When we give ourselves permission to be in the driver's seat of our lives, we inadvertently give people around us permission to do the same. I'm here for it with gratitude.
My mentality about supporting writers is less pay-for-access (like streaming services) and more pay-to-sustain (like public radio). I cannot support everyone I want to so I do for those whose work tangibly benefits me *and* the broader community. I gladly pay for Unsupervised with no expectation that you meet a requirement other than live in a way that sustains your selfhood.
I so so appreciate this comment. It just goes to show how quickly those of us offering something (okay, me) can forget that most people don't have a pay to play mentality about these things, and are, exactly like you said, thinking about sustainability like when we contribute to the radio. Thank you.
I’m in it for the long haul! I have written zero letters, for instance, but will set my own pace my whole damn life. Take care of you. Glad to be a reader and thank you for resisting info overload!
Total long-hauler. A paid subscriber, not with the expectation to get x, y, z output, but because your writing is helpful + interesting + inspiring + important to me. The monetary aspect is a way for me to offer something back each month. Thanks for your writing, always.
Also find myself in desperate revolt against winter, despite my absolute best efforts otherwise. No holiday cheer or desire, no desire to slow down. Sometimes our internal rhythms still don’t match up with the outer ones. That’s why we keep making art I guess!!
Thank you for saying all of this Claire - it really helps me to remember that most if not all of my readers are not actually keeping tabs on me, it's just my internal pressure.
Fully support your choices. We must push against capitalism when we can. We are more than the unit price of each word. I see you as a role model as well as an artist and I back you as both.
"distribution center, art studio, pilates studio, and self-care, sleep, and sex palace" ... Pretty sure you can do at least a couple of these on the trampoline ;-p
I love this. I hate the idea that anyone feels pressure to produce “for the fans.” When I see someone post an apology on social media for not posting I always wonder, are there people out there getting angry that they aren’t seeing content from someone? I’m always pleasantly surprised by a letter from you in my inbox, like an unexpected little treat that I forgot I bought myself. It’s never something I’m impatiently waiting for, but always something I value and learn from. So thank you for sharing your words with us, and I look forward to more, whenever they may appear in my inbox.
You know, there probably ARE NOT people out there getting angry about my numbers or keeping tabs on me, so I thank you for this reminder that so much of the pressure I feel is IN MY HEAD. It really creeps up when I, as I mentioned, look at numbers and see a lot of people unsubscribing or not paying for the letters anymore. I make it about myself - something I am not doing - instead of the reality that it's probably never about me. Thank you.
“And so now my bedroom, which was functioning as my distribution center, art studio, pilates studio, and self-care, sleep, and sex palace, has been reduced to one thing, which is a trampoline room.” ----> I CACKLED 😂 love a sex palace turned trampoline room. #GlowUp
And I LOLd again in the next paragraph where you loved your trampoline so much you pulled your back. It’s the epitome of mid-thirties life to injure one’s self in silly little ways (says a 35 year old who SAT DIFFERENTLY ON THE COUCH while drinking tea with a friend and thus has spent 3 weeks dealing with off/on low back pain flare up).
Anyways, I loved this one, thank you, and please set your own pace that allows for work that is alive and well (and that also keeps you alive and well).
First letter I’ve read from you and you just got me. Love your writing, can’t wait to keep getting more from you, even if it is just once a month, whatever suits you will nourish your best work. Also, thank you for the reminder of prioritizing ourselves.
When we give ourselves permission to be in the driver's seat of our lives, we inadvertently give people around us permission to do the same. I'm here for it with gratitude.
That's exactly what I always hope for <3
Hi Anna,
My mentality about supporting writers is less pay-for-access (like streaming services) and more pay-to-sustain (like public radio). I cannot support everyone I want to so I do for those whose work tangibly benefits me *and* the broader community. I gladly pay for Unsupervised with no expectation that you meet a requirement other than live in a way that sustains your selfhood.
All the best to you.
I so so appreciate this comment. It just goes to show how quickly those of us offering something (okay, me) can forget that most people don't have a pay to play mentality about these things, and are, exactly like you said, thinking about sustainability like when we contribute to the radio. Thank you.
I’m in it for the long haul! I have written zero letters, for instance, but will set my own pace my whole damn life. Take care of you. Glad to be a reader and thank you for resisting info overload!
I love this place
Total long-hauler. A paid subscriber, not with the expectation to get x, y, z output, but because your writing is helpful + interesting + inspiring + important to me. The monetary aspect is a way for me to offer something back each month. Thanks for your writing, always.
Also find myself in desperate revolt against winter, despite my absolute best efforts otherwise. No holiday cheer or desire, no desire to slow down. Sometimes our internal rhythms still don’t match up with the outer ones. That’s why we keep making art I guess!!
Thank you for saying all of this Claire - it really helps me to remember that most if not all of my readers are not actually keeping tabs on me, it's just my internal pressure.
Fully support your choices. We must push against capitalism when we can. We are more than the unit price of each word. I see you as a role model as well as an artist and I back you as both.
This comment meant so much to me Orlando - came through while I was on a walk and the entire time I just kept thinking...wow...role model. Ok.
Thank you.
We see you 💗
"distribution center, art studio, pilates studio, and self-care, sleep, and sex palace" ... Pretty sure you can do at least a couple of these on the trampoline ;-p
HAHA!
I love this. I hate the idea that anyone feels pressure to produce “for the fans.” When I see someone post an apology on social media for not posting I always wonder, are there people out there getting angry that they aren’t seeing content from someone? I’m always pleasantly surprised by a letter from you in my inbox, like an unexpected little treat that I forgot I bought myself. It’s never something I’m impatiently waiting for, but always something I value and learn from. So thank you for sharing your words with us, and I look forward to more, whenever they may appear in my inbox.
You know, there probably ARE NOT people out there getting angry about my numbers or keeping tabs on me, so I thank you for this reminder that so much of the pressure I feel is IN MY HEAD. It really creeps up when I, as I mentioned, look at numbers and see a lot of people unsubscribing or not paying for the letters anymore. I make it about myself - something I am not doing - instead of the reality that it's probably never about me. Thank you.
Thank you deeply from a writer careening towards burnout
We must resist.
We’re in it for the long haul 🤍
This feels like a big hug and a big exhale all at once. Cheering for anything you do to honor your own pacing and rhythms and art and magic and self 💜
“And so now my bedroom, which was functioning as my distribution center, art studio, pilates studio, and self-care, sleep, and sex palace, has been reduced to one thing, which is a trampoline room.” ----> I CACKLED 😂 love a sex palace turned trampoline room. #GlowUp
And I LOLd again in the next paragraph where you loved your trampoline so much you pulled your back. It’s the epitome of mid-thirties life to injure one’s self in silly little ways (says a 35 year old who SAT DIFFERENTLY ON THE COUCH while drinking tea with a friend and thus has spent 3 weeks dealing with off/on low back pain flare up).
Anyways, I loved this one, thank you, and please set your own pace that allows for work that is alive and well (and that also keeps you alive and well).
Thank you as always Cayla <3
First letter I’ve read from you and you just got me. Love your writing, can’t wait to keep getting more from you, even if it is just once a month, whatever suits you will nourish your best work. Also, thank you for the reminder of prioritizing ourselves.
Thank you for reading and for letting me know. I really appreciate your support and being seen.
keep doing you that’s where the magic is. sticking around for it
I’m so inspired by you. Thank you for reminding me to give myself this kind of permission, too. 🤍
That's really all I hope for.
Yes please. I trust you, trusting yourself. Couldn't care less about linear time.