Still Life with Music
The Week in Selfies: 7/13/20 - 7/19/20
Hello from the surface of the sun. Two housekeeping things:
The subscription-related donation project continues! The organization for July is Indigenous Women Rising. If you are new here (welcome!) or need a refresher about the project, you can always find more details of the project on my About page.
So, if you are enjoying this newsletter or connecting to it at all, I’d love if you would like, comment, consider becoming a paid subscriber, share it or give it a social media shout out to help make the impact go farther. *Awkward ahem.* I’m a bit financially precarious as well right now so any interaction or sharing would be extra helpful. THANK YOU! ALL CAPS!When we reach 100 subscribers, I’ll start taking selfie submissions which I think will be FUN.
And, as always, thank you for being here. It really means so much to me.
It is amazing to me how certain smells, sounds, sensations, and places can, for better or worse, send you back to a very specific moment in time. This is something that continues to fill me with childlike wonder even as I continue to get farther and farther away from childhood (in age anyway).
Sound(s)/music tends to be the key to my time travel machine most of time. The opening strains of Spring Awakening will send me back to the corner of Bill McDonald Parkway and 21st Street in Bellingham, Washington on a hot summer afternoon. The Best of What’s Around by Dave Matthews Band puts me driving my shitty high school car between Cheney and Spokane, Washington. Achy Breaky Heart by Billy Ray Cyrus is the soundtrack for my brother and I attempting to do step aerobics with my Mom in the living room. I could go on…
And I will! Because it’s my newsletter! The photos from this week flash through my head like still life paintings. What is happening is what is happening and there isn’t much else to it. So, I decided to take a look at my top songs from 2020 and see what the soundtrack to some of these still lifes might have been.
Late Bloomer by The Secret Sisters
A couple of years ago I implemented a theme word for the year. I’m pretty sure I picked up this practice from incredible artist and good friend, Natalie. (Check her out here.) And from there, I expanded to include a theme song for the year and a host of other things. Throughout 2020, Late Bloomer was a constant song in my rotation. I listened to it so much it became the theme song for 2021. (“Joy” was the word for 2020 and “Possibility” was the word for 2021.)
“It’s doesn’t matter when you bloom. It matters that you do.”
Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus
This has been my “get up and dance” song for years. If I need to wiggle stress or the grumps out or just jump around joyfully for a bit, I put this song on. I needed a lot of wiggles in 2020.
The Best of Times by Styx
It was not the best of times but Styx still rocks.
Cement Slippers by Dengue Fever
One of the last shows I saw before the all of it was Lauren Yee’s Cambodian Rock Band. The play uses the music of Dengue Fever and, after seeing the production, Dengue Fever became a heavy part of my rotation. Definitely check out the play. It’s one of my favorites.
tiny victories by Christina Perri
There weren’t a lot of major victories to be had in 2020 but this song was a good reminder to celebrate any victory no matter how seemingly small.
Call Your Girlfriend by Robyn
Do you think Robyn knew how prevalent Zoom would become?
No Rain by Blind Melon & Ballroom Blitz by Sweet
Two of my absolutely favorite songs. Two songs that will make me sing and dance. Two songs that usually will lift my mood no matter what. Two songs I need.
Do you have any songs that were a major part of your survival in 2020 & 2021? Leave a comment and let me know. I’ll add them to the playlist I’ve created of these songs and a few others of my go-tos from 2020 & 2021 so we can have a community playlist.
Monday, July 13, 2020
Still life with crazy hair and delicious dinner.
Tuesday, July 14, 2020
Still life with masks and unopened rug.
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
Still life with frustration.
Thursday, July 16, 2020
Still life with zoom and friends.
Friday, July 17, 2020
Still life with mirror.
Saturday, July 18, 2020
Still like with hangover. Probably.
Sunday, July 19, 2020
Still life with flour disaster.
This week, paying subscribers got a 1-minute play that begins with an iconic line from a favorite summer camp movie. If that sounds intriguing to you, consider becoming a paid subscriber.
