Amidst cacti.

LIFE UPDATE FROM LA

“New Active Energy Trend”, my phone altered me today.

My LA life is a slower start then expected, but my daily Health app averages are off the charts!

The apartment I sublet is up a hill in Echo Park. Yesterday my phone altered me of the jump in “flights of stairs climbed” 21 yesterday. (Sure, if you lived in a 5 floor walk up in Brooklyn, you’d have a similar metric.)

There’s a black dog named Carol who lived in the apartment complex. The first time I saw her, it was ominous. She has a sort of “I’m here to guide you to the land of the dead” vibe. But she is actually the most ethereal and elegant dog I have ever met. She watches over the apartments.

I have been walking to Canyon Coffee almost daily. It has blown up in the past year, and is more then just getting a drink now. It is a place to see and be seen. Which feels both exciting and overwhelming. (Sometimes you just want a drink).

The long line is like a meditation practice. It seems like people welcome the experience of waiting because everything else in the world is so immediate. It somehow increases the reward of the coffee that you have waited for it? It takes about 15 minutes to order and get the drink, just for planners.

On the first morning there, I ran into Eric Andre. He complimented my Enya hoodie and we struck up a convo. I adore his absurd humor, slamming on drum set that spurts blood while wearing a speedo. It felt encouraging that it is possible to live your own version of life. And, how important it is that we bring new visions and possibilities and vibes, beyond sucky, violent, greedy, war energy.

It has taken a lot to keep my head above water in that heavy energy. I feel like I am treading water just to stay up with it all. I would like to feel more of a forward, clear direction. I think of the BBC doc “Hypernormalization” a lot. How overwhelming people with too much audacity in the news is deliberate way to seize power. Hmm… I def try to not go to sleep, but also it makes me so overwhelmed and tired. I feel like going to the gym is my training to get stronger and build up my endurance to the heartbreaking news.

As an antidote to collective stress, I have been smiling to as many strangers as possible and seeing if they smile back. That sometimes leads to spontaneous conversations with strangers.

Interestingly, it is often older folks who seem to have the time to make eye contact and chat. Youngins’ are often consumed in phone or their own thoughts. I was there once, self-conscious and living in an internal cacophony. I am so much happier now, just walking around and observing things, I hope my smiles spread vibes, in a quiet way. If you need a smile, let me know.

Until I land a job in LA I have been using this time as a creative retreat to finish my next book.

I’ve written 15 pages in the last few weeks. (I am editing now, so condensing and re-writing 200 pages.) The book is about my first years Upstate, but it is also about relationships. I am still seeing what the book wants to be about, without imposing too much of my will. Writing can be like divination in that way, seeing what comes through you.

A lot of folks on instagram have asked me about the word processor I use. (I have been posting the little “daily goal” image it gives me when I hit 1 page.) The app is called Ulysses and it is worth the money. I hear good things about Scrivener, too. It’s amazing to hear how many people are also working on long term projects. Phew. It is such a long process and I wonder, do people even read anymore? But, I think our projects have to be for own self, first and foremost.

Editing is like fermentation. A preserving process that takes time and turns it into a new form. What do you really want to say? What gets preserved and what decays off? it is wild to edit and see how much both the outer world and I have changed in 6 years.

Time is so weird. Am I alone in feeling like it has sped up? Maybe it is the amount of sheer information we process now…?

I can’t believe it’s been 10 years since I had the experiences in my first book Venus Juice. You can listen to me read the audiobook ! And, if you do, would you mind giving me a review? I am at 4 stars, which, being a B student, maybe is fitting?! Contact me back if you want a free promo code to listen.

The Jasmine at the outdoor gym is amazing

enjoyed hearing the NTS guide to British Folk Revival

*held somatic energy attunement sessions to come back to yourself on zoom

WRITING CLASS this Sunday 10am PST | 1pm EST on ZOOM.
Felt inspired to share a writing practice on zoom Sunday. This will be a fun interactive process where we will free write, do somatic relaxation, write some more, take a break, edit and then share. <3 sign up