Dearly beloved
We are gathered here today to get through this intro and move right on to the goods.
If you don't like the world you're living in:
- In 2021, a community of Minneapolis-based musicians came together in the wake of George Floyd's murder, pooling their talents to support social justice movements, foster solidarity, and "make the rebellion irresistible" like Audre Lorde told us to. Since then, they've been showing up whenever and wherever they're needed. They were, of course, out there this past week doing their thing, as we all should be, in whatever form that takes: grocery runs, conversations, confrontations, the lot of it.
- Speaking of musicians, check out The Semi-Modulars from my beloved Austin, Texas. Gonna need the city's favorite darkwave/synthpop band, Urban Heat, to get in touch with them for a collaboration like yesterday.
- And speaking of cool shit people are doing in their communities, consider the art of the sidewalk joy movement, which takes the idea of little free libraries and expands it into all sorts of opportunities for connection. The founder created a "worldwide directory of small, neighborhood-led physical manifestations of community along sidewalks" ranging from trinket exchange boxes to right-of-way playground equipment, or, put more broadly, "little bat signals of hope." The idea is for tiny interactions to make way for acquaintanceships, which make way for friendships, which make way for community, solidarity, and a stronger social fabric.
- Ever glimpsed another world through a crack in a wall? Here, take a peek.
- Lots of encouraging conversation here about the wisdom—and realism—of climate optimism. I suggest you watch the full clip, but if you're short on time, at least absorb this remark from rising ecological justice expert Wawa Gatheru: "I always try to ask the question back to folks who ask me, 'Are we doomed or are we gonna solve this crisis?'. That's not the correct question that we should be asking, because there isn't just one future waiting for us. There are many possible futures. And the future that we get is based off of the decisions that we make."
- And there's my segue into telling you about mycelial mother Mary Banning, a caregiver and self-taught scientist who was shut out of academia in the 1860s because of her gender but who said "fuck you guys," identified 23 previously unknown species of mushrooms, named an entire taxon of fungi, and documented them in a manuscript written by hand and painted by watercolor, which is now on display in the New York State Museum in Albany. (Entangled Life fans, enjoy your rabbit hole tumble.)
- And finally, choose your own adventure: if you want something as tender as you might be feeling right now, enjoy this lovely new music from Arlo Parks (and this dreamy live performance from late last year, for which I was in the room(!!), swaying in the audience). If, on the other hand, you want something as feral and insane as you might be feeling right now, enjoy the dialogical stylings of Nic Cisnero, who's going note for note with every single wild-ass thing Courtney Love's ever said on TV. (Look, y'all, it's a lot out there, so please do laugh when you can. It's medicine.)
- You know what, screw it, here's a bonus glimmer for you instead of the usual seven: Frog (of Frog and Toad) is having a soft, sweet duvet day, and I hope you are too, if you want one.
Get some sleep, drink some water, lead with kindness. Love you.
"The secret is ignoring the camera & staring at your mirrored self, so everything you do is done to you in reverse."
17 January 2026
[read the previous post] [read the following post] [see all posts]