Hello friends and damn-givers!
It’s a rainy, feels-like-autumn day here in New York City and I’m drinking a great cup of coffee. For these reasons and more, I’m in a damn good mood. How are you? Please reply to this email and let me know. I really want to know!
I turn 40 next week. 40! Can I be honest with you? I don’t feel 40. Don’t take me wrong, there are some days and moments where I feel 50. But most of the time, I feel like I’m 26 and just getting started. Truly, the best is yet to come.
Let’s dive right in. Here are a few things I think you should read, watch, listen to, and consider:
🎧 PODCAST TO LISTEN TO:
The latest Let’s Give A Damn podcast conversation with Flamy Grant (pictured above) was so good for my soul. From her bio: “Flamy Grant is a shame-slaying, hip-swaying, singing-songwriting drag queen from western North Carolina. Her 2022 debut record, Bible Belt Baby, was nominated for Best Pop Album at the San Diego Music Awards, and she is a winner of the 2023 Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk Competition. Both a powerhouse vocalist and an intrepid songwriter, Flamy blends the art of drag with her iconic folk/rock sound to create a memorable musical experience.” Flamy is a remarkable human. Listen to our conversation on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
📖 BOOK TO READ:
The Persuaders by Anand Giridharadas is a must-read. From the book’s description:
“The lifeblood of any free society is persuasion: changing other people’s minds in order to change things. But America is suffering a crisis of faith in persuasion that is putting its democracy and the planet itself at risk. Americans increasingly write one another off instead of seeking to win one another over. Debates are framed in moralistic terms, with enemies battling the righteous. Movements for justice build barriers to entry, instead of on-ramps. Political parties focus on mobilizing the faithful rather than wooing the skeptical. And leaders who seek to forge coalitions are labeled sellouts.”
Also, I interviewed Anand on the podcast about this book and more. Check it out!
🎶 SONG TO LISTEN TO (OR IN THIS CASE, SONG TO WATCH):
"Spell" (performed by Patti Smith and written by Allen Ginsberg and Oliver Ray) is one of the most beautiful and provocative poems/tunes I have ever experienced.
These are my favorite lyrics:
"holy the miracles, holy the eyeball, holy the abyss
holy forgiveness, mercy, charity, faith
holy ours bodies suffering magnanimity
holy the supernatural, extra brilliant, intelligent kindness of the soul"
Also, these lyrics perfectly summarize that everything and everyone is holy:
“The world is holy! The soul is holy! The skin is holy! The nose is holy! The tongue and cock and hand and asshole holy!”
📺 VIDEO TO WATCH:
”Going big and broad is often about the ego of feeling like we may effect much (or just not knowing any better). Going deep is about mastery.”
My friend Katie Patrick brilliantly shares why we must focus on geographic granularity as we take action against our climate emergency.
📱 ARTICLE TO READ:
”There's an undeniable melancholy in realizing that our timelines, once teeming with the thoughts and creations of those we elected to follow, are now interspersed, and often dominated, by unsolicited intrusions.”
My friend and past podcast guest, Fred Joseph, wrote a brilliant article about The End of the “Social” In Media. Don’t miss this one.
🤔 QUOTE TO PONDER:
“Anyone can slay a dragon. But try waking up every morning and loving the world all over again. That's what takes a real hero.” — Brian Andreas
That’s it for this week! Thank you for reading. I'm truly grateful. Consider forward this email to a friend? Or send them this link so they can sign up. And you can always email me about anything. I’ll be back next week with good news and steps we can take together to make our world a much better place. We have a lot of work to do. Love y'all.
Peace and love,
Nick Laparra