I had the pleasure of arranging and producing this song, “Make The World Better”, which was performed by some incredible kids who collaborated across the country on this project. The song was written by Charlotte Bowder, who you’ll see first, and the video was produced by the inimitable Rosa Gaia. Check it out, spread it around:
Earlier this week, maybe three days ago, I was up late down a YouTube rabbit hole, and somebody in some video from 10 years ago mentioned Norm MacDonald. I thought, “You know…I think I might think Norm MacDonald is funny. I hated him as a kid - he was a dry, boring guy reading the news with flat punchlines that I didn’t get…but I think I might think he’s funny now. I should watch a video of him.” Two hours later I had to force myself to go to bed, I was so delighted, I felt like I just discovered the Secret Funniest Man in the World. I watched old appearances he made on Conan in the early nineties, and I still can’t get enough of them. Just listening to him tell a story tickles me to no end. The next day I made Callie watch some. I’ve been telling myself for the past three days that I “need to be more Norm”. Then tonight Callie comes downstairs and says “I have to tell you some really weird news…Norm MacDonald died.” I was honestly speechless. I got the chills, tears filled my eyes. I started to feel a little dizzy. It’s not just because he died - that’s terrible, but it happens. It’s because he died now, just as I was falling in love with him. But what makes it truly bizarre is that this is not the first time this happened. The reason Callie knew it was such weird news to tell me is that in the past few years a pattern has emerged in my life. I fall in love with a male artist, and then either find out soon after that that they’ve suddenly died - Richard Swift, Anton Yelchin, Chadwick Boseman, and now Norm. With Norm the timing is deeply spooky. The only explanation I can guess at is this: As his life was reaching an end, it created a halo of energy around the day of his exit, like a supernova, and I felt it and responded. I don’t know what it all means, but there’s something about that that I love. If you haven’t spent some time with Norm, I highly suggest you go settle in to a little rabbit hole.
Huzzah! Ring in the return of Fall at Same Same on 9.25 ~ ticket link in biooooooo
“What Everybody Wants” is out now. This one has a special little corner in my heart, I hope it finds one in yours.
WATCH OUT!!! Same Same is coming for ya!!! 8/28!!! LINK IN BIOOOOOOOO
The first song by @johnvanderslice I ever heard was Me and My 424. I was 17, deeply in love, and his music became part of the soundtrack to that love and that time. 19 years later, I find myself hanging out with him in Chicago, connected by @catherinelacey_ , and discovering that John is more fantastic than I could’ve known. In Lacey’s words, “An absolute lollipop of a person.” And the cherry on the lollipop, at his show he played Me and My 424. Who knows if there is a God, but the Universe sure does rhyme.
I turned 36 today. That felt like somebody else must have typed that. I feeel 4…or 19…but definitely not in my early late middle 30s. A lot of days I resent Time for rushing so relentlessly through my hands, and the mumbling man in my mind who’s never quite satisfied often sets the tone for the day. But sometimes I look at my life through the eyes of Me at 16, and realize that that kid would be fucking pumped about this kickass life we’re living. Time hasn’t just been passing, it’s been accumulating. I have more than I did before. I have less youth and health and eyesight and potential, but more actual, more wisdom, comfort, friends, stories, love. If you’re reading this, I probably know you, and because my life is so stupefyingly awesome, I probably love you, so thank you for being one of the many beautiful, fun, funny, soft, warm, interesting, vibrant characters in my life. You make it so good to be alive.
“Big Spoon” comes out this Friday!
“Big Spoon” comes out next Friday