Good morning, everyone.
I hope you’re feeling good today. I’ve found myself deep in the season of preparation in the form of clearing, releasing, and fixing. At times it’s been smooth and easy, others it’s been dramatic and messy, but all of it has been important. The ceiling in my bedroom and living room had to be completely pulled down and restructured, so that’s happening right now as I live and sleep elsewhere in nervous anticipation that my mattress and precious things are covered in drywall dust and residue. Just have to breathe, trust in the process, and remember that it’s only temporary!
On October 10th, I’ll join my mom and her band in Europe for the Horses 50th anniversary tour, managing the merch operation and also playing keyboard on 1-2 songs each night. I’ll be with them in London, Brussels, and Paris, home for a little bit, and then back for the US dates in November. Here is the full list of dates in case you are interested.
My mom and I have been talking about ways to connect with our Substack subscribers during the tour, and so I’ll be offering a sort of travel diary of different places we’ll be, equipped with going live - during soundcheck, showing the lay of the land, during the show, walking about town. If you have any specific requests of what might be interesting and fun, let me know! Sometimes will be similar to this post from last year, but now with more elements included as Substack is more advanced these days.
Reflections from the Stage
Happy Friday! I know I just posted yesterday, and this week of shares are a bit out of sync. Thank you for understanding. The other night at my mom’s birthday show, she paused during a song for some water and said, ‘I need a moment. Something I’ve learned is when you need a moment, take it.’
During or following the tour, paid subscribers will also be mailed a special gift from the new merch, with extra special gifts for the Navigator’s Collective. Don’t worry, I didn’t forget about your annual mailed gift this year! It’s a huge project to do, so it just takes me a little while to get it together, but I will deliver on my promise.
If you haven’t already shared your mailing address, please do so in the survey found in this post. Thank you!!
Sunday, September 14 was my dad’s birthday and I shared this post from last year in honor of his memory.
Thank you to everyone for your kind words in the form of comments, shares, and personal messages. It really means so much to me.
In continued remembrance, I wanted to share this playlist I made last year for the 30th anniversary of his death. We had two back-to-back shows on that evening here in NYC, and this playlist was on after the show was over, and also printed on a postcard, in the form of a QR code on the back. If you received a paid subscriber package in the mail last year, you have one of these cards, too. So I just wanted to share it again here, something to listen to in his honor and memory.
What are you up to? How are you feeling? I found myself in these last days of summer trying to do too much, feeling that collective pressure of the transition into fall, when everyone resumes work and goes back to school, when everything is ending and beginning simultaneously. I made a conscious decision in these last few days, and taking form of an official pledge yesterday, decided not to ‘add’ anything new to my life until I complete this current project of clearing, cleansing, flushing - truly preparing. I want to get ready in a real way before I do anything new, start any new projects or endeavors. It’s difficult to halt myself because there is just so much I want to do, create, explore, begin, resume. But preparing feels too important to put on hold. That’s why I’m doing all these things like fixing the roof, pulling down the ceilings, power washes and deep cleans, selling clothes and books, donating old furniture, repainting, taking stock. It also is represented in the form of doctor’s visits, dietary changes, lifestyle adjustments, mending or ending friendships and relationships. Cleaning up, clearing house, preparing an earthy and dependable ground to stand on, reconnecting to purpose and self. It has to happen now, and in a real way. Halting projects might seem to others a form of procrastination or fear of failure, but its for the greater good of everything else I want to do and will only make things better. As my friend said yesterday, the soil has to be healthy and nutrient rich for the seeds to grow into stronger and more vibrant plants, trees, and flowers.
We also closed the exhibit at Pen & Brush on September 6 with an emotional event gathering all the artists and our friends in the gallery space. It was truly a special evening which I feel bonded us all together as the perfect punctuation to both the exhibition and all of the camaraderie surrounding it this summer. So the gallery staff are on a delivery mission today, returning works to the artists, so they will be here soon to return my books and vitrines, so I have to sign off now to figure out where they will go. So many big things are happening. It’s all part of those endings and clearings. I still haven’t had coffee yet!
Please share in the comments any thoughts you have about anything - based on this post or what is happening in your own life right now. It’s chaotic over here with workers building my ceiling and a delivery van on the way, so I’ll imagine we’re taking a break to visit a cafe together. There is a place I love in Brooklyn that I go to with my friend Lauren, where I always get a matcha and a cardamom bun. So let’s imagine we are there - for a leisurely hour to talk and brainstorm about what lies ahead.
Towards the end of summer, I spent two weeks, trying to clean my house. I also seem to be making a good friend where I live, although I have to take things slow right now. I'm just getting to know this person, and she seems real nice. We were over at each others' houses, watching movies on Netflix, or DVDs together. We spent our time together, getting to know each other.
My folks and I also took a trip together to visit one of my cousins that I haven't seen in a long time. We all had a nice visit up in Placerville, Ca.
I was hoping to take advantage of the hotter days to use the pool at the gym, but it didn't work out that way yet. When I get my housework done, I will visit the pool again.
What a beautiful post. I can so totally relate. I am about to pull out a trove of vintage to sell at a local
market, and have been in such a similar mode, getting to the essential. My husband and I started to restore a beautiful old wooden boat that we have put off for a few years, and both committed to facing the work of it. Oh, the dust! The suspension of a room just being room while it transforms! How will we celebrate a boat that floats and a sturdy room to be in? Happy for you Jesse! It sounds like a marvelous time of change. Thanks for the post. :)