'Singing Songs of Joy and Peace'

 

Was it my recent viewing of "Easy A"? Were my days of "Degrassi" devotion stored in the cloud somewhere? Was someone keeping tabs on my YA book purchases?

I can’t pinpoint the exact reason why the "Dash & Lily" trailer popped up on my Netflix one day but know that when it did, I was in. A whimsical-yet-realistic teen romance set in New York and based on a series of books by the same team that brought us "Nick & Nora's Infinite Playlist"? Yes, please!

I've had an affinity for teen culture (more recently gathered under the "YA" heading) since before I was a teenager, likely owed to the John Hughes oeuvre. I watched the original "Degrassi" series when I was around the same age as the characters and dove back in for the second generation when I was closer to the age of the teachers. I watched "The O.C." with a gentle mix of sincerity and sneering as I started my first post-college real job. I read through the original "Gossip Girl" and "It Girl" book series loyally but couldn't stick with the television series.

All of this to say, "Dash & Lily" has been a great fit for me this holiday season. Its scenes brought the winter wonderland-ness of New York to me weeks after a planned trip was cancelled due to COVID-19. Its awesome soundtrack is saving me from the auditory dreck this season usually provides (The Waitresses, Cat Power, The Pogues, The Ronettes … yes!!). Its characters bringing all the uncertainty, drama, angst, powerlessness, hope, and little joys that don't become any easier to deal with or recognize as we grow older.

Beyond the adoration I have for this miniseries is the vivid joy I feel in sharing that adoration with my 13-year-old niece. She watched it for the first time this weekend at my urging and was hooked too. We're picking out landmarks from the show to visit on a promised trip to New York. We texted lyrics to Joni Mitchell's "River" (soundtracking an important moment in episode one) back and forth. We need to read the book series together soon.

This is my new favorite binge. Thank you, mysterious algorithms for getting "Dash & Lily" to me.

'Count the Headlights on the Highway'

I can't pinpoint the exact moment I identified myself as a writer. I remember how proud I was in kindergarten when I came up with a different question for an art/writing project than the rest of my class (they went with who or what, I chose can: "Can you see me swimming in the water?"). I remember the short story I wrote for my mom one Mother's Day. I remember the thrill of having my essays picked for the wall in middle school. I remember the magazine and newspaper I made for school projects. I remember the books I wrote for the annual district contest.

I filled notebooks with poems and short stories. I paid attention to the bylines in the dozens of magazines that my family subscribed to (thank you, Publisher's Clearing House). I made a mental note of the bios, "[name] is a freelance writing living in New York City." I wasn't ready to take it on, not yet. I thought I might be a pediatrician (my less-than-stellar performance in math put that dream aside).

Music changed all that. NKOTB and teeny-bopper magazines changed all that. Kim Neely and Rolling Stone changed all that. Kurt Loder and MTV changed all that. Patricia Kennealy and Jim Morrison changed all that. I was ready to be a writer, to let that be my identity, my passion, my cause, and what I really, really, really wanted to spend my time writing about was music.

I had a plan. I wrote for my high school paper (one of my first pieces was a track-by-track review of the Guns 'n Roses covers CD "The Spaghetti Incident?"). I contributed to the local paper (one of my columns was on the death of Kurt Cobain). I went to college to study journalism (and picked my school in part because of the pop music coverage my adviser had). I wrote and edited for the school paper (where I got to interview one of my heroes, Henry Rollins). I wrote for the entertainment section of the local paper (and got to attend Almost Acoustic Xmas as my editor's guest). I knew it was only a matter of time before I was working for MTV or Rolling Stone or both (like the legendary Kurt Loder).

With all that history, I entered a movie theater just over 20 years ago to watch "Almost Famous," Cameron Crowe's dramatized retelling of his life as a teenage reporter for Rolling Stone. When Ben Fong-Torres calls William Miller to say he should be writing for Rolling Stone, I felt that moment all over my body. I wanted that phone call, I wanted that chance.

I never got either.

I did get an interview at MTV. I did use Kurt Loder's Rolling Stone title when I worked for the U2 fansite Interference.com. I did freelance for any and all print and web music outlets that would take me. I started this blog.

I tried. It didn't work out. I tried.

With all that history, I listened to Elton John's "Tiny Dancer" last night, a song that, for those who don't know, is essential to an iconic scene in "Almost Famous." I started to cry. Maybe I was exhausted after working the election. Maybe I was worn down by the last four years. Maybe I'm high-strung from the tiny flicker of light the election results are providing. Maybe it's the pandemic. Maybe it's knowing I gave up on my dream. Maybe it's knowing that dream wasn't really mine to have.

I tried. It didn't work out. I tried.

 

 

 

 

'Hand Fits Giving, So Do It'

My birthday is in two weeks. It’s not going to be quite what I planned or expected even a few months ago, but I’m going to make the very most of it. I’m taking a long weekend off work, having virtual gatherings with friends from around the country, having one socially distanced in-person gathering and created four special Spotify playlists (Sounds Like 43, Sounds Like 62, Picture Show and That's So '90s by user dsmith2904) to make the occasion.

I’m also raising money for charity.

I have to credit Facebook for this idea. Three years ago I was tempted by the social media platform’s offer to make a donation if I created a birthday fundraiser, so I did that year and the next. Since I’m celebrating my birthday over four days this year, I decided to create four fundraisers to benefit four nonprofits with missions that are close to my heart — Every Mother Counts, Feeding America, Musicares and Rock the Vote.

I recognize the unbelievable privilege I have in this moment to be able to make charitable donations. If you're able to support any of these fundraisers, I thank you. If you're able to share information on these fundraisers, and these incredible organizations, I thank you, too.

Here's more information on these organizations and direct links to my fundraising pages:

Every Mother Counts supports expectant mothers and advocates for maternal health.

Feeding America is battling food insecurity.

Musicares supports people in the music industry during times of need.

Rock the Vote registers, empowers and turns out young voters.