My Mom’s Heart, a Hot Guy in a Loin Cloth, and Pink

My Week in Louisiana

Here are five things that changed my life this week.

1. Mom

Mom had a heart attack. She’s doing great. Like, GREAT! I’m really proud of her.

But her knee is giving her extra trouble.

I’m in Louisiana and glad to help but also missing Steven, Raindrop, and Shirley. Duality! Maybe that’s normal?

This week taught me two terms I didn’t know I needed.

• Choice Collapse—The act of postponing a decision until external forces eliminate all alternatives.

• Liminality—A transitional phase in which old structures have dissolved but new ones have not solidified, leaving identity, rules, and meaning temporarily undefined.

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2. He-Man

The trailer for Masters of the Universe made me cry. I’ve loved He-Man since I was a kid.

Weird how some childhood things stay with us. I wonder what else lingers—worldviews, biases, coping mechanisms, etc.

I still have all my childhood He-Man action figures. They’re in a giant jar on my nightstand.

I’m not a psychiatrist, but maybe I loved the story of someone insecure and powerless finding strength. Could also be the loin cloth.

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3. Pink (and Nate)

I was listening to music and Just Give Me a Reason by Pink and Nate Ruess shocked me. It was a live version. I seek those because they’re so much more tingly.

The music starts, Pink begins to sing, but the lyrics are wrong, the pace is off, and before I can wonder if it’s me—she stops the song.

She apologizes with absolute grace, says she forgot the words, and then starts over, on blast, no holding back.

She was fully present, dropped into reality. Here’s what happened. Here’s where we’re going next. No war. Cheers, cheers from the audience.

Can I do that? Have I ever? Really use my whole self, put it all out there like that, belting into the universe with whatever I can muster?

Listen here.

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4. No Nonsense Spirituality

I often get great insights from Brittney Hartley of No Nonsense Spirituality as she documents her journey out of religious indoctrination.

I found her on TikTok one night when I was overthinking in the bathtub and searched “illusion of the self.”

Her latest post explains why some religions actually create nihilists and atheists.

My takeaway is there’s despair—or worse—in saying one’s worth must be earned (sacrifice, prayer, paying money, getting “saved”) versus our worth being inherent.

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5. You!

Paid Subscribers and Founding Patrons make this possible.

Thank you for considering this project deserving to exist and for helping keep my writer hat warm. It’s been incredible therapy to work on this lately.

Thinking of you.

love,
b

P.S.
Mom’s dog Belle says hi!

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