I have just woken up in a completely new life - and so appreciate this vivid commentary on the experience! I am inspired to look around me with a new curiosity. Happy Wednesday!
I once wrote to Quentin Crisp and not only did the letter reach him, but he even replied in spidery, slanted handwriting. I have no idea what I even said as it was years ago, but he closed with: "You do right not bothering with fitting into society; let it accommodate you."
I was thrilled - then and now - with this advice, but I was hardly a daring trailblazer either. (Then or now!)
Among the many wonderful things herein: “ . . . a color so mournfully brown even moths looking for camouflage used to say, I can’t hide here. It’s too disturbing.” 🤎
Thank you Anna for giving me this taster and thank you Laurie for reminding me of the possible impossible- especially of living in seldom heated apartment -just of the corner of Hudson and Charles -(it's in the photo) when you couldn't get a taxi to drop you off anywhere near - and living in a house with a garden in a another country was unimaginable.
“Everyone has always been more successful than me, and it isn’t true and no one cares.” Such points of identification bring what Goethe stated as “the tremor of awe is the best in [people]”. He said “man”, of course, but you already knew that!🙏🏼❤️
"Have you ever woken up in a happy life? I do it every morning, compared to sleep." Late, happy marriages (or couplings) can do that. Lately yes: "sensation in the moment remains so keen it obscures the moments you have already lived and the imagined moments you have yet to live." An interesting refutation of Andrea Dworkin: "it’s easy to mistake sex with men as the problem if you are a feminist—when actually everything else is the problem."
I was thrilled. I'm not disappointed at all. I give money separately. This was an effort from the group of new subscribers. When you have a publication like mine, without a paywall, people are becoming paid subscribers because they believe in what you're doing. If I imposed a paywall, perhaps I would attract more paid subscribers. I don't believe in pay walls.
Apologies! It’s about the first time you fell in love with a stranger paragraph: “She wasn’t sure where she should live or if she would have enough money to get by, and I could see this excited her, as if she was still young. She asked what I would do in her position, and I said nothing in order to see what she'd say next.”
Super curious to see what happened next 🥰 So beautifully written
"I’m saying it’s easy to mistake sex with men as the problem if you are a feminist—when actually everything else is the problem." YES
I'm so happy you zeroed in on this. It's my favorite sentence in a long time. That I wrote.😎
I want the next sentence after this one...not a demand more of a wondering...
Well, it’s pretty much everything I’ve written for the past 50 years.
Loved this too 🩷
Love this post! I'm 61, and now I know I'm not too old to buy a house. :)
I remember the first time I read a piece of yours. I could hear your voice and I said 'yes' aloud.
I can hear your as well!
I have just woken up in a completely new life - and so appreciate this vivid commentary on the experience! I am inspired to look around me with a new curiosity. Happy Wednesday!
Happy Wednesday to you! xxL
This is my favorite line of this piece. “The way each new death is all the deaths you have ever known.”
I once wrote to Quentin Crisp and not only did the letter reach him, but he even replied in spidery, slanted handwriting. I have no idea what I even said as it was years ago, but he closed with: "You do right not bothering with fitting into society; let it accommodate you."
I was thrilled - then and now - with this advice, but I was hardly a daring trailblazer either. (Then or now!)
Another great post!
What a great reply from him. The best advice! xxL
Among the many wonderful things herein: “ . . . a color so mournfully brown even moths looking for camouflage used to say, I can’t hide here. It’s too disturbing.” 🤎
Ha!
Thank you Anna for giving me this taster and thank you Laurie for reminding me of the possible impossible- especially of living in seldom heated apartment -just of the corner of Hudson and Charles -(it's in the photo) when you couldn't get a taxi to drop you off anywhere near - and living in a house with a garden in a another country was unimaginable.
“Everyone has always been more successful than me, and it isn’t true and no one cares.” Such points of identification bring what Goethe stated as “the tremor of awe is the best in [people]”. He said “man”, of course, but you already knew that!🙏🏼❤️
Loved this so much! Can’t believe you’ve only been writing them for two years!!! I have a lot going on but am contemplating a subscription…
That would be great. I've been writing the stack for two years. I've been writing professionally for 55 years.
Hard to believe you are old enough to have been writing professionally for 55 years! You have such a useful and energized voice!
So do all women my age in reality.
I concur, I’m your age. Not a writer but a serious working visual artist since forever.
I love that! Because I am on the heels of you, except for the professional writing status! I am always aspiring…❤️
"Have you ever woken up in a happy life? I do it every morning, compared to sleep." Late, happy marriages (or couplings) can do that. Lately yes: "sensation in the moment remains so keen it obscures the moments you have already lived and the imagined moments you have yet to live." An interesting refutation of Andrea Dworkin: "it’s easy to mistake sex with men as the problem if you are a feminist—when actually everything else is the problem."
Thanks for your wonder of Quentin. I had the pleasure of a private conversation with him on a back porch in San Francisco years ago—fine human being
How much money did we donate to Kamala?
$150. So far . . . I may repeat the offer. xxL
That’s disappointing but every cent counts. Thanks.
I was thrilled. I'm not disappointed at all. I give money separately. This was an effort from the group of new subscribers. When you have a publication like mine, without a paywall, people are becoming paid subscribers because they believe in what you're doing. If I imposed a paywall, perhaps I would attract more paid subscribers. I don't believe in pay walls.
Agree. So hard to donate as much as we want. I understand totally. I give money separately too.
What did she say? 🫠
I don't know who you are referring to . . . someone thought the contribution was small, perhaps that?
Apologies! It’s about the first time you fell in love with a stranger paragraph: “She wasn’t sure where she should live or if she would have enough money to get by, and I could see this excited her, as if she was still young. She asked what I would do in her position, and I said nothing in order to see what she'd say next.”
Super curious to see what happened next 🥰 So beautifully written