I’m in the midst of writing something a bit longer, so for today I’m just going to leave you with a quote and a dance. Both were made on a day last week when I felt not just flattened by political rage, but also effectively silenced — for now —a new feeling for me. I suppose the main thing is to not be snuffed out all the way through to the privacy of your own mind, to not become numb.
“Some mothers are born angry, some achieve anger, and some have anger thrust upon them."
—William Shakespeare, from his play Twelth Night, which is about being a mom in America in 2025. You greedy, cruel fucks.
And here’s the dance.
(You’ve seen me move around to this song before; it’s Falling Together, by Jamie xx and that incredible dancer from Ireland, Oona Doherty. If you haven’t seen this video, just skip my doodling and go straight to that.)
Good luck this week everyone. If you want to do a little mututal accountability, write your larger goals for the week in the comments (doesn’t have to make sense for anyone else, it’s just the act of taking a moment think about it). Mine are: finish this essay about archives and finish prepping the archives for M., move the house plans along, stay wiggly in my body, fully recconect with the child, keep taking notes on inner stuff, do one “free” thing outside of the house.
Keep in touch, x, mj
Goal: Penultimate MSA (Marriage settlement agreement) figure out how much I can charge my doctor husband for spousal support while I find a career that will provide long term security living in the Bay Area after ten years of non-starting my career as a writer/journalist/documentary person because I was birthing and raising his two children while he rose through the ranks to become a well-paid doctor. Must add: find livelihood / stop procrastinating starting to work after ten years of not working while I took care of other people.
Goal: seriously start thinking about how to get over my nicotine addiction