Author: I. Sphinx

Dessa

Singer, rapper, and writer Dessa has made a career of bucking genres and defying expectations.

How I found her: In 2011, Dessa released her album “Castor the Twin“. NPR used to have a podcast (or more accurately, an RSS feed) that compiled all of the pop culture stories of the week. If you had asked me before writing this post, I would sworn it was Michel Martin who interviewed Dessa about the album but the NPR archives insist that it was Guy Raz. Don’t know how I ever got those two mixed up, but it is what it is.

Why I love her: There are some albums that resonate with you immediately and “Castor the Twin” did that with me. Dessa has a throaty alto singing voice and fast-but-not-muddled rapping speed. My three most played tracks are “Alibi”, “Dixon’s Girl” and “Mineshaft 2”, but “The Chaconne” and “551” hold a special place in my heart as well. It’s just a really great album.

It’s also really fun to discover an artist and then see them pop in other areas of your life. It’s like a confirmation from the universe, saying “You are not as incongruous as you thought.”

Other areas where Dessa has popped up:

The first universal vibration I experienced with Dessa was to hear her in a TED Talk. She gave a fun and enlightening talk about using modern medicine to try to fall out of love. It was one of the most entertaining TED talks I’ve ever listened to, and I’ve listened to a lot.

The second was to hear a Dessa song (off of her newest album, “Chime“) on an episode of the podcast Welcome to Nightvale. Dessa’s voice and her musical stylings are easily identifiable and I nearly dropped my tea when I heard the music start. Digging in deeper, I found that she’d co-written an episode of Nightvale and done some of their live shows! How cool is that? I’ve never attended a Nightvale Live Show (there usually isn’t a seating option for Sphinxes) but I don’t know how I could have missed her guest spot in the Nightvale episode “Niecelet”! Dessa’s voice is so distinct that once you hear it, you’ll recognize it anywhere.

Related

Virtual Day-Long Novel-Writing Retreats

Join authors Mary Amato and John Feffer and fellow colleagues for an energizing mix of lectures, facilitated discussion, and forced time to write!

Amato and Feffer are both discipline-crossing writers who are simultaneously working on novels, plays, essays, and poetry. These writing retreats will be focused on novel writing, but we welcome explorers of any genre—fiction, non-fiction, poetry, screen or stage play, etc.

Use these inspiring virtual retreat days to take a work-in-progress further or to write something completely new.

ALL TIMES ARE EASTERN (US) TIME ZONE.

10:00-10:15         Intro & Warm up Writing

10:15-11:00         Lecture #1

11:00-11:30         Facilitated Chat (or log off and get to your writing)

11:30-2:15            Writing time

2:15-3:00              Lecture #2

3:00-3:30              Facilitated Chat (or log off and get to your writing)

3:30-5:00              Writing time

5:00-5:30              Final Q/A

$40 per person per retreat. You may sign up for one retreat or as many as desired. Once you have registered, you’ll receive three Zoom links for each of your retreat days. Each retreat day will include three Zoom sessions with writing time in between.

Sun Aug 30          Mechanics & Process: How to handle drafts, revisions, outlining, research, and feedback. What’s your process? What works and doesn’t?

Sat Sept 26          Tense & Time: Pros and cons of writing in the past or present or a combination of both. Are you writing in the best tense to tell your story? What role does time play in the lives of your characters?

Sun Nov 1            Voice & POV: Establish authenticity, commit to a POV or multiple POVS, and know when to come in for a close up and when to pull back. What are the various voices and POVs in your work?  

Sat Nov 21           Recurring Symbolism & Surprising Metaphors: Identify and explore symbols and metaphors and determine how and when they should repeat. What are the symbols and metaphors that are already in your work? Are you doing all you can or do you need more?

Please note that in addition to these retreats, both Amato and Feffer offer partial or full manuscript critiques on a rolling basis throughout the year. $30 per half hour. You can cap your investment at any amount. If you’re interested, contact either instructor individually. 

Big Love for the Tiny Chef

“Blell hello ewyblody!” – Tiny Chef

How I found it: When I finally got onto Instagram, I knew of a few accounts that I wanted to add, but I was very interested in looking for creative and inventive stuff. Tiny Chef has been around for a few years but he earned a space in my heart with the following video/storyline:

I love LOVE LOVE the Tiny Chef! I also truly adore the translation work on What’s in My Kitchen Wednesdays. It is some of the best comedy out there!

My favorite thing: There are a lot of fan-favorite TC sayings/phrasings but I personally love how he says the word “blue”.

Related:

  • The Tiny Chef has a book coming out on September 15, 2020 called “The Tiny Chef and Da Mishing Weshipee Blook”.
  • The Tiny Chef also made a puppet show about missing his friends during the pandemic.

Be A Good Sphinx – Wrapped In Love

The mission of the Wrapped in Love Project is to bring comfort to bereaved parents by repurposing wedding dresses into beautiful burial gowns and pockets for babies lost before, during, or soon after birth. 

Each layette includes a handkerchief made from the same fabric as the baby’s garment.  The gowns and pockets begin as beloved wedding dresses which are donated and cleaned.  They are then patterned, stitched, & hand detailed by volunteers.  ​Layettes are added to a care package with a hand stamped “Mother and Child” necklace from the Charlotte’s Purpose Etsy Shop, a letter full of resources, “The First Days” survival guide,  a memorial baby book, a journal, pen, and “Write Your Grief” bookmark,  and special stationary for parents to write a letter to the baby.  

Get involved: Find out more by visiting the Wrapped in Love Project.