November is here. Halloween is over, but the scariest specter of the season remains: election day is TOMORROW! I’m sure most of you have already voted. If not—get your butt in action! Of course, it’s possible that you and I are not hoping for the same outcomes. Very well. I only hope you can join me in praying that, whatever the outcome, it will not be accompanied by violence. Now more than ever, we must try to understand each other, to see each other’s humanity.
One regular attendee of my livestreams tuned in recently after watching the final presidential debate. His comment was: “blood pressure returning to normal.” Another friend said: “I wish I’d just hung out here instead of watching the debate.” That was nice to hear. I like to think that one thing I do is provide a counterbalance to the news cycle: a kind of media experience that is anti-stress, that rejects the myth of us versus them.
My livestreams continue, with a new schedule:
Mondays 8-10
Thursdays 6-8
Fridays 4-6
Think of these streams like a virtual piano bar, only weirder. Pour yourself a drink, request a song, chat with the others in attendance. What do you say? Want to give it a try?
The best way to stay notified about these livestreams is to subscribe to my YouTube channel—and make sure to click the bell icon to receive notifications when I go live or upload a new video.
What else?
I was recently hired to do a couple private livestreams. One was for a tech company happy hour, and one was a birthday party. Both were great fun, and I got lots of positive feedback from those in attendance. At the company party, we did trivia and a Beatles singalong. If you’re looking for a fun way to spice up your socially-distanced event this winter, contact me about setting something up. Rates are always negotiable.
Last weekend I had a blast doing a home photoshoot with my housemate and collaborator Nicholas Bond. He's a master with a camera—which is fully evident in his camerawork for my short film, The Evolution.
I hope you'll pardon the levity. I know it's a tense moment. A whole nation—and perhaps the whole human world—holds its breath. But even as our human dramas grow in absurdity and drop our jaws open wider with each day, there are global rhythms that remain relatively steady.
Fall is upon us in full elegance. The rains have arrived; when the sun breaks through, it glows a heavy yellow in the treetops. If you go to Carkeek Park, in the northwest corner of Seattle, you’ll see chum salmon spawning in Piper’s Creek.
It’s a time of year for settling in, hunkering down, preparing for winter. The days shorten and we are inclined toward introspection. For some, the oncoming season correlates with depression. For all of us in the northern latitudes, it's a kind of yearly soul-hibernation. It's never easy, but it makes the unfurling of spring so miraculous.
My hope is that you can find peace in solitude. That you can experience the heavy grey wet days as a blanket, or a hug. That from time to time you will bundle up, put on your raincoat, and walk through the dripping woods. It's COVID-safe, and it can work wonders.
Let’s support each other as best we can during these months. This will require creativity. We can’t let our vigilance slip as regards the virus that is now more widespread than ever. With numbers spiking across the country, we owe it to ourselves and our communities to stay safe, to be tough, to endure some isolation in order to protect the most vulnerable among us. On the other hand, isolation itself can be deadly. If you are alone, consider forming a “pod” with others whom you trust to follow the guidelines well. Reach out to friends and family. And for those of us lucky to live in community, let’s reach out to those who don’t!