Poet·ings

Hey friends!

The world continues to be a bit much. If you’re following global or national events, remember it’s okay to take a break and replenish when you need to. It’s important to seek out the beauty that remains, despite everything, and to spend time in the company of people who are guided by compassion and optimism.

Some thoughts on… how we spend our days

John Alfred Tinniswood, the world’s oldest man doesn’t really have any advice on how to live a long life : “You either live long or you live short, and you can’t do much about it.” None of us are guaranteed tomorrow so how we spend our todays is worth giving a little thought to.

Of course, it’s not always easy to spend every moment of our days exactly as we choose to. Other commitments take precedence, or sometimes exhaustion takes over, and it often feels like there is little time to do the things we want to do. So what’s the answer? It might be easier said than done but, for me, doing a straight swap with something that drains my time feels like an easy win. I want to spend my days listening to music more often and dicking about on the internet less. So, more music it is then!

To help with that, I went into Beatdown Records in Newcastle and bought two new albums - Romance and The Velvet Underground & Nico. One a new release by my (current) favourite band, the other a reconnection with my 18-year-old self (and a time when the world seemed less existentially terrifying). The joy of listening to music on vinyl, or any other physical format, is that you have to be in a specific place to play it. I like to think of it as an invitation to slow down and do just one thing. Listen, for listening’s sake. Not as background music for another task, but as an activity in and of itself. A chance to be present in the moment (nostalgic reveries aside).

It doesn’t have to be music, of course. It could be reading or going for a walk. It could be anything you want to do more of. Whatever that might be.

What am I up to?

Aside from trying to write up a PhD and balance a day job? Poetry-wise, not a lot! But I will be running a workshop for The Literary Consultancy at the end of September.

Tiny Manifestos Workshop
26 September, 12pm, online

TLC’s Conscious Writing Month is of a series of accessible digital events for writers interested in how to lead more conscious creative lives. What do the worlds of the future look like for artists and writers, and can we (re)write the horizon?
Tickets are £15-£45 for the entire series but bursaries are available for anyone who would find cost a barrier. Information and booking: https://literaryconsultancy.co.uk/event/conscious-writing-month/

Or if you’re just looking for a small dose of poetry, you can read my poem The Humanist here.

Rabbit holes…

So although I do want to spend less time on the internet, that doesn’t mean I have to ditch it altogether. It’s a brilliant place, if you know which bits to avoid. I haven’t mapped out all the safe zones yet but I’m getting better at knowing when to stop clicking and head back to safe ground. It makes falling down rabbit holes less precarious, more fun.

Here are two rabbit holes for you to fall into, if you choose. Pick one, set yourself a time limit (so you don’t fall too far) and see where you end up.

I hope you find yourself somewhere that feels like a good use of your time.

Take Care!
Degna


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