If you're looking for the All Fours Group Chat meet-ups...
They are in the "chat" section of this Substack
So scroll around the chat and you’ll probably find people near you who want to meet up in person to talk freely and seriously. I’ve been thrilled watching these groups form entirely without me; it’s what I hoped for (and is pretty international, so don’t assume there’s no one near you.)
In the meantime, here is a large A4GC that took place in The Netherlands at De Balie last year with Aaf Brandt Corstius moderating a conversations between Bregje Hofstede, Romana Vrede, Susan Smit en Sunny Bergman. I thought it was very well done. What do you think?
And, rather than be completely disengaged from my physical reality, I will acknowledge that I’m currently in a hotel room, but not Excelsior/Davey-style. I came here, with my child and all my journals and photo albums, to flee the smoke and fires. And then I got quite sick, I have Covid. It’s been completely surreal to have a fever in this context, without things like a tea kettle. Nothing like my friends who lost everything, just difficult timing.
I don’t think these group chats are unrelated to our collective survival. The same women with whom I discuss relationships, sex and freedom I am now texting about air quality and shock and practical plans for getting though this (as well as unrelated topics: Are we allowed to talk about other things? asks my Jordi, who doesn’t know if her house is still standing. Yes, we must or we’ll go crazy.) Our ability to know what we need and act upon it remains fuzzy, obscure, hard to pull into focus — until we talk candidly with each other. Numbness and paralysis flourish in isolation, and meanwhile there is real joy and comfort (and such power) in our conversations. I feel dim-witted, blunted by illness and stress, but I suppose I’m posting anyway to draw upon this comfort, charge myself up for the challenges of a daunting day. xxx Stay safe.
Thank you for this update Miranda, I am glad you are safe. Sorry about the Covid tho- I find that virus really brings up feelings of depression for me. It’s a particular Covid thing I’ve noticed. Sending love x
Hotel covid no tea kettle and your child...erk thanks goodness for shock. Can't believe the scale. Dresden was 8-12 square miles, Hiroshima 5 ...last I checked this one is 56 and not yet out. Did you see that the Lake Shrine over near the Getty Villa survived. One of the elders stood at the border with his arms in the air chanting AUM for hours, Everything around it is gone. This is a great telling of that, [https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10236317175893751&set=pcb.10236317182773923] Aside from the size this one has so much reach because of all the known storytellers and actors who lost their house and are a figure in people's life. Makes a difference if people can put a face on it, let alone a hundred and more added everyday. Feel so bad for you sick and cooped up. A friend's house escaped the flames and she is trying to balance staying so her young daughter can keep up with her friends over against impossible rents and living in a hellscape. Hope the covid is mild. I only had it once but long covid knocked out my ability to spell. Since I write everyday this is humbling; there is no word so common or simple that it doesn't stumps me. Was grasping for the the third way to spell "to" I knew it wasn't 'too'...after a struggle that nuisance, the silent W appeared...what's that doing there? I'm keeping it together and tamping down the queasiness of the election by watching non-verbal autistic children being telepathic. I have always classified the fact that my son who is profoundly deaf was able to pass as hearing but spacey for over two years until he blew his cover by imitating me talking and gesturing without making a sound...I always classified it as an enduring mystery. I must have thought telepathy was for grownups or something. I'll leave you this..I'm pro-distraction these days: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGOpHdHSjTE] hang in there xox