Attention Inventory: John Cage, sleep elixir, herbal sorbet
Noteworthy preoccupations of recent relevance...
Nothing succeeds without taking stock — a list of five recent preoccupations that have been clocked, noted, archived. Weigh in with your own in the ~ comments ~ should you like.
Hobbyist Value (& Near-Death Mycology)
Apropos of nothing I’m reading a book of letters by John Cage. There’s no zeitgeist-related hook attached, nor any reason other than randomness. And yet! It has felt like a personalized creative balm; exactly what I have been needing. No fanfare, only timing. In one segment Cage recalls an appearance on an Italian TV quiz show called “Double or Nothing” (Lascia o Raddoppia) where a specialist answers rapid fire questions on a topic of their choosing; Cage’s topic was mushrooms. Through his life mushrooms were a constant (despite nearly poisoning himself on various occasions)…when he got into macrobiotics in the 1970s, he was known to serve friends oysters, chanterelles, and morels sautéed in sesame oil. The point being: tend to your hobbies. More about Cage’s mushrooming here.
Hierophany
A new-to-me word. A manifestation of the sacred, or supernatural breakthroughs amid unexpected worldly encounters. Like an epiphany but…better? I want one.
Elaborate Hydration
As a gift I received a set of Waterford crystal wine glasses. (Well…actually I initially received ones that were accidentally—comically—enormous, so I sent them back and got these instead.) When was the last time you made use of a gratuitously weighty, ornately etched goblet for your everyday drinking habits? Cannot recommend enough.
Crunchy Sorbet
A new location of a favorite Los Angeles institution, Mashti Malone’s, opened near me. I have said it before and I’ll say it again: their Herbal Snow sorbet, made with a base of rosewater and infused with Persian herbs and crunchy basil seeds is…perfect. A great addition (or unexpected gift) to any summer gathering.
Nocturnal Elixirs
At any point I’ll probably ask you about your sleeping habits, mostly because I am accepting my penance as a lifelong insomniac who wants to believe in the possibility of Eight Uninterrupted™. Not to espouse miracles but I have been involved in a T**-T** induced spiral of a concoction that combines a thimble of tart cherry juice with a scoop of this equally sour magnesium powder and so far…I am pleased. Will report back upon further testing.
PS: Amid a sartorial crisis I texted my friend Erin, half of the excellent Blackbird Spyplane, for help in navigating what I ought to wear to a friend’s wedding. I love clothes, and most of the time abide by a personal uniform that I feel great in…yet for whatever reason when tasked with an ‘event’ I fall into existential crisis. Short story long, Erin punted the task back to me to create Moon List-y prompts for her to riff on, and (unsurprisingly) delivered above and beyond. You may read an excerpt of our dialogue and her recommendations here if you’d like.
I just received one Waterford crystal glass, which a friend thrifted and gifted. I'll toast with you anytime!