Transitions are Tricky

And How it Feels to Unpack Them

Forgive me #AuntFarm, last week was the first I’ve skipped. You don’t need to hear from me every week. I’d like to say it’s because I had no desk to write on (true), or that my stuff finally arrived from SF and I was knee-deep in boxes (also true), or that I was too busy with freelance work (I did have some), but that wouldn’t be the whole truth.

“Transitions are Tricky” is the blanket statement. But going under the blanket… landing back in NY ripe and ready to Figure My Life Out hit me a little too hard.

Listening to this podcast underneath the box

But New York—and my friends, family, therapist—picked me back up:

Anyone else use errands for anxiety management? The combination of to-do list checking + retail therapy + bilateral movement cannot be overstated. Now that I’ve added subway drawing into the routine, any afternoon can be saved by returning a shelf.

I did this after the subway from a photo. The hand to phone choreography is a vast world I plan to further explore

But this week I’ve had a new thought. Errands are also dangerous. Moving into a new place creates an infinite number of errands that can be done at any minute, which is a big threat to the creative process. Case in point: One of my most creatively productive friends once told me she doesn’t do errands. How?

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A few more inspiring things from New York this week:

Vinny, frizzy glow, box tetris, and sidewalk blooms

Scene from one of the events that picked me up: A gallery reading about fashion hosted by college friend Cecilia Salama. Good poetry, even better outfits.

Next week on How it Feels: What items DID she keep in her cross-country move? How many shelves has she bought and returned? And how in the world did she manage to turn an unwanted second date into a friend who helps mount her cabinets? Stay tuned…

Spoiler Alert: yes I do have my high school CD binder and these other crucial items