My problem might be your problem too
Why am I always writing about how I'm not writing to make myself get back into writing? I guess that's just my thing now.
On Sunday, the world lost trailblazing designer, DJ, entrepreneur and creative titan Virgil Abloh. Among the many heartfelt words from industry veterans and Abloh’s friends and colleagues, snippets of past interviews with Abloh have begun circulating on the internet. One quote in particular startled me like an alarm clock, its resounding message rousing me from metaphorical sleep:
“If you really want to do what you say you do, leave this conversation and do it. Go and print that T-shirt today, and by today I mean in the next 30 minutes. If you don’t do it, that’s your problem.” Virgil Abloh
Five million ideas for this newsletter, short stories, zines and more instantly flooded my mind. But really, they are half-formed concepts that have been brewing for days, weeks, years. Projects that have been stifled by “I’ll get to it later” or “I don’t have energy right now” or “How am I ever going to finish this, let alone start it?” This is my problem.
The usual suspects—self-doubt, procrastination, poor time management, lack of discipline, perfectionism—are the culprits. These are the things, I imagine, Abloh mastered before getting down to business. In a world with countless obstacles you can’t control, there’s no point in creating more, of getting in your own way.
I, like many people, love reading about the routines, rituals, habits and practices of fellow creatives. Abloh’s 2019 career advice Q&A with Mr. Porter highlights his always on, work anywhere and everywhere, multitasking mentality. He was driven by anxiety (relatable), reframed the way he thought about work (as passion), used the tools around him to his advantage (hello phone), and embraced distractions (hello again, phone). These are solid pillars for productivity, but it’s also clear that not everything Abloh did will work for me. That is, of course, the secret: you read about the rituals, adopt what is useful and leave the rest.
Creativity is a practice. You must continually make to make progress. And somehow, I’ve found that writing one thing leads to another, and then another, until all of a sudden I don’t have to think about it. I’m just doing it.
And so I’m here, writing to myself, writing to you, renewing the practice, fulfilling a promise that I will write and make things every day because that is what I love to do. Maybe next year I’ll have my own hacks for getting things done to share with you. But first, coffee. But first, writing. But first, go.
Find Me Elsewhere
Catch up on more of my writing published throughout 2021.
Hi, I’m Not Linda (Our Trust Fund)
Hapa Anatomy (Bamboo Ridge Press)
High Heels for Going to Heaven (Our Trust Fund)
Echoes (ad astra)
Back to Backlist: Winter Edition 📖
Moody, thrilling, immersive, unputdownable. These books are perfect for shrinking days and lonely nights. Amidst the whirlwind of new releases, I like to champion backlist titles whenever possible—the hidden, forgotten gems that may be gathering dust at the back of a used bookstore.
Pedro Páramo, Juan Rulfo (1955)
Short and surreal. A good weekend read about a man searching for answers and his heritage in Mexico.
Like Water for Chocolate, Laura Esquivel (1989)
A tale of unrequited love, family and food (with recipes!) that was originally published in magazine installments. The language alone will make you ache.
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, David Grann (2017)
This was one of those bought-it-at-the-airport books that revealed itself to be a page-turner, and quickly became a favorite. Investigative journalism that races along like a thriller.
The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, David Mitchell (2010)
A historical novel set in 18th-century Japan, when the Dutch held a trading outpost there called Dejima. I will forever love Mitchell’s signature wit and unique take on fantasy.
A Little Life, Hanya Yanagihara (2015)
Four young men coming of age in NYC. If I had to pick one book that changed me, this would be it. It is a lesson in empathy, and not for the faint of heart.
Exterior Explorations
Flowers that bloom in darkness, a five-star stir-fry & more.
Why does every advert look the same? Blame Corporate Memphis by Josh Gabert-Doyon (Wired)
I had no idea that this illustration style was a thing. And then I read this article.
The Ephemeral Beauty of Night-Blooming Flowers by Ligaya Mishan (NY Times Style Magazine)
Seeing a wall of lava rock teeming with night-blooming cereus in Honolulu will stick with me for the rest of my life.
How to Write a New York Times Headline by Stephen Hiltner (NY Times)
This one’s for all my fellow writers out there. Writing a headline can be the hardest thing in the world (or the easiest, depending on who you ask).
What’s cooking? 🍳 I whipped up my first batch of thumbprint cookies in my new apartment and it made everything feel a little bit more like home. These baked chicken tenders with a ranch-like dipping sauce were delicious (I’ve cooked them twice now; the second time around, I toasted the breadcrumbs before breading the chicken and highly recommend that). And easy, tasty, fast: Bon Appetit’s black pepper beef and celery stir-fry. Five stars.
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I have been thinking about that Abloh quote since reading this newsletter a few days back—thanks for sharing it...I think it's pushing me in the right direction, too.