Dear friend,
If you’re reading this, do me a favor.
Relax your shoulders.
Feels great, right?
love,
katie
Friends
Family In Gaza
One of my roommates, Noa, one of the people I care for most in the world, spent her childhood summers with family in Tel Aviv, Israel. When I hear fireworks, she hears bombs. When I hear lightning storms, she hears explosives. I can never understand what it’s like to grow up where she did. To love a family that remains there, a family both culpable and vulnerable. Still, I know that Noa’s heart is heavy, like mine, at the news of today’s invasion, and for the people killed. They are also family; they are also loved.
Below is an email from someone I don’t know, forwarded by my dear, wonderful friend Henry Mills (Introduction forthcoming). There’s such a feeling in it of familial loss and heartache, mourning the dead and calling the living to action.
I have resisted writing emails like this for so long, emails to tell people what they already know and feel.
I woke up this morning to news from my family about 200 people killed in Gaza overnight in raids, and clashes happening right now in Ramallah.
I could say, these are two hundred people that had lives, lists of places to visit before they die or a plan for a better life, even a TV show they have been wanting to follow till the end, but it doesn’t matter.All I can think about, are all of those people that are still alive. Continue reading
Snow Emergency
Hey y’all, sorry for the hiatus! It’s been quite a week. We had a snow emergency! Which, as far as I can tell, is basically a blizzard that disrupts driving and parking. And sometimes walking, too. (Being from Sacramento, where — apart from puddle-jumping — strolling down the street is pretty much the same affair 12 months out of the year, the fact that winter ice transforms a sidewalk into an obstacle course still kinda blows my mind.)
Remember what my porch looked like a week-and-a-half ago? Here’s where three days of white crisis’ll getcha:
Luckily, my friend Jonah had the fantastic idea of a blizzard party — where a group of friends get snowed in together, with movie rentals and hot chocolate and a picture window. What do we care, how much it may storm?
Holiday Cards
In keeping with my 2008 snail mail kick, this is the first year I’ve sent out holiday cards. Nothing fancy: no photos, no witty recap of the year, basically just another chance to connect with people I care about but only rarely get to see. Aunts and uncles, former teachers, my sole remaining friend from the golfing years — who texted me last night to say the card brought him to tears. Even though the snowy season doesn’t particularly jazz me up, it’s a good time to sit indoors with a cup of tea and write to people I love.
More on the art of written correspondence next week. Til then, have a wonderful weekend, and if you’re here in the Northeast, take care in the blizzards!
My Baby Sis Comes To Visit!
Breakfast smoothies with my little sister, Alexis.
Life doesn’t get much better, does it?
Laroy’s Tea
Lately I’ve come down with a bit of a winter bug. One of the pleasurable parts about being sick is that you get to guzzle tons of delicious liquids: orange juice, tea, water. (Yes, I count water as a delicious drink. Hydration: key to life. You heard it here first.)
My friend Laroy, from California, was generous enough to give me a recipe for a wellbetter tea, so I hopped across the street to the local grocery co-op, where I knew they’d stock oddities like rosehips and echinacea. In bulk. (Thank you, Cambridge MA.)
A crucial detail about this kind of tea, though, as Laroy explained to me, is that it’s not intended to make you well only when you’re ill. You’re supposed to drink it consistently. The philosophy behind preventive medicine and holistic health emphasizes strengthening our bodies in addition to killing disease. A rather alien concept to our typical aspirin-popping approach, especially since it means long-term, gradual results, not necessarily immediate relief.
If and when we finally socialize health care in the U.S., I hope we’ll be in for a major shift toward preventive medicine and wellness promotion. From the state’s perspective, it’s far easier to treat a population with a high wellness baseline. In the nutrition realm, I think we’re already beginning to see signs of a sea change with legislative efforts and the enormous popularity of writers like Michael Pollan. (Not that I fully agree with the dude. I’ll write specifically on Food[racism/feminism/economics/health/environmentalism] later on, maybe.)
But for many of us, myself included, learning to think of healthiness as an ongoing personal practice — not just the result of genetic luck or sporadic medical intervention — requires some major cognitive rewiring. It means focusing on protection and correction.
One thing’s certain: it helps when the tea tastes good. Thanks, Laroy!
Friends, Meet Allie Peck.
Part of my self-designed blogging rehab involves reworking the aspects of it that used to wear on me, and turning them into avenues for action I can get down with. F’rinstance: namedropping.
Like lots of other political bloggers, I used to drop names all over the place. It helped increase legitimacy and it gave me more sources to cite (and links to embed). Kind of like writing an academic paper.
These days, I don’t think that namedropping really does anybody much good. At least not anybody who spends most of their time off the Internet, and doesn’t need or want to keep track of a mess of data from the New York Times and its media derivatives. So instead, I’m trying something new: introductions.
A new environmental installation-based exhibit at L’KEG Gallery. Featuring fine art paintings and prints showcased vignette style within an encroaching forest installation, incorporating natural materials. Displaying work from up and coming Bay Area and Los Angeles artists:
Shannon Ingraham
Christine Monohan
Allie Peck
Jane G Pryor
ZOSOThe opening reception has a $5 donation fee, with wine, food, & music provided. Musical performances by Pastillas, Blue Jungle, PROTECT ME
In my mind, introductions serve three marvelous functions.
- Celebrating the lives and work of people I love
- Connecting friends with similar interests among different places
- Letting me make lists to explain the functions of introductions
And so, my very first introduction to y’all is my best friend growing up, Allie Peck. Allie is a tremendous artist living and working in L.A. The postcards above publicize an upcoming event that’ll be featuring her work, which tends to revolve around political themes (the Iraq War, feminism, environmentalism) in addition to being technically extraordinary. For those who’ve seen my various college bedrooms, the one art piece I have is a one-of-a-kind print of Allie’s:
So, friends, if you find yourself in L.A. and want to get linked up with a fabulous person in the movement-art world, think of this lady. I’d be happy to put y’all in touch. If you’re in La-la-land now, go see her stuff! And check out her beautiful blog, newly added to the ‘roll.
Happy Birthday, my love!
Student, Teacher, Conference
Reconnected today with a friend from college. (Thanks, Facebook chat! Or “Face-chat?” Anyway.) Obi and I met when I was a senior, doing an orientation program for Harvard, and he was one of the wee li’l wide-eyed first-years in the program. Fourteen months later, he’s picked up a few things. Paraphrased:
Me: yeah, i needed to take some time to heal after graduation, lol
Obi: absolutely
it’s unfair
to get an education in an environment that doesn’t teach you what’s valuable to learn
Mm. Now who’s dispensing wisdom?
Hello, Again
Let the kloncking recommence.
Here’s to writing and sharing online, in moderation. Continue reading
Kloncke 