Hi friends, and just like that, we’re in September. It’s hard to believe six months ago the world came to a grinding halt. Two whole seasons have come and gone, school has started again, most cities have reopened and resumed “business as usual” stances while trying to figure out what the new “normal” actually looks like. For folks who signed up to the newsletter in the Before Times and are wondering why they haven’t received one yet, the short is answer is that I haven’t sent one out until now (my bad). The long answer is, like many people, I struggled (am still struggling) with concentrating and processing everything. At the height of the world imploding, writing and running didn’t hold the same urgency it once did. The collective roller coaster of emotions, grief and stress left me depleted and unable to string together comprehensive sentences.
It’s true, time has been wonky in 2020. Despite the year feeling like it’s a decade long, the summer flew by. Without events, the usual markers of time disappeared and days blurred into each other. My go-to-punchline has been, “What is time anymore, anyway?” The year certainly has felt awful. Part of it is human nature, as explained by this National Geographic piece. We have “nostalgia bias” where we tend to remember the rosier parts of the past while conveniently forgetting about the flops and western cultures have a declinism view (the belief that civilization is on the decline). Social media, as per usual, doesn’t help.
If any year ever feels like the worst, it’s mostly because our brains have a tendency to judge the present more harshly. Unfettered media consumption skews our perception, and it becomes easy to slide into unhealthy patterns of belief.
The events of the past few months have been trash but it’s been a build up of trash behaviour. Countless memes have been calling for us to move into 2021 already, but aren’t we doomed to continue on the same path of destruction if we don’t take time to address issues now? What’s become glaringly obvious is that our problems have been further exacerbated by the pandemic. Those who can afford to look away, have, for the most part. For the rest of us, we’re facing a reckoning. Will it be revolution or ruin? I’ve harped on this before, the Gregorian calendar is just one way of organizing our days. The calendar year will flip in four months but we’ll still be buckling under the mishaps of the past if we don’t do something about it. Anti-Blackness, capitalism, transphobia, misogyny, oppression, environmental degradation are things we have to address now. It feels like we are at crossroads. The systems we were told worked are crumbling and large swathes of people are suffering. The question is, what are we going to do about it right now?
As life would have it, my schedule changed drastically and unexpectedly in the summer. I suddenly found myself with more time on my hands that I have had in years and spent most of it outdoors. The sunshine and blue skies offered much needed respite from the doom-scrolling. Being outside meant being offline and being present. Thankfully the summer hasn’t been all despair and despondency. It was balanced by moments of joy and adaptation. In a weird, micro-level way, it was kind of lovely. I really enjoyed seeing people use their front lawns, porches and doorsteps to socialize. I loved seeing neighbours helping each other out, hearing friends talk about their burgeoning gardens and balcony tomatoes. Mutual aid groups sprung up and more people talked about police brutality, racial and economic inequality, food insecurity and got involved in civic politics.
After months of not seeing family, I finally visited them in August. I was very fortunate to squeeze in a camping trip to the mountains and to have a bicycle while I was away. The two-wheel life has been an immense source of joy and refuge. Quite frankly, I am loving this cycling resurgence and the return of group rides. I also spent a lot of time looking at the skies.
(Pic from my hometown; out of frame was a mama duck with her ducklings heading for a swim)
Gazing at various cloud formations has been a calming activity and one I intend to continue doing. As we shift seasons and pace of life, I hope that not everything goes back to the Before Times. How can it? The old way of life was not working for a lot of people.
Besides, summer technically doesn’t end until September 21. That means there are still some final drops to enjoy, so let’s make the best of it.
Fuel for the mind
If you only read one thing this week, make sure it’s Jesmyn Ward’s gut-wrenching and gorgeous piece on grief and respair. Breonna Taylor’s life lived as told by her mother. Wesley Morris’ beautiful tribute to Chadwick Boseman. Beware the tea: A fascinating look at the Kremlin’s tactic of poisoning its foes. An interesting reflection on accumulation and collecting stuff. Evictions, aka the rent eats first, during a pandemic. The added burden of proof for BIPOC journalists. A thought-provoking piece on PowerPoint activism and how social justice slideshows took over Instagram. Rethinking the diverse and complex ecosystem of our skin. Hong Kong mourns as China continues its crackdown. A tech oracle and the conscience of Silicon Valley. It’s about damn time Alysia Montaño made the cover of Runner’s World. Alicia Kennedy’s newsletter on food culture, labour, sourcing and the politics of it is fabulous and you should sign up for it. You should also check out Wing’s newsletter The Knowhow, which focuses on women sparking change.
Fuel for the ears
Koffee’s “Pressure” is a bop (and if you watch carefully, you’ll see footage from Toronto.) “Sleepless Nights” is one of my favourite songs from the Dinner Party album. “Ungodly Hour” is a perfect roller skating song. Quarantine Casanova by Chromeo is the perfect cheeseball dance party soundtrack. New Fries’ Is The Idea of Us locks you in a state of stupor and hypnosis. I could not not include Brandy or Monica.
A couple changes
(GIF by @sterossetti)
I’m currently looking for work so please send along any opportunities, interesting gigs and ideas you might come across. Also open to creative collaborations and projects! I intend to use this time well. Another side note: I want to shake Hot Knees up. What are some things you want to read about? Drop me a message and say hi!)