“TiTi, this is so much fun!”
That is what my nieces said to me the day after Thanksgiving as we took a D train from Harlem to Bryant Park. If you live in, or have visited, New York City and taken the subway, you know it is anything but glamorous, and anything but fun. It just is. But my nieces’ ignorance (they are 3 and 5 years old, respectively) not only signified a childlike joy in the simple things or the mundane, but also the ease of gaining wisdom or maturity and ignoring small blessings—or taking them for granted. And as strange as it is, I am grateful for the MTA because I had many years of living in cities where I needed a car and hated the responsibility of having a car—traffic, gas prices, other drivers (ehem, reckless drivers), car maintenance. I prayed to live in NYC years ago just so I could joyously trade in my keys for an metro pass, among other reasons.
Earlier this Fall, my cousin decided to visit New York for couple months. She came here in September and stayed through the end of October, and her amazement, awe, and wonder of the city was… cute. Unlike my nieces, this was a 20-something who thought everything about New York was so wonderful––taking the train, street performers, the buildings, the art, the food, taxis. In some ways, I admired how she embraced the novelty of her experience. New York, after all is an incredible city. Yet, internally I’d roll my eyes and think that everything seems so wonderful because she doesn’t actually live here, she’s just passing by and exploring the city without any real commitment. During the handful of times we spent together, I’d think to myself: Just wait until you endure a New York winter. Wait until a rat jumps out from a pile of trash as you’re walking home. Wait until the newness wears off and living in New York is a choice to make, not just a fantasy.
But in an effort not to be a grouch, I’ve been wondering: where is the balance between amazement and commitment? In a culture where our attention spans are shrinking and trends change faster than COVID variants (too soon?), how do we cultivate a healthy sense of awe to curb boredom, but enough commitment to endure life’s toughest moments and not reach for novelty?
I don’t have the answer to those questions yet. But I think curiosity and awareness to sit in that unknown is a starting point. There is beauty in commitment and dedication, and a freshness that comes when we aren’t sullied or hardened by routine. Instead, we can see the routine, the mundane, the ordinary, and still choose to be amazed. That’s the level of commitment I want to cultivate. I want my awe and wonder in all I do to be a result of daily gratitude, not merely the innocence of a 3-year-old or novelty of a tourist.
I mentioned in my last newsletter that I’ll be taking a much-needed break for the rest of the year. I put several projects on pause when the pandemic started, but was able to create The Write In Creative Writing Workshop. And it has been a beautiful space for healing and creativity during the past year and a half (and as an adapted journal!).
As the world begins to open up, I want reconsider the projects I left on the back burner for Social Soundtrack and Living Well, and how I can launch more collective creative healing spaces, both virtually and in New York City. If you attended any of the workshops since April 2020, please fill out this survey and provide feedback.
Music Playlists:
I’m trying something new and want to share a “work in progress” playlist. I started curating It’s the Horns for Me! a couple months ago, which has several songs with horn sections that I can’t get enough of. Have a suggestion for a song I should include? Respond to this email and let me know!
no words necessary (instrumentals and lofi beats)
fix yo face (songs and vocals that cause you to make that stank face)
alex + amel (You didn’t even know you needed an Alex Isley/Amel Larrieux mashup until now. You’re welcome.)
Chri-muh Jingles (I’m an elf🎄)
Resistance + Resilience (Volumes 1-6)
At The Well (Volumes 1-3)
Music Recommendations (from songs I’m vibing to right now):
ACOUSCOUS by emawk: Producer and songwriter emawk mixes subtle horns, stacked harmonies, and steady rhythmic movement that feels hypnotic. This song is a perfect after-work/end-of-week/mid-day pause anthem. The song gives you permission to take a break from melodrama, melancholy, and other people's opinions to focus on what matters most in life.
What It Is by Amber Mark: This song is what freedom sounds like. Freedom to question, freedom to grow, freedom to accept what is. Amber Mark's spin on a smooth 70s pop/soul song tries to make sense of love (or like!) and leaving, and whether the fall is ever worth it.
Still Wonder by Alex Isley, Jack Dine, and Robert Glasper: Alex Isley teams up again with Jack Dine and Robert Glasper for a song that paints the reality of break ups, closure, and still thinking about someone who is all wrong. The lyrics paint a story about striving to bounce back from a break up and love yourself, while still wondering "what if" about an old fling who was all wrong. By the time the song warps up with Glasper's piano solo, you’ll be slow dancing by yourself in your living room.
✨ Becoming Naomi + MDM Productions: Becoming Naomi follows Naomi Joy, a 20-something year old up and coming music video producer in New York City. She is given the opportunity of a lifetime for her career following a family tragedy and as she embarks on the new journey, Naomi realizes it isn’t as glamorous as it seems. Creative projects like this aren’t possible without support and capital from patrons. Learn more about Becoming Naomi, MDM Productions, and how you can support the creation of more Black stories.
✨ Permission To Write, a space dedicated to amplifying the voices of writers of color, hosts weekly Power Hours on Fridays. Come with your works-in-progress and get accountability to finish your writing projects!
✨ Anaphora Arts is hosting a conference and pitch fest exclusively for writers of color February 16-20, 2022. Participants will have a chance to pitch to literary agents; gain insight into the publishing industry; find an extended community of writers, editors, agents, publishers of color; and more. Register today.
✨ Labor Forward has a Kings and Queens Dream: Black History Every Day 2022 Calendar. The calendar highlights the accomplishments of unsung heroes and moments in Black history that have helped shape who we are today and our contributions to American culture.
Until next time,
LySaundra Janeé