A moment of rest
Bringing you a quick newsletter to break through the Super Tuesday madness (I’m voting for Bernie, and you should too! Here are some reasons why!).
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Here’s a poem by fellow Sonoma County writer Ada Limón. I hope it seizes your heart and helps you find a breath of beauty today.
What I Didn’t Know Before
was how horses simply give birth to other
horses. Not a baby by any means, not
a creature of liminal spaces, but a four-legged
beast hellbent on walking, scrambling after
the mother. A horse gives way to another
horse and then suddenly there are two horses,
just like that. That’s how I loved you. You,
off the long train from Red Bank carrying
a coffee as big as your arm, a bag with two
computers swinging in it unwieldily at your
side. I remember we broke into laughter
when we saw each other. What was between
us wasn’t a fragile thing to be coddled, cooed
over. It came out fully formed, ready to run.
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**If you follow me on any social media platforms, you’ve seen me post about the union-busting going on at Oberlin College, my (usually) beloved alma mater. I am so angry at and exhausted by the institution’s persistent failure to support its service workers. Oberlin wouldn’t be half the school it is without our kind custodial and dining staff. If you’re an Oberlin alum, join over 2200 of us in signing this petition and contacting school administrators!**
What I’m reading
The Boys Scouts of the Border Patrol. Tomboys. Grieving on Facebook. I’m fascinated by the psoas, a muscle attached to emotional wellbeing and flight-or-flight responses. “Stories inspire our actions. They frame for us existences that are and are not possible, delineate tracks we can or cannot travel. They choose who we can find empathy for and who we cannot.” Instagram influencers are now agents of… the pharmaceutical industry. Hey, why not try to spend Bill Gates’ money?
What I’m watching and listening to
This bald eagle live cam is my new favorite thing. “Get Back to Where You Once Belonged,” a This American Life episode that looks at the idea of national belonging from multiple perspectives. Marlee Grace, who I feel close to despite not knowing, dancing to “Lilacs” by Waxahatchee. The new Netflix show Love Is Blind has a fairly stupid title and premise, but it’s SO good for watching in the middle of the night with a friend.
Recommending…
Tagalong Girl Scout cookies. Self-compassion. Playing a little basketball before sunset. Trader Joe’s frozen veggie fried rice. Taking a few minutes to get organized. Opening the windows. Putting silly magnets on the fridge. Washing your hands. Voting for Bernie!!
This week, be extra kind to service workers. We’re out here with minimal sick days, just as nervous about coronavirus as everyone else, but with little ability to avoid touching strangers. Tip well! Put your cart where it’s supposed to go! Smile at your cashier! All those actions make someone’s day a little easier.
Love always,
Kira