Ok. So tonight. Let me preface by saying that I have been going through something of a moderate existential/early-to-midlife crisis following the recent death of a family member (age 30, cancer, devastating), and in this somewhat circuitous but significant way, I wound up going to a Miranda July book signing for her new book called ALL FOURS. I may have (stupidly?) invited an instructor to go with me, possibly overstepping some sort of invisible boundary but honestly, I’m in a bit of a blow-shit-up headspace so whatever. The truth is, I was incredibly glad I went alone. I sat in the front and pretty much hung on to Miranda’s every word. The moderator was very boring but Miranda’s words and ideas and vision were (and are) life-giving. She continues to push boundaries through a variety of mediums in what I consider to be important and thought-provoking and potentially-paradigm-shifting ways, especially for creatives and women (run don’t walk to acquire a copy of her new book).

The venue for this event was the Seattle Town Hall. I had never been to the Town Hall, and was pleased to discover, due to the fact that I needed to complete this overdue blog post, that it is, in fact, a nonprofit. Dedicated to fostering “an engaged community through civic, arts, and educational programs that reflect — and inspire — our region’s best impulses: creativity, empathy, and the belief that we all deserve a voice,” I was impressed by the mission of Town Hall, and by their affordable (and thereby, accessible) event pricing. But more importantly, today, I was deeply moved by the content. There are so many ways that our lives can become stagnant, inundated by the mundane, lacking connection, feeling invisible, overworked and underpaid, etc. And having a community-focused space where all voices and people have a seat at the table- this is so needed. I made an important friend at this event. We will be meeting, as a 2-person book group, to discuss the themes and ideas in this book that stuck with us, maybe try to determine how they might be applied to our individual lives.

The ability to share in the arts and the spreading of ideas in a community-centered way is crucially important. And today, if I had $25,000 cash I might consider dropping it on this organization, which impacted me deeply.

Here’s a cartoon I recently drew that I wish I had brought to hand to the author at this event. I feel like it encapsulates our shared desire to break out of the norm and dive into what people ARE REALLY THINKING at any given moment. And how much of the shame we all carry with regard to our secret thoughts and impulses and behavior and foibles and quirks doesn’t have to be so isolating. Saying this stuff out loud is liberating, and yes, funny.

I continue to think of my cousin Evan, whom I love and miss and hope I can honor through the radically honest process of giving voice to what’s underneath the veneers that we all so carefully construct- artistically, personally, and hopefully eventually, on a societal level. Evan saw through the BS to the inner weirdness and goodness in people. I hope that I may also be able to reach that point, one day. At least when it comes to looking inward. Until next time.