Feeling Full

I just back from a wonderful whirlwind of a trip back East. I spent a day and a half in New York, where I stayed with an old friend, visited so many galleries, walked the High Line, caught Oh Mary! and then hit a Knicks bar for the overtime end of a dramatic game one playoff game.

Then I travelled up to Connecticut for my 30th Reunion at Wesleyan University. The mood was good, partly because people go to their reunion if they are eager to catch up with old friends and make new ones. And also because Michael Roth has been one of the lone college presidents to vocally and unequivocally stand up to the current administration.

The trip left me inspired and lifted. And so, a few things...

I’m looking for a life coach office. No to work out of, but to use for a film shoot!

I’m developing a series about an artist who becomes a life coach to make a show about a being a life coach. And I’m looking for a location.

Ideally something with some character, a mood, maybe a little wood paneling. Doesn’t even have to be an “office”, but I keep hearing there are a bunch of empty ones.

It would be for a one day shoot later this month and a longer stretch this fall here in Portland or nearby. If you have any ideas please reach out! Extra credit for room for crew to put up a few lights, parking and a quiet location. And yes, I’m going to engage a proper location scout. Unless you have the perfect idea!

I read Rachel Kushner’s Hard Crowd on my recent trip and I found her book of essays the perfect companion. There was a point where I had to stop myself from mentioning the book in conversation, as it related to so many experiences I was having.

The book jumps from very conversational essays about her own life to articles she’s written about other writers, and there’s a section in the middle related to researching and writing her book The Flamethrowers.

I wanted to share something she wrote about writing in her final essay, which shares the same name as the book.

“Perhaps a person can write about things only when she is no longer the person who experienced them, and that transition is no longer complete. The person who writes about her experience is not the same person who had the experience. The ability to write about it is proof of that change, of great distance. Not everyone is willing to admit this, but it’s true.”

I love that. It reminds of a something that is said about live storytelling, you can’t tell a story from a wound, you have to tell it from a scar.

Speaking of storytelling…

Our first episode of the Backfence Unhinged show premiered on Xray.FM!

It’s a storytelling show hosted by Frayn Masters and I. We bring on a guest who tells a story and then we talk slash interview them about the story.

It’s going to air on Xray, Wednesday mornings at 7am. And soon we’ll have it up over at Backfence and wherever you listen to podcasts.

(beat)

Also worth noting, Frayn is a fabulous teacher and facilitator. And she’s brought me along as she continues to offer storytelling workshops for organizations. We’re doing one late June at the Kiln co-working space, designed for members.

If you’re interested in helping your team or organization get better at pitching, presenting, and public speaking through story we can help!

Lastly, I’m wrapping up a full Spring line-up of fundraising hosting. One more to go.

If you’re in Portland have feel passionate about supporting transgressive artists, please considering joining me on the Portland Spirit June 7th as we celebrate and raise crucial funds for PICA.

Thanks for reading, talk at you next month,

Andrew