Thank you for sharing Dorothy's journals with us. There is a lot to ponder in her entries.
As for the Great American Reckoning, like so many of us, I found myself feeling sucker punched and experiencing waves of sadness. But after days of despair, my husband calmly took my hand and said, "we have the opportunity to be really good people during a really shitty time. So let's go out and make a difference in our community, and be as kind and loving as we can to all those around us, and continue the good fight."
I have to echo the previous comments - I 'sate' instead of 'sat' quite wonderful. It also suggests that, perhaps, when one allows oneself to sit down, one is in some way 'sated' by the experience. Hmmm...
The other phrase that caught my attention was her casual almost offhanded comment, "we played at Cards & passed a decent evening." This resonated with me as I've been reading the epistolary diaries of my mother, penned in 1941 when she was a pregnant newlywed and living her Bolivian husband, my father, in the city of La Paz. Among her many barbed observations she mentions card playing as an obsession of upper-class society women, who both eschewed and belittled literary pursuits, but were addicted to endless (and in her view frivolous) games of Cards. I think that, for myself, card games and especially board games have been and can be exercises in creative and intellectual stimulation - and sometimes a necessary escape from the occasional grimness of quotidian realities. Which brings me full circle to the Wake - and what you called the aftermath of the Great American Reckoning. I could use some respite from that - and diving into the words from an ancient-but-still-timely journal... sounds truly great.
Short version of the above: thanks for this post, Colin... it helps.
Just yesterday I was listening to the excellent Ologies podcast on the topic of Burnout. Probably not surprising to most, but those of us with neurodivergentcies are more susceptible to burnout.
Colin, you’re describing exactly an example of how to healthily emotionally self-regulate to prevent burnout. I’m a champion disassociator, which is not good. So, I’ve got to follow your lead.
The podcast host, the super rad Alie Ward, shared that she has suffered a few burnouts that have landed her in the hospital. She now very mindfully keeps a checklist of healthy activity breaks she tries to do everyday. If I knew Alie IRL I’d most definitely send her a link to your blog entry as I know she’s get such a kick out of it.
Being a big fan of Regency Era England (Stoppard’s Arcadia is my most favorite play), your new habit delights me so much. ❤️
If you happen to find yourself at Lincoln Center’s Performing Arts Library, it’s a treat to watch the recording of the original broadway production. It was one of the first things I did when I moved to NYC in the early 2000s.
Arcadia is what pushed me to decide to be a theatre major. I saw a production in Ashland my senior year of high school and fell in love. And during my senior year of college we did a production of it and I was the dramaturg. My in-depth research of the history of landscape architecture and Capability Brown are still with me.
Thank you for sharing Dorothy's journals with us. There is a lot to ponder in her entries.
As for the Great American Reckoning, like so many of us, I found myself feeling sucker punched and experiencing waves of sadness. But after days of despair, my husband calmly took my hand and said, "we have the opportunity to be really good people during a really shitty time. So let's go out and make a difference in our community, and be as kind and loving as we can to all those around us, and continue the good fight."
"Sate", huh?
the english language is a slippery thing
Indeed and I frankly love it. I hadn't seen this particular conjugation, so it's fascinating. Does it rhyme with hate or is it just an odd spelling.
Or is it like how the British pronounce "ate" like "et"?
Thank you thank you! Just what are hearts and souls crave at this time. Happy 🦃 day. 🎶
I have to echo the previous comments - I 'sate' instead of 'sat' quite wonderful. It also suggests that, perhaps, when one allows oneself to sit down, one is in some way 'sated' by the experience. Hmmm...
The other phrase that caught my attention was her casual almost offhanded comment, "we played at Cards & passed a decent evening." This resonated with me as I've been reading the epistolary diaries of my mother, penned in 1941 when she was a pregnant newlywed and living her Bolivian husband, my father, in the city of La Paz. Among her many barbed observations she mentions card playing as an obsession of upper-class society women, who both eschewed and belittled literary pursuits, but were addicted to endless (and in her view frivolous) games of Cards. I think that, for myself, card games and especially board games have been and can be exercises in creative and intellectual stimulation - and sometimes a necessary escape from the occasional grimness of quotidian realities. Which brings me full circle to the Wake - and what you called the aftermath of the Great American Reckoning. I could use some respite from that - and diving into the words from an ancient-but-still-timely journal... sounds truly great.
Short version of the above: thanks for this post, Colin... it helps.
Reminds us that storms, whether in weather or politics will eventually pass, leaving behind the moments we salvage along the way.
Onward, indeed!
Can you please do a tutorial for The Queens Rebuke the crossing
Just yesterday I was listening to the excellent Ologies podcast on the topic of Burnout. Probably not surprising to most, but those of us with neurodivergentcies are more susceptible to burnout.
Colin, you’re describing exactly an example of how to healthily emotionally self-regulate to prevent burnout. I’m a champion disassociator, which is not good. So, I’ve got to follow your lead.
The podcast host, the super rad Alie Ward, shared that she has suffered a few burnouts that have landed her in the hospital. She now very mindfully keeps a checklist of healthy activity breaks she tries to do everyday. If I knew Alie IRL I’d most definitely send her a link to your blog entry as I know she’s get such a kick out of it.
Being a big fan of Regency Era England (Stoppard’s Arcadia is my most favorite play), your new habit delights me so much. ❤️
That’s my favorite play too!
If you happen to find yourself at Lincoln Center’s Performing Arts Library, it’s a treat to watch the recording of the original broadway production. It was one of the first things I did when I moved to NYC in the early 2000s.
Arcadia is what pushed me to decide to be a theatre major. I saw a production in Ashland my senior year of high school and fell in love. And during my senior year of college we did a production of it and I was the dramaturg. My in-depth research of the history of landscape architecture and Capability Brown are still with me.
Dorothy's November 9th entry gives a real vibe of Van Morrison's song (spoken-word song?) "Coney Island."
Hey Colin, any plans on seeing Wicked? It was incredible. I fully endorse it.