Alive

Ten years ago today, I spearheaded the launch of Popdose, a pop culture site dedicated to the idea that every piece of art is worth discussing and the fervent hope that all of us would someday be remunerated for our efforts. To my everlasting shame, I failed to make that second thing happen for the staff — and as outlined previously, I have since struggled with where to fit my own voice into the context of Popdose’s editorial aesthetic. A year ago, I handed the editor-in-chief reins to O.G. Popdose writer Dw. Dunphy, and I spent 2017 as a pretty hands-off publisher, mainly just paying the bills and making sure technical stuff works the way it’s supposed to. But I couldn’t be prouder that the site is marking its first decade on the web today, and I suppose that milestone is as good a reason as any to see if I can kickstart my own tired old muse back to life.

All of which is to say that I know it’s been quite awhile since I published anything here, and I’ve meant to for some time. My last post found me limping out of a professional/creative crisis of faith, and pretty much immediately after I published it, things took a major turn — I’ve been incredibly fortunate to enjoy a number of career advancements over the last couple of years. The flip side is that I spend more time than ever in front of a keyboard and screen, and it’s been hard to muster the enthusiasm to write anything personal. But I’d like to try.

With that in mind, I’m setting aside the somewhat daunting idea for a longform catch-up post that I’ve been brewing for the last 12-18 months, and just getting started, in the hopes that by regularly writing for me again, maybe I’ll start to feel like more of a writer and less like a hack — even if it’s only through keeping a glorified journal of what I’m reading, watching, and listening to.

On that note, here’s a link to a powerfully affecting New Yorker piece about Facebook exec/violinist Eric Sun, his lifelong relationship with the instrument, and how a terminal diagnosis spurred him to pursue his musical dreams to brave new vistas. The one and only Jason Hare shared the link with me last week, but I wanted to wait to read it until I had time to read my physical copy of the magazine, and I’m glad I did. This article is why I spent the morning listening to this collection of Bach sonatas:

All in all, a fine start to the year.

Currently reading: Richard Russo’s short story collection Trajectory, a third of which I was annoyed to discover that I’d already read via his Nate in Venice novella. Currently watching while running: Blade Runner 2049.