What's Feeding Me 🐛 vol. 6
What's Feeding Me 🐛 vol. 6
a monthly buffet of creative fodder
The Webs We Weave is a free weekly-ish newsletter on staying connected to ourselves, making connections in our creative work, and feeling more connected in the world.
Hello! 👋 Climbing out briefly from my writing cave to confirm that I am, indeed, still alive. You may remember I’ve been learning about + practicing writing more braided essays, which it turns out is a process that doesn’t happen quickly. I’m in (what I hope are) the final stages of a substantial essay I’ve been working on for … ever? I’m excited to share it with you soon.
In the meantime, a roundup for your enjoyment!
Each month I share a little buffet of things that have been keeping me fed: intellectually, creatively, and emotionally. I invite you to share in the comments what's been feeding you, too! Both with me, and with each other.
📔 Great Writing
📜 On making art that tuns my boyfriend off
From the title alone, I wasn’t totally sure what I was getting into—but as per usual, delivered a piece that had me nodding vigorously, laughing out loud, and feeling things.
What started with a hilarious premise about writing a maybe-terrible poem and inexplicably emailing it to her boyfriend on their four month anniversary morphed into something pretty profound about vulnerability and worthiness: (emphasis mine)
“There’s something in here about self-authorship; about allowing my acts to be misunderstood, even by my beloved. There’s also something in here about self-worth, the kind that I think has grown from standing in so many fields, placing some version of that same fucking poem into the hands of all the wrong humans, who couldn’t even read the language, and what that does to you—how it forces you to stop giving it away so carelessly but also forces you to stop having to make sense to be loved.”
📜 Don’t Think About It
It’s amazing that even after learning this lesson so many times, I STILL need to be reminded that I cannot think my way into writing a great piece—that in fact I must write my way into clarity. This piece from was a welcome and well-timed reminder of just that, with gorgeous artwork to boot.
📜 hip opener
My Monday writing group has introduced me to some incredible people who are doing spectacular writing here on Substack. This piece from about rituals, poetry, and yoga is about so much more than rituals, poetry, and yoga. While the undercurrent about ‘making contact’ and building momentum really struck a chord with me, I also swooned over this quiet moment that captures so well what I’ve come to love about poetry:
“And that’s the point, that feeling you get when you read a poem and you don’t know exactly what a sentence means but you know what it feels like. Those are my favorite poems. God I love those poems, they’re like a hip opener, but for every joint."
🪶 Four Friends Catch Up Over Pasta by Amy Kay
This poem by Amy Kay was making the rounds online earlier this summer, for reasons I absolutely understand. What a sweet ode to friendship, no?
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🎙️ + 📺 Great Listens and Watches
🎙️ This American Life: Letters! Actual Letters!
While the full episode is great, Act One: Dear Alice is the reason this one made the roundup. In it, writer Nicole Piasecki reads a version of her essay Maybe We Can Make a Circle in which she takes the reader along as she tried to make sense of a hard thing she experienced in high school. I won’t spoil it, but hearing her read it, I was hanging on every word. (Act One starts at 11:50.)
🎙️ Maintenance Phase: The Myers-Briggs Personality Test
Weeks when I wake up to a notification with a new episode of Maintenance Phase feel like Christmas. This one elicited a particular blend of “hell yes” and “oh nooo” given my childhood affinity for the Myers-Briggs. Deeply entertaining and riotously funny as always, Mike and Aubrey didn’t disappoint. I’m waiting on pins and needles for the bonus episode that follows.
🖥️ WORKSHOP: The Art of the Personal Essay on Substack
Attention all writerly friends! , who leads the writing community I’m in, is leading a workshop for her paid subscribers on Tuesday, October 1 called The Art of the Personal Essay on Substack. Joy is a fantastic and generous teacher so I’m chomping at the bit for this one, and it looks like there’s still room to register.
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🙇🏼♀️ Current Project or Micro Obsession
Setting a Stretch Physical Goal
Yesterday a friend mentioned during a group conversation that she and her husband are training together to do a sprint triathlon (!!) next year, and it absolutely lit a fire in me to set some kind of stretch-but-attainable physical goal to work toward.
I’ve always hated running, but somehow a race feels like the most accessible option? Or an ambitious hike? Or maybe I need to get a used bike and try cycling? I’d love some ideas! I’m struggling to think outside the box, so please share your physical activity of choice in the comments if you’re so inclined.
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🌻 A Human Whose Work I’m Loving
Last month I attended an incredible guest workshop with Jeannine Oullette inside my writing community and HOOOOLY COW the content and quality of instruction absolutely blew my mind.
For anyone who’s actively working on craft and sharpening their writing skills, Jeannine’s Substack is an incredible resource. This post in particular is thematically very related to the workshop I attended—a good chunk lives behind a paywall, but even the free portion is enough to get your wheels turning.
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🤣 An Internet Giggle, Just Because.
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Your turn!
What’s feeding you lately?
If you’re game, share something that’s been feeding you lately in the comments. A podcast, a book, a habit, a new favorite thing, a project that’s lighting you up, a thing that made you laugh… anything! Let’s crowdsource some good creative fodder. 👇
Until next time,
Michelle
So, I do CrossFit, too. It has been life changing. I do a very modified version because I’m very out of shape, but lifting heavy things has helps my brain so much. I alternate with Pilates which is equally hard, but different. Both bring me into my body and keep me very present. LMK if you want to chat either.
Glad to see your words on Substack Michelle! Thank you for sharing my piece and I can't wait to read your next essay whenever it's ready. :)