On Vegas and Learning
|
Hello Friends, Years ago, I used to boast that the only times I’d been to Las Vegas were while passing through en route to protest at the Nevada Nuclear Test Site. I can’t say that anymore. These days, I go to Vegas far more often than I ever wanted to, which was never. I don’t go to shows while there. I don’t gamble. And since my brain injury, I don’t even drink alcohol. Also, I’m an introvert who dislikes crowds and noise, cigarette smoke, and desert air. I know some people love it, but for me—physically and psychically—Vegas is brutal. So why do I go? I go to hang out with writers, sometimes to talk craft, and other times, business. I go to Vegas to step past the edges of my comfort zone. Vegas is a massive shift away from my usual writerly life. It's a hostile-to-me environment where I talk to strangers and old friends, and stretch myself to learn something new. This past week, I masked up and attended Author Nation with nine hundred other writers. I moderated an LGBTQ panel, sat on a Kickstarter panel, took notes during session after session, and had many conversations in the hallways, on walks, and over meals. I learned a lot that I plan to sift through over the next several months. And now? I feel exhausted, but inspired and full. And really need to do some laundry. As a result, I don’t have much to say today, but wanted to share some of the photos I snapped while there. I hope you are keeping well and taking care of yourself. I'd also like to know: What takes you out of your comfort zone and helps you learn new things? Best wishes — Thorn There's a new podcast episode! This one with artist, crafter, and witch Raven Edgewalker. Enjoy on your favorite podcast outlet or YouTube. If you listen on iTunes, might you consider leaving a quick review?
|
T. Thorn Coyle
Hello friends, There’s a lot of new growth to see on my walks around the city. Tiny green needles at the tips of the Douglas firs. Sprouting grasses. New hops clambering over fences. Tiny figs and unfurling leaves on an equally tiny sidewalk fig tree… There’s planning happening, too. Finches scouting nest sites. Crows gathering twigs. Tiny green figs on a tiny fig tree. All of this new growth and planning fills my heart with joy. So does what feels like celebration in the riot of flowers, the...
Hello friends On one of my walks, I encountered chalk art on the sidewalk. It’s not uncommon, in neighborhoods where children live, to find scraggly ghosts of hopscotch grids, or flowers, or rainbows at one’s feet. This time, it was a pink and yellow heart. I smiled, paused, and snapped this photo: Photo of a pink and yellow chalk heart on a sidewalk. That heart stayed with me, though, because this heart was not just evidence that someone had given a child some chalk to while away a bit of...
Hello friends My intention for this week’s newsletter was to share what I’d written on community prosperity and magic a couple of weeks ago. Or the podcast I just did on love and determination during hard times. And I’m still going to, below, because those thoughts are important, too. But first, I need to speak honestly about my current state. It’s not my usual uplifting musings, and I hope that’s okay with you. Last night, my sleep was troubled. I kept waking with thoughts of the men in...