Gathering Evidence

how to makes sense of all that I know

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Hello Friends,

This summer has felt like a creative re-emergence of sorts. The older kids are pretty self-sufficient when they want to be, and the baby is sleeping more regularly, which means I am getting more and better sleep.

My brain still short-circuits from time to time. I walk into rooms, not knowing what I was there for, I start asking a question, knowing it is important, but like Elvis, the thought has left the building. I send texts to myself so I won’t forget things, but I inevitably have to ask Nick to pick something up on the way home.

But I’m not running much yet, but I move my body daily. I’m reading again, and most importantly, I’m writing again.

It’s a strange feeling to get these creative sparks. They almost feel manic in nature.

Take this memoir I’m working on… I want to organize all 2000+ pictures I took while running every street in Santa Barbara. But how many pictures of garage doors, clay tile roofs, old cars, street signs, or selfies do I need?? What is more efficient, to sort through them now or hit “select all” and deal with it later? I wasted the last 30 minutes trying to decide, only to close the tab in frustration, having ordered nothing.

I also want to learn everything I can about the history of Santa Barbara’s streets and how certain neighborhoods were formed. I want to know about the trees here. Why were Magnolias planted along San Andres St? Why were Stone Pines planted along Anapamu St? What about Downtown? Like many cities, our downtown suffered with the move to online shopping; the pandemic offered us an opportunity to start fresh; will we take it?

And then there are my own stories that bounced around my head while I ran past old apartments, places I worked, and where I went to my first AA meeting… How do I organize all that?

This is where my writing teacher would remind me of Anne Lamott; you take it “Bird by Bird.”

Now if only I could train these birds to line up in logical order and only speak when it’s their turn.

This is where I am today. Thank you for listening.

xoxo,

Emily

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Your Journal Prompt for Today

Post your response in the comments below or tag me on Instagram @emilykathleenwrites

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Links to Ponder

On reading well, from

Simon Sarris

“He who has no poetry in himself will find poetry in nothing.” (The Map is Mostly Water)

I love these geography facts (Interesting Facts)

“The Soccer” ha! (Glennon Doyle)

Speaking of being in conversation with what you read… I’m putting my thoughts together on the idea of book journaling and documenting what I read. There’s a lot of talk about Goodreads right now, mostly bad, but I’m not sure we have an alternative. I struggle with the idea that the subjective rating I give can affect someone’s livelihood. (The Washington Post)

Sometimes child’s pose is the biggest challenge (Coffee and Crumbs)

I devoured the Scamanda Podcast, and all I kept thinking was, it’s not about the scam; it’s about grief, and that’s what makes it personal. (Lions Gate)

Adult Scholastic Book Fair!!! Yes, please! (Mychal)

booksellers fight back (The New York Times)

this will change you. “It’s easy to blame individuals for their criminal actions, but we also know that when society’s treatment of people who commit crimes is too punitive and merciless, the result is often — ironically and tragically — more crime.” (The New York Times)

If you only have time for one thing… This gorgeous essay is about a woman meeting Pee-Wee Herman form

Narratively

is behind a paywall but is absolutely worth the $6

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