Hi Artists,
The other day I tweeted about getting laid off and a reporter responded to ask me to talk about it for a piece she’s writing on how the virus and resulting shutdown are affecting people.
I’m not in that bad of a spot, I replied. I’m not sure I’m the best person for you to talk to.
Actually, that would be helpful too, she said.
I’m noticing there’s this thing that’s happening – on video chats and email, even texts with friends – where almost everyone is leading with some version of all things considered, I’m doing fine. Like we can’t acknowledge what’s good without the caveat of what’s not; even now I want to add some kind of disclaimer that obviously this is serious.
I felt oddly liberated by the reporter’s interest in me being okay. That there was a place for that in her story too. I’m reminded that many things can be true at once – I can be okay and I can be scared and I can be sad about not seeing my friends and worried for people who are most vulnerable.
I think the question is – in our lives and in our projects – how can we be okay with all of it?
When I was in treatment for breast cancer, my friends and I had sort of a running joke/mantra: I’m always okay, even when I’m not.
Yesterday I asked what in retrospect was a too serious question for Day 3 of the project, but there were a few responses along the lines of trying to reconcile what people think they should be doing with what they want to be doing.
What ideas do you have about what you should be doing?
What do you want to be doing?
How can you be okay with both, and with the liminal space of transition?
XO,
LJT
P.S. A few good things –
Grants for women artists affected by coronavirus (h/t @jenvanstelle)
The Met’s nightly opera stream
You can still join Elle’s daily group for doing #the100dayproject together
Flow State is one of my favorite newsletters; every weekday they send out two hours of music for getting in flow