This is What the Inside of My Brain Looks Like Lately
A tale in two photographs and some words
I find that sometimes in zines, newsletters and on personal blogs, writers will apologize for mentioning something or someone quite a lot. I often find I’ve never clocked it, or at least never decided it was annoying. Feel free to tell me in the comments here if you’d like me to write about any particular subject, or feature anything more often - the comments are usually just for paid subscribers, but I’ve opened them up here.
As per the title of this newsletter issue: There are certainly more images than the two I’ve chosen here that could fit the inner landscape of my psyche these days, but I find them both to be suitable. I fear you will tire of me writing about Abraham Lincoln and my research for my biography of him, but this assumes a.) you read every issue of SARATONIN b.) you remember every time I write about the fellow and c.) you give a shit. Clearly, I’m assuming a lot!
I’d like to kick this one off by thanking those of you who are still here with me even though I’ve been on summer semi-sabbatical, not publishing in August on a regular schedule. (Again, I’m assuming anybody even noticed.) I am of the “set it and forget it” type of subscriber to various periodicals, to Patreon accounts and to Substack newsletters - if I am giving money once a month or once a year, I surely am not consuming all the content for which I’m paying. It’s mostly that I want to support the person or organization doing what I believe to be good work.
Speaking of which, here’s a partial roll call of some of the writers on Substack whom I enjoy…
That’s genuinely just a portion of the folks whose work I dig, but they are top of my mind at the moment, which means I’ve dipped into their work at some point in the past few weeks. They are all different and you won’t love all of them and that is fine, we all die in the end and in the meantime hopefully we live a little and part of living a little is not liking things sometimes.
I had coffee.
Anyhoo.
I’m turning 45 in a couple of months, Lord willing and the creek don’t rise, which is nice. We all turn to dust in the end, but in the meantime maybe we get to create something that lives on for awhile after we’re gone. I guess that’s what I’m trying to do now with writing that may help somebody after I exit the planetary premises permanently. Good work does not make one immortal - nothing does that - but perhaps the creation of it gives one some comfort while one is still here.
I am also trying to teach my kitten to stop stealing the big cat’s food, and to coax my hair to absorb the oils I have combed into it this morning.
If anybody has advice on what to do with that kitchen back there (do I paint those cabinets? What is an air fryer?) please advise.
Thanks for being here.
Love from Chicago,
Sara Benincasa
Links to stuff I’ve written and nonprofits I dig
CLASS! is back on September 17th with me and Chad the Bird at Lincoln Lodge right here in Chicago. Tickets are on sale for our September, October, November and December dates, so go get you some if you're gonna be in Chicago.
"do I paint those cabinets? What is an air fryer?"
1. The cabinets -- No. They look fine from here. Don't do any work more than you need to do. There's lots to be done and time is tight. Paint 'em when they need it -- they'll let you know.
2. The air fryer -- I do not know. I do not think I am ever likely to know.
I never am bothered by the things writers apologize for. I guess I love a good deep dive into someone's hyperfocus, even if it's not mine.
I'm a person who never decorates, I find it tedious, so I'm the wrong person to ask about your kitchen.
I bought an instant pot once and hardly used it. I've so fat avoided getting an air fryer but I've heard the ninja brand made theirs with a ceramic basket rather than plastic so I'd recommend that one if you're going to get one.