dcscover 018 | Courage
dcscover 018 | Courage
I have a self-deprecating joke where I say if there’s ever a life/death situation in which the cards seem stacked against me, I would be the first to be like forget it, take me away. Jason disagrees. He thinks when it comes down to it, I would fight. Which I generally do — in my occasional nightmares of battle and warfare at least.
But there’s no need to imagine or dream about such scenarios lately as the shocking and heartbreaking war in Ukraine continues. Amidst all the images and stories we’ve seen and heard, I’ve been especially stirred by those of ordinary Ukrainians taking up arms to defend their country. Once again, I’m reminded that we’re closer to unfathomable circumstances than perhaps previously thought possible, that character-defining moments can come up any time.
So I find myself thinking that I should retire that joke, however inconsequential it may be. I feel compelled to get used to thinking that I do have courage or at least do strive to be courageous, even if I currently come short of it.
Projects, projects
On my main/daily life IG, I’ve occasionally documented some of my most vivid dreams in a series of notes/sketches on Stories. I recently collected a few favorites in the post embedded above. In the process, I also realized that I’ve long been intrigued by the strange scenes that show up in our dreams but don’t seem possible in real life. Back in a college photography class, for instance, I made a photogram (an image created from putting objects directly onto photographic paper and exposing it to light) of a memorable “dreamscape” I had experienced. The print depicts a few of us sitting on the top of a hill and watching Jupiter rise above the horizon (I want to have that dream again!) Now that I’m newly conscious of this ongoing fascination, I’d love to explore it further in new ways (the constraints of IG story art are truly freeing though).
This month’s finds
The best thing the Instagram algorithm has served me lately: Chinese zither meets hip-hop beats (start with this one).
Another IG indulgence: super clean architectural models.
Really sumptuous lamps by Danish artist Cathrine Raben Davidsen.
Dries Van Noten perfume bottles.
A simple but vacation-vibey smoothie combo: cantaloupe / milk / a little bit of orange juice.
One more thing
Last month, a friend shared with me a playlist of Chinese songs she made to celebrate Lunar New Year. I was surprised by just how delighted I was to receive and listen to it. So I was inspired to make a playlist for you, readers of this newsletter. The occasion here is spring and the vibe is easy / breezy / romantic / fun. You can have a listen here or via the embed above.
Opening scene: A burst of spring I saw while visiting the Seattle area earlier this month. Does anyone know what this is?