You are not alone! It's all...so much. But what a beautiful thing to still acknowledge that voice in us that calls to create. To do something outside the realms of caregiving and capitalism. And to, even in the smallest ways, acknowledge that voice in the crazy overwhelm of having a young baby. Thank you for your comment, Hannah. Very glad you're here!
I think this is a great example of the power of connection. I'm not a mother (I've lived through the experience of raising two daughters as a father...but that's another story). So, I can relate.
I guess, it's about finding the things that unite us rather than divide us. Too much of online is about division and 'marketing', 'targeting' work/writing for a specific audience. I'm much more of a throw the paint at the canvass and start from there. I like the randomness of the world. The chaos.
Raising children and not having a clue whether it's the right way or the wrong way is true for everything we do. I read your piece and I'm there. So, that's good writing. That's really good writing.
Fab! 👇🏻👍💥
'Kaja had found her pacifier and put herself back to sleep.
My husband calls. He might have to change jobs. The cat pukes.
I quickly check - It’s still a beautiful day outside.'
I have SO many thoughts about the online division of parents. I just want to yell "We're all on the same team!" And my gut telling me that, deep down, we're all just trying really fucking hard to do the best we can with what we have.
A fellow writer giving my writing love means the world. Thanks for taking the time to do so. Gives me even more energy to pass it on to others 💪
Just a quickie as I haven’t read the piece but I’m really struck by the visual storytelling in the art you’ve chosen. That’s really clever. Creative. It’s kind of a contradiction being here amongst so many writers insomuch that I love visual storytelling.
So, scriptwriting is more my thing where it’s a case of describing how you’ll tell a story without words. I think all that makes sense. Anyway…off to read this piece. Lloyd.
I love quick brain spurts, and thanks! I have a background in UX Writing/Content Design, so I definitely (over)think the visual stuff too. Words never exist in isolation. The context which we put them in defines the story too! Argh I could talk about this all day.
My goal is to not bring tooooo much of this thought into my Substack posts because I'll get lost in it. My point is...I really appreciated this comment.
This is exactly where I am at. You wrote it so perfectly. Mom of 2, a 4 year old and 4 week old (who is currently napping on my chest 🩷). Thank you for making me feel less alone! The busy buzzy mind really got to me my first time post partum, this second time, it feels almost a welcome familiar feeling that I am surrendering to much more this time. I keep thinking “I am willing to lose myself in all this” and somehow, there is freedom in that. It feels less overwhelming.
It's always nice to know we not alone with this continuous juggling act! I am in the middle of reading The Equivalents by Maggie Doherty, which looks at the "Messy Experiment" in the 1960s when Radcliffe created a fellowship specifically geared for ambious, creative women, whose outputs had been derailed by domestic life and motherhood. Your piece lands perfectly with all I have been feeling while reading that book.
As a mother of two, who is also balancing a career of marketing exec and professor, it seems nearly impossible to stay focused creatively. There is never a lack of ideas, but simply a lack of time. Some of my best and most focused writing has occurred when I am not just away from my family but also from our home, where there always seems to be something to do. It's the mental space that is requires - a room of one's own and all that.
Because just thinking about the inevitable snap-back whiplash of being pulled away makes me feel sick….. I use to feel this way and it was harrrrd. Still kind of is. Have yet to finish your piece. I want to mull on this statement, I am not the only one who feels this way and how sweet is that
Love and relate to this so, so much. I recently started reading “The Baby on the Fire Escape: Creativity, Motherhood, and the Mind-Baby Problem” by Julie Philips and your piece reminded me of it. I’ll let you borrow it when I’m done. And in the meantime, keep writing in the in-betweens. 💛
I wanted to highlight every sentence! I am a writer with a nine month old and a job and a marriage and a house and a community and and and
It’s so nice to see I’m not the only creative out here, trying to understand everything and nothing at the same time. Xx
You are not alone! It's all...so much. But what a beautiful thing to still acknowledge that voice in us that calls to create. To do something outside the realms of caregiving and capitalism. And to, even in the smallest ways, acknowledge that voice in the crazy overwhelm of having a young baby. Thank you for your comment, Hannah. Very glad you're here!
I think this is a great example of the power of connection. I'm not a mother (I've lived through the experience of raising two daughters as a father...but that's another story). So, I can relate.
I guess, it's about finding the things that unite us rather than divide us. Too much of online is about division and 'marketing', 'targeting' work/writing for a specific audience. I'm much more of a throw the paint at the canvass and start from there. I like the randomness of the world. The chaos.
Raising children and not having a clue whether it's the right way or the wrong way is true for everything we do. I read your piece and I'm there. So, that's good writing. That's really good writing.
Fab! 👇🏻👍💥
'Kaja had found her pacifier and put herself back to sleep.
My husband calls. He might have to change jobs. The cat pukes.
I quickly check - It’s still a beautiful day outside.'
Lloyd.
This comment truly made my day, thank you Lloyd.
I have SO many thoughts about the online division of parents. I just want to yell "We're all on the same team!" And my gut telling me that, deep down, we're all just trying really fucking hard to do the best we can with what we have.
A fellow writer giving my writing love means the world. Thanks for taking the time to do so. Gives me even more energy to pass it on to others 💪
Just a quickie as I haven’t read the piece but I’m really struck by the visual storytelling in the art you’ve chosen. That’s really clever. Creative. It’s kind of a contradiction being here amongst so many writers insomuch that I love visual storytelling.
So, scriptwriting is more my thing where it’s a case of describing how you’ll tell a story without words. I think all that makes sense. Anyway…off to read this piece. Lloyd.
I love quick brain spurts, and thanks! I have a background in UX Writing/Content Design, so I definitely (over)think the visual stuff too. Words never exist in isolation. The context which we put them in defines the story too! Argh I could talk about this all day.
My goal is to not bring tooooo much of this thought into my Substack posts because I'll get lost in it. My point is...I really appreciated this comment.
This is exactly where I am at. You wrote it so perfectly. Mom of 2, a 4 year old and 4 week old (who is currently napping on my chest 🩷). Thank you for making me feel less alone! The busy buzzy mind really got to me my first time post partum, this second time, it feels almost a welcome familiar feeling that I am surrendering to much more this time. I keep thinking “I am willing to lose myself in all this” and somehow, there is freedom in that. It feels less overwhelming.
It's always nice to know we not alone with this continuous juggling act! I am in the middle of reading The Equivalents by Maggie Doherty, which looks at the "Messy Experiment" in the 1960s when Radcliffe created a fellowship specifically geared for ambious, creative women, whose outputs had been derailed by domestic life and motherhood. Your piece lands perfectly with all I have been feeling while reading that book.
As a mother of two, who is also balancing a career of marketing exec and professor, it seems nearly impossible to stay focused creatively. There is never a lack of ideas, but simply a lack of time. Some of my best and most focused writing has occurred when I am not just away from my family but also from our home, where there always seems to be something to do. It's the mental space that is requires - a room of one's own and all that.
Thank you for sharing!
Because just thinking about the inevitable snap-back whiplash of being pulled away makes me feel sick….. I use to feel this way and it was harrrrd. Still kind of is. Have yet to finish your piece. I want to mull on this statement, I am not the only one who feels this way and how sweet is that
Love and relate to this so, so much. I recently started reading “The Baby on the Fire Escape: Creativity, Motherhood, and the Mind-Baby Problem” by Julie Philips and your piece reminded me of it. I’ll let you borrow it when I’m done. And in the meantime, keep writing in the in-betweens. 💛
Yes please! ❤️ So long as you don't mind me borrowing it for a long while. Time for reading is a whole other thing...😅