what i've been working on will be good to share. maybe it would be nice to be able to trace my evolution here... if i do, it will be very different than it used to be.
anyway, in the style of my old blogs I will share what I'm reading right now -- adrienne marie brown's "Pleasure Activism" on advice from my sister/friend/life coach/spiritual advisor, Natasha. It's been interesting, and i'd recommend it. especially if you, like me, have been trying to find ways to bring more joy into your life, but not divorce it from the very-serious-politics that matter to you.
also, I saw a couple of drafts I left here from 4 years ago and was stunned how much they resonate with my current inner work, i'll probably edit and roll those out also.
with love and solidarity in joy and chaos,
whatsername
Saturday, May 23, 2020
In Memory of Stacey
In loving memory of a real one who I know I quoted multiple times on this blog over the years. Stacey Park Milbern left us on her 33rd birthday, and none of us were ready. But she left us a huge legacy.
The #StaceyTaughtUs Syllabus
[caption: a picture of Stacey in her chair, smiling and holding a sign that reads "cherished"]
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