Like many of you, I’m sure, the rise of omicron has raised my anxiety to new heights, compounding the existential dread I always feel in the background about the disintegration of democracy, the unfolding climate disaster, and what kind of world my children will inherit. This week’s three things have helped me get through it all. Here’s hoping they do the same for you.
What to Watch
I can’t think of a better salve for dark times than the darkest comedy I know, Harold and Maude (free to stream on Kanopy through most libraries, or with ads here).
Since my dad first rented it for us to watch together when I was in ninth grade, I’ve always appreciated the way it reminds me to live boldly and fully in the face of tremendous uncertainty — and the one huge certainty that this is our one and only life, and it is finite.
It turns out that this year marks the 50th anniversary of its underwhelming release, as detailed in this oral history of how it went from a gigantic flop to a cult classic. And right now feels like exactly the right time for a re-watch. If you’re coming to Harold and Maude for the first time, I’m incredibly jealous and eager to hear what you think. (CW: suicide)
What to Read
It may just be me, but sometimes it helps to lean into the end-of-the-world ennui. From that perspective, Migrations, the US debut by Australian novelist Charlotte McConaghy, is the perfect book for the moment.
Set in a near-future marked by the fact that most species of animals have already gone extinct, and the rest are hovering on the brink, it tells the story of Franny Stone, a woman obsessed with the arctic tern, which she and her ornithologist husband predict will be the last bird to go, since its survival instinct is so inherently powerful that it migrates from the Arctic to Antarctica and back each year. Franny is determined to track them to their destination, and joins up with a motley crew aboard a commercial fishing vessel. As their journey progresses, however, it starts to become clear that Franny’s traumatic past holds dark secrets, some hidden even from herself. Part ecological prophecy, part psychological thriller, Migrations manages to be lyrical, tense, and moving all at once, without a smidge of didacticism. (CW: pregnancy loss)
What to Dance To
One of the most anxiety-provoking decisions of the last week for me was whether or not to attend the LCD Soundsystem concert at Brooklyn Steel on Friday night. The test positivity rate in NYC had doubled in just three days, and we were set to go on vacation this coming week. Was a long-awaited night of exhilaration and catharsis worth the risk? With help from my therapist, I made the decision to let go of my apprehension and go for it full-force, but safely. We’d wear KN-95s the whole time; we’d be upstairs in the VIP section (not down among the vibrating masses) thanks to my brother; and I needed this for my own sanity. How right that choice proved to be.
There is nothing like losing yourself inside your favorite music, dancing till your feet throb, and engaging completely with the present moment. LCD frontman James Murphy made the right call yesterday to cancel the final three shows of their NYC residency, but there’s no reason you can’t create some semblance of the experience in your own home. Turn down the lights, grab your podmate, and put on some of the most evocative electronic music ever created (or whatever it is you’d rather dance to). As a start try one of my favorites: Dance Yrself Clean, I Can Change, Someone Great, or Tribulations.
What do you think?
I’d love to hear from you about what’s working and what’s not, what you want more of or less of, and your ideas and general feedback! Feel free to drop me a line through my website. And, if you’re enjoying this newsletter, please share it with a few friends you think might like it, too!