I’m no closer to understanding this gloriously paradoxical city than I was two years ago. It’s been 0 days since the last building closure for structural damage. (The city even sent emergency alerts last night about the most recent one.)
And at noon on Sunday another second line sets out, one of thirty-seven this season. A social club literally dressed to the nines, a brass band, and dancing in the streets.
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Check out baddy daddy on Soundcloud. I love this artist and his joie de vivre.
On week 7 of a knee injury (preceded by a rolled ankle) and I feel wounded on so many levels.
Obviously physically, with appointments at a general physician, X-rays, physical therapy, an ultrasound, a borrowed cane and most recently a orthopedic doctor and a needle to the knee. No one can say with certainty what treatment will work (if any) or when I'll feel better.
Just rest, ice, heat, elevate, do the exercises and wait.
I'm not young and elastic anymore no matter how much the camera filters lie to me.
Emotionally I'm worried about my family member fighting cancer, four chemo treatments in and awaiting scan results. It's a low thrum of worry every day, for my sibling and the cancer-haver and my nieces. It's feeling supremely helpless, in another country, limited to a weekly Zoom, peering anxiously at the screen for a sign. Of what? Weight gain or loss, more hair or less, puffiness, sluggishness, a stutter, a joke, a smile, a tear. We didn't notice anything before and they were already sick.
The emotional is physical and I'm sure there will be a bodily price to pay for my sibling and nieces. 100%.
Then there is my friend network, my found family, several of whom departed my orbit in a hail of screaming and invective. I'm still quaking, inside. Remembering the ugly words, the nasty tone, the shock and confusion. The confirmation that my deepest worries (my friends hate me, my friends think I'm less than, they despise me, they pity me) -- that my deepest sickest worries are in fact true. I wept on the phone with a mutual who was there too. It's a tragedy in a world of daily horrors and hourly traumas.
I don't want to end with ugliness so let me offer this, a network of underwater cameras that stream live every 5 minutes.
Our gorgeous underwater world: https://www.oceannetworks.ca/multimedia/live-cameras/
Kendrick Lamar dropped a new album GNX and yes I'm old (so what hip hop is for the people) and YES it's fire.
I’ve been helping out at the Words and Music Literary festival the past few days. I have a notoriously hard time sitting still (audio only is a real challenge) but it's been so worth it.
First, several of the folks involved in Seeing Black, the photography/book/multimedia project, spoke and took questions. It was a treat to see and hear Kalamu ya Salaam, Eric Waters, and Chelsea K. Shannon. I bought the last copy of the book immediately and got it signed (to complaints from a crusty OWD I beat out who insisted the Community Book Center RIGHT NEXT DOOR didn’t have it -- PS they do). Sorry not sorry!
There was also a (woefully underattended) screening of Time, a movie about a young Shreveport couple incarcerated for a bank robbery. Fox was released after serving her time but her husband Rob was sentenced to 60+ years. Decades later, both Fox and Rob attended the screening and graciously answered our questions after in an intimate small circle. So grateful for their vulnerability and grace.
All this culture and creativity is inspiring me to dig much deeper in my own writing.
#CONVERSATIONTIPS
@landontalks Attention: all adults table members of the family This is our pre-Thanksgiving adults table meeting where we will discuss things we will and will not do/say at the thanksgiving this year. We are having this meeting early so we can all practice and be prepared. #southern #southerncharm #southernaccent #southernliving #thanksgiving ♬ original sound - Landon
BONUS:
@rupaulofficial Like ashes in the urn it's none of my concern 👏🏾 @Lil’ Kim ♬ original sound - RuPaul
