Smashville
Full disclosure. It's past 1 AM, sitting on my bed, craving scalloped potatoes. I just finished sending an email to my beloved cousin that I don't get to see often enough, and finally decided to write a new post.
It's been a while since my last one, and I don't know if it's because I sleep in so much in the summer, but the writing bug has left the building in me. That didn't make sense, but it's okay, it's almost 2.
I wrote her an email basically updating her on the inner-workings of Katie Leggitt. I tend to do that with her, because you don't really chit-chat in emails. Straight to the point, the real point, the juice, the good stuff.
I drove to Nashville last week and spent 4 days there and then a day in Memphis. Part of me thinks Memphis was cooler than Nashville, but maybe because I was only there for a day. Graceland, Sun Studio, Country Music Hall of Fame, the Ryman Auditorium, Bluebird Cafe, Tootsie's, the Parthenon... did it all. Saw all that I could see before I ran out of money.
As I was visiting all these historical places, the Ryman and Sun Studio especially, I kept expecting to have really profound moments while sitting there. At Sun Studio (which, in case you aren't aware, is where Elvis, Johnny Cash and a whole bunch of other cool cats recorded in Memphis), I waited for everyone on the tour to clear out of the studio so I could take a few pictures of the walls. "Johnny Cash stared at this ceiling..." and that's about as profound as it got.
It wasn't until I was driving back home that it all came together. You have to picture this single girl in her little Nissan Versa, left foot on the dashboard, right foot on the gas pedal, with a flea-bitten dog in the back seat sticking her head out the window and a whole bunch of souvenirs for family in the trunk. Sunglasses on, probably Chuck Ragan playing for the 20th time in a row, bottles of water, pepsi and cans of Rockstar all over the place.. this girl, slowly losing her mind with no one to talk to for 24 hours... talking to herself, maybe her dog, because that's all she can do...
So I learned a lot. When people find out that I drove there by myself, they seemed impressed by my courage. I don't really think it's courage, it's just something I needed to do.
What has stood out most for me, beyond all the cool places I visited, was an evening I spent at my hosts' house.
Her friend lost her vision recently due to a stroke, so she invited people over for a potluck and a healing circle, to send her good vibes and wish her well on a new transition in life.
We ate black eyed peas, coleslaw, root veggies, cornbread, drank homemade mint sweet tea, and had peach cobbler for dessert. Then after lovely discussions about local farming, we sat down on huge cussions around Diane's "altar," a beautifully collaged platform with colorful feathers and candles around it. She led us through a guided reflection while her native friend played a bamboo flute. We relaxed and sent Seila good energy for her new life. Then Diane presented her story-telling doll/sculpture that she got in New Mexico, a woman with her mouth open and children surrounding her. She asked us each to share our feelings and I was first. As she handed the doll to me I was overcome with emotions at how blessed I felt to be in the company of some of the most sincere, open, and kind people I've ever had the pleasure to meet. And even though I had just met them that night, I feel like the connection that was made was genuine.
So I had that on my mind a lot as I was driving back to Montreal... About being my true self, and not needing to put on a social costume when I'm around others, and especially when I meet new people. I thought about some of the choices I've made in the past, trying to impress others or wanting to make a good impression, but I think a lot of that came from a place of anxiety.... especially in the artistic community, where there are so many egos on the line, my own included. When you release that social armor, the real beauty in you emerges, and that's truly attractive.
That's my mission these days, and it really does feel liberating. Why the hell would I not be myself?
The Irrepressibles, (go listen to this song)
Katie
It's been a while since my last one, and I don't know if it's because I sleep in so much in the summer, but the writing bug has left the building in me. That didn't make sense, but it's okay, it's almost 2.
I wrote her an email basically updating her on the inner-workings of Katie Leggitt. I tend to do that with her, because you don't really chit-chat in emails. Straight to the point, the real point, the juice, the good stuff.
I drove to Nashville last week and spent 4 days there and then a day in Memphis. Part of me thinks Memphis was cooler than Nashville, but maybe because I was only there for a day. Graceland, Sun Studio, Country Music Hall of Fame, the Ryman Auditorium, Bluebird Cafe, Tootsie's, the Parthenon... did it all. Saw all that I could see before I ran out of money.
As I was visiting all these historical places, the Ryman and Sun Studio especially, I kept expecting to have really profound moments while sitting there. At Sun Studio (which, in case you aren't aware, is where Elvis, Johnny Cash and a whole bunch of other cool cats recorded in Memphis), I waited for everyone on the tour to clear out of the studio so I could take a few pictures of the walls. "Johnny Cash stared at this ceiling..." and that's about as profound as it got.
It wasn't until I was driving back home that it all came together. You have to picture this single girl in her little Nissan Versa, left foot on the dashboard, right foot on the gas pedal, with a flea-bitten dog in the back seat sticking her head out the window and a whole bunch of souvenirs for family in the trunk. Sunglasses on, probably Chuck Ragan playing for the 20th time in a row, bottles of water, pepsi and cans of Rockstar all over the place.. this girl, slowly losing her mind with no one to talk to for 24 hours... talking to herself, maybe her dog, because that's all she can do...
So I learned a lot. When people find out that I drove there by myself, they seemed impressed by my courage. I don't really think it's courage, it's just something I needed to do.
What has stood out most for me, beyond all the cool places I visited, was an evening I spent at my hosts' house.
Her friend lost her vision recently due to a stroke, so she invited people over for a potluck and a healing circle, to send her good vibes and wish her well on a new transition in life.
We ate black eyed peas, coleslaw, root veggies, cornbread, drank homemade mint sweet tea, and had peach cobbler for dessert. Then after lovely discussions about local farming, we sat down on huge cussions around Diane's "altar," a beautifully collaged platform with colorful feathers and candles around it. She led us through a guided reflection while her native friend played a bamboo flute. We relaxed and sent Seila good energy for her new life. Then Diane presented her story-telling doll/sculpture that she got in New Mexico, a woman with her mouth open and children surrounding her. She asked us each to share our feelings and I was first. As she handed the doll to me I was overcome with emotions at how blessed I felt to be in the company of some of the most sincere, open, and kind people I've ever had the pleasure to meet. And even though I had just met them that night, I feel like the connection that was made was genuine.
So I had that on my mind a lot as I was driving back to Montreal... About being my true self, and not needing to put on a social costume when I'm around others, and especially when I meet new people. I thought about some of the choices I've made in the past, trying to impress others or wanting to make a good impression, but I think a lot of that came from a place of anxiety.... especially in the artistic community, where there are so many egos on the line, my own included. When you release that social armor, the real beauty in you emerges, and that's truly attractive.
That's my mission these days, and it really does feel liberating. Why the hell would I not be myself?
The Irrepressibles, (go listen to this song)
Katie
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