To infinity...and whatever is next

Many of you reached out to me last week, and I'm grateful to have heard from you about how you're doing and what you're thinking in this moment. One of you sent me a webinar about how to move to France. Thank you for that, because I would love to set up an introvert colony there. It feeds into all my romantic ideas about recreating what the expats had there in the interwar period, but only in a way where the expats could be reclusive, and not stay out all night, or entertain F. Scott and Zelda while they smash up all the wine goblets and overstay their welcome. That's what I'm seeing. And I believe I can achieve that. Someday.

Others told me they were thinking about what it might be like to live in Denmark, Portugal, Italy, Scotland, or Canada. All of those are very interesting options, and four of them would be relatively easy for me to access from the top secret French fishing village where I imagine I will reside. If you let me visit, I will cook for you. And you will be welcome in my top secret French fishing village as long as you tell no one where I am.

I mean it: No one.

Another of you said Pluto needs to run along out of Capricorn on November 18, which is just a few days away. Enough already, right? Pluto is making us pay for his demotion, if you put any stock in this interplanetary stuff. Now, my hairstylist asked me recently, "Yeah, but what happens when Pluto moves out of Capricorn and goes into Aquarius? Hm. What do the stars say about that?" He definitely puts stock in this stuff, and wants to know. So I Googled it, because that's a conversation for my next pixie trim.

According to Elle Magazine (and other places), we should brace for even more transformation.

Oy.

Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama dealt with her existential anxiety and dread by creating art full of dots. For her, the dots, when added up, represented the infinite. They showed her – and others – that we were all part of the same huge universe. I wonder how she would see that now, given current events. I do know that when I saw her work at The High Museum of Art a few years ago, there was some comfort in standing in the midst of those dots, and those infinity rooms. There was some peace. And maybe that's why art like hers, and the art that's yet to come, is so important, so vital. We need it now. We need artists, period. We really, really do.

So keep making. Keep doing. Keep bringing beautiful things in the world. It's important.

Writing prompt: When things are challenging, confusing, or confounding, where do you turn for comfort and why?

Quote

Expectations are resentments under construction.

– Anne Lamott

Endnotes

What I'm reading: Lindsey Tramuta's new series "On Leaving America." Samantha Harvey's Orbital, which just won this year's Booker Prize.

What I'm watching: That Martha Stewart documentary on Netflix was something else. For example, she admits to making out with a handsome stranger while on her honeymoon, and wishes everyone could have that sort of experience. Who knew she was such a saucy minx! Stewart has publicly panned the film, telling The New York Times that the second half of it was "lazy," some of the camera angles were unflattering, and the music was bad. She wanted rap music, for goodness sake, not some "lousy" classical score. And yet, she acknowledged: “So many [young women] have already told me...that watching it gave them a strength that they didn’t know they had. And that’s the thing I like most about the documentary. It really shows a strong woman standing up for herself and living through horror as well as some huge success. That’s what I wanted the documentary to be.” It's a good thing.

What I'm listening to: "The Wonder of Stevie" podcast, about the five-year span in which Stevie Wonder released five critically acclaimed albums, won a half-dozen Grammys, and sold more than 10 million records. It's so good. Inspiring, too.

What???: The satirical news site, The Onion, bought Alex Jones' Infowars. It will reintroduce Infowars next year as an online publication that skewers conspiracy theorists and internet personalities. “We thought this would be a hilarious joke,” said Ben Collins, chief executive of The Onion's parent company, Global Tetrahedon. “This is going to be our answer to this no-guardrails world where there are no gatekeepers and everything’s kind of insane.”

Where I hope you'll donate this week: The Human Rights Campaign mobilizes its 3 million members and supporters to fight for LGBTQ+ citizens so they can live their truth without fear and with equality under the law. Given the election results last week, HRC's work is more important than ever, so please consider supporting their mission with a gift of any size. Thank you.