Friday Lunch Special: The Fall Guy, Taking Notes, Challengers, Cinderella, and My Inner Voice Yelling At Me
A little bit of everything!
Welcome to another addition of Friday Lunch Special. Once upon a time I was a girl who wrote long, winding, heartfelt captions on Instagram. Now I’m a girl who has Instagram blocked on my phone for most of the day, and I use it primarily for IRL connection and sharing this newsletter. As you may know, I try to write every day. Most of the time, what I’m writing isn’t in any state to see your inbox, but some of the time there are tidbits that I like. Those bits and bobs will live here, along with some recommendations and links. Friday Lunch Special is a little bit of everything. I hope you enjoy.
P.S. Check out past issues here: 01 | 02 | 03
The Fall Guy
I have been anticipating the release of The Fall Guy for about 6 months now, and I got to see it last night, on opening night. It's a large-scale action film with tons of heart and exquisite comedic timing. The cast is delightfully assembled, and Ryan Gosling, as this leading man playing a love-sick puppy over Emily Blunt (who can blame him), really delivers. If you ever had an Evel Knievel obsession as a child, you loved the Disney original movie Motocrossed, or if Hot Rod was a part of your personality for any amount of time in college, then this is a film you will deeply enjoy. It was just a great time, and I can't wait to rewatch it, probably next week.
Taking Notes
I wish I could tell you that keeping a handwritten journal was my forte. It is not. Instead, my notebook functions as a stream-of-consciousness list of things I want to write down. The most recent note in my notebook is from seeing The Fall Guy last night is this: I think my particular kink is Glen Powell saying, "You don't face your fears, you ride them" in the new Twisters trailer. It is the only note I took from the movie.Â
Some things are more substantial, though. Yesterday on the plane I made a note in my book that says "Every time I pack my suitcase I want to get rid of 60% of the things that I own, especially my clothes."Â Â
Minimalism is not the point in this line of thinking. What I mean by this inclination is that I want my possessions to be less complicated. I mentioned on Wednesday that I have been wearing the same things on all the trips I've been on lately. I've never felt more in the pocket of my personal style than I have with this series of garments. They are comfortable, easy to make look like me, and I feel great in them. I want this to be the overwhelming sentiment when I get dressed. When I get home next week, I will ruthlessly cull my wardrobe.
Challengers
At its core, Challengers is a film about tension, both sexual and otherwise. It's also about power, manipulation, and what it takes to win. The horniest part of the film, according to me and most of the internet, has nothing to do with sex at all but with a churro and chemistry between two tennis partners. You've probably seen a GIF of it, and while hot, it doesn't do the scene justice without the context of the film. The score, by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, is a synth filled roller coaster ride that takes you flying through tennis balls, lust and heat and I am desperate to dance in a club to it. Director Luca Guadagnino is so remarkable when it comes to making every part of a movie feel particularly sexy, even (and especially) a movie about tennis.
Cinderella
I have been listening to "Cinderella" by Remi Wolf on repeat. I can't get it out of my head. I am going to a concert tomorrow for two bands I haven't listened to much in the past decade. I had every intention of deep-diving into their catalogs, but I haven't had time because I've just been listening to "Cinderella" by Remi Wolf and the songs that come on after I play it repeatedly. I think it's had a conjuring power because I've also had three occasions where I've gotten to hold baby animals in the past two weeks. A teenage sparrow (it could fly!) fled its nest and was in shock, so I picked it up quickly and gently and put it back somewhere safe and out of the exposed grass. My friend got chicks, and the runt of the bunch (named Baby) was put into my arms immediately upon my arrival at their home by her lovely little girls. A baby bunny was frightened by my husband's lawnmower and again was in shock in the middle of freshly shorn grass. I picked it up, moved it to tall grass, and watched its mom reappear near the hedge. By far, holding this baby bunny for a second was one of the best moments of my year.Â
My Inner Voice Yelling At Me
If your life goal is to be a published author or show a gallery collection, it's easy to feel like you've not done anything substantial if you haven't already. This feeling of inadequacy drives a select few people, but for most of us, it just makes doing the work harder.Â
And after all, it is only keeping to the work at hand that gets you there. I think a lot about what it means to stay with the work because one of the most significant friction points I have is working in a consistent way that doesn't make me feel like shit.Â
Right now, my goal is to show up to my creative practice in whatever capacity I can daily. The goal is always 1000 words. In doing so, I have set a much more accomplishable goal.Â
Showing up at this frequency often involves showing up "imperfectly," whatever that means. When you're in it daily, what you're working on doesn't have to always be good or profound. When you're in it every day, you have the time and space to chase down ideas even if you don't quite catch them. When you're in it every day, you can do the same thing, write the same ideas, and draw the same thing repeatedly. With this repetition, you are taking the time to make it better by the mere act of showing up.
When the goal is practice, the only "failure" is not doing it. And even that perceived failure can be beneficial. After all, you're always going to have to find your way back to practice. If you fail to show up, then you get to practice returning. The practice of returning really pays for itself in dividends when you get good at finding a way back to your practice.Â
Committing to daily practice means creating a container for work and trusting that if you show up to do the thing each and every day, something good will happen.
On my best days, I see that I am a vessel for my voice. I am refining her in my writing, giving her room to breathe, figuring out what feels like a fit and what does not, asking questions of her, interrogating her, delighting in her, and giving her room to grow. And in showing up to her every day, I assure her she is important and a priority.Â
I give her a thousand words each day to show me where she feels good and confident and where she needs work.
It's the greatest gift I give myself, these one thousand words.Â
When I can frame it like this, it's a creative space that I love utilizing, and it can be whatever I want it to be. It feels tremendously impactful. It doesn't feel like a chore; it feels like room for possibility.Â
It doesn't feel like an "I have to." It feels like an "I get to," which makes all the difference.Â
I am working on softening myself when I don't show up to this space, and what I've learned is this: It's much easier to commit to doing something tomorrow when I free myself of the guilt of not doing it today. This applies to any habit or any chore that needs doing.
When I make a conscious decision to show up to something tomorrow and a conscious decision to do something else today, I am much more inclined to actually do the things. Even if I am deciding to watch a TV show! Or take a nap! Or go on a walk!Â
Intentionality around action makes all the difference for me. Exercising my autonomy of choice when making a decision and suffering any consequences or reaping any benefits of that intentional decision-making puts the power back in my hands.
After years of feeling creatively stunted and shut off, having the power in my hands is the best chance I have at continued creativity.Â
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