Interlude
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Last weekend was my grossest work event of the year: 93 degrees, 12 hours, asphalt parking lot, sticky beer-water puddle, some guy’s ‘urgent’ complaint that a food truck generator was too loud. I have been dreading this festival all summer, and the day emerged fiery and relentless.
Of course, my role in marketing means I’ve been chattering away on the news about delicious food trucks, South Dakota Rock & Roll Hall of Fame-nominated bands, and “fun for all ages!” I am good at this part.
Less good at being muscle: shoving picnic tables into orderly formations, loading stanchions into a trailer, or tearing down barricades at midnight.
Luckily, I planned some time off. The only goal? Not work.
It’s nice to have low expectations.
This month, step into the pause with me—here are a few things from my still-addled brain.
Things To Do When You’re Mush
One:
Drive out of the city, towards fields and wide open skies.
Let the strains of a favorite album accompany your dead-eyed stare.
Where are you going? Nowhere.
Why? Just to exist.
What next?
Stop at the Dairy Queen in Dell Rapids, SD.
Get a medium twist cone from the drive through.
Keep driving.
Two:
Laundry
Three:
Finally put up trim in the living room. Bask in the sense of accomplishment.
Remain exhausted because it takes a lot outta you.
Four:
Bring home more library books.
Five:
Forget seasonality and start knitting a wool scarf.
Good Things
Embrace consumerism for a few sticky seconds:
1) Stock up on popsicles
2) Pick up the only sunscreen that doesn’t sting your eyes
3) Buy Gatorade instead of water for a little extra zhuzh
4) Get yourself burrata & heirloom tomatoes & basil. Bonus points for flaky sea salt and balsamic vinegar
Elsewhere:
I brought this essay on Cities & Ambition to my summer reading group, and we had a really great discussion about what cities say, if we can trust one person’s assessment of a place, and what our ambition looks like in relation to our city.
I love a dating project that feels a little like performance art, so I’m very into this website made for one person and the rise of earnest Date Me Docs.
Incredibly moving piece on a Sioux Falls laundromat, of all things.
Thanks for being here! Have thoughts? You can hit reply to respond directly via email, or comment below!
💙, Ten
Interlude
I am similarly mush and I would add your creations to things that help when in a state of mush! Love your drawings and reflections always. ✨ Also very excited to read the Cities and Ambition piece — it's something that has been on my mind! For a lot of reasons, my husband and I are wanting to move to a bigger city, and one of them is just not feeling particularly motivated or ambitious in our current location. Thanks for sharing 🫶