The dark half of the year
And what gets illuminated
Every year I am SHOCKED and APPALLED when the days get shorter and the nights get longer. I take it as a personal affront. As Swan said, night is icky and your pancreas doesn’t secrete properly after dark (or something)—that’s science, look it up!
There are so many ways to divide the year—birthdays and half birthdays, the important new calendar, vacations—but I recently read in my Bible that October 1 marks our arrival into the dark half of the year. Not a semester, not a season, but a hemisphere of time.
For some reason, I’m not hating heading into the darkness as much as I usually do. Probably because it’s still kinda light out in the evenings-- talk to me in November when my head is firmly in the oven. I think this might be something like…going with the flow of the seasons? Of life? I asked Sally the other day about the difference between acceptance and resignation (this was w/r/t the diminishing returns of forever tinkering with a manuscript) and she hazarded that they are probably one and the same, and that that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Whether it is acceptance, or resignation, or realizing at the ripe age of 41 that you can’t fight city hall on the tilt of the axis of the earth, I’m leaning into the darkness.
One thing that is helping is that I built my ofrenda early this year. Sweet Bonnie (ca 2009-2024) is in the middle, my beloved and sorely missed Jack Russell-chihuahua/salty old broad who crossed the rainbow bridge back in March. I bought a skeleton dog at Mexico in My Pocket, your one-stop shop for all ofrenda supplies, holiday shopping, and gifts for yourself. I adore the proprietess Luisa so much, and my enthusiasm likely makes her uncomfortable.
I wake up before dawn (though that can be a leisurely 6 am these days), pour a cup of coffee, and light the candles. About an hour later, my youngest blows them out with me and we make a wish. Sometimes it’s to watch Inspector Gadget, sometimes it’s to say we love you to Bonnie. Always it’s for the dark to light something up.
What are you wishing for in this dark half of the year?
As you snuggle into the darkness might I recommend these companions….
Ta-Nehisi profile in NY Mag: Can’t wait to read the book.
Uzo Aduba on Fresh Air: Wish I could’ve met her mother.
This gorgeous op-ed by Kelly McMasters on writing one’s own obituary as an annual exercise.
American Nightmare—Could not stop watching this three-part classy true crime doc. Really admire how the filmmakers structured the story. I recommend fast-forwarding through the middle episode which contains graphic descriptions of sexual violence, but jeez this is wild, and does nothing to enhance one’s opinion of law enforcement.
The House of Hidden Meanings by RuPaul: The author is one of the great spiritual teachers of our time, I’m not kidding.
Cardamom candle from Brooklyn Candle Studio: The scent of fall is not p*****n s***e, it’s cardamom.
Miranda July on Esther Perel: Talk to me about aliveness.
My Brilliant Friend on Max, always and forever, though the ire I feel watching Lenú RUIN HER LIFE over this LAME GUY! I ran into my neighbor, also a fan, in the hardware store and we shouted about the Sarratore boy as if he is someone we actually know (he is.) The cinematography and the ACTING are worth the heightened blood pressure.
Housemates by Emma Copley Eisenberg: Her depiction of West Philly trustafarians is *chef’s kiss*
The Gentlewoman magazine: I got a subscription for my birthday, which was back in April, and the first issue arrived just last week. Nothing like a hefty airmail package to make add a touch of glamour to your postbox.
This soup recipe: Hardy and autumnal AF. Waiting for Melissa Clark to receive her MacArthur Genius award.
The Wild Robot: Brought Theo last week and the animation is simply gorgeous, like a pointillist painting.
Went to MOMA recently to see the Robert Frank, which I loved—you will be the only person watching this, save for the janitor jangling his keys, which is fun on its own—and I encountered a painting by one Jack Youngerman I’d never seen before and I quite liked it.
I’m excited to read The Book of George by Kate Greathead.
Will & Harper: A buddy road trip and a Boomer explainer of transgenderism. Why is Will Ferrell the funniest?!
The Roommate- Sat in front row with a view up Patti Lupone’s nostrils. It’s a fun one with some twists and turns. A perfect pair indeed.
A walk in Rockefeller State Preserve and lunch outside at Hudson Farmer and the Fish afterward.
I’m *very* late to the party but Kevin Can F Himself is divine and the Worcester depiction is…not half bad! A reference to the traffic pattern in Kelly Sq made my heart go pitter patter!
Raising Hell, Living Well by Jessica Elefante: Connects so many dots, blending personal experience and reportage. Elefante is a helluva bright light, and I’m very excited to get involved with MAMA, which she is a part of.
I was on this podcast about a faked death in the online yarn community!
And what’s going on with Everyday Intuition, you ask?! The manuscript is going to copy editing next week and cover is being finalized as we speak. EEEEEEEEEE!!!!
