How does this work? Each newsletter you’ll see one reader’s answer to the previous week’s question. Then you’ll see the question they have for the list, which you can respond to if you’d like. Or you can just read and enjoy.
Previous ask:
What do you want to do in 2021 that you couldn’t do in 2020?
Evan answers:
Freshman year of high school, two of my best friends started dating. Later on, they went to two different colleges, had some family members that made things tough, but stood strong the whole time. We're 25/26 now, and they've been engaged for two years.
Their engagement was on a beach during a camping trip that all of our friends were on. Everyone got to be a part of it, except for me. I was overseas with the military, a month away from returning home.
They planned a Jamaican wedding for the summer of 2020, where all of our high school friends were supposed to be in the wedding party, and I was supposed to officiate. I've only traveled out of the country for the military, so this was supposed to be my first ever international vacation.
Spring of 2020, with COVID in the air, they made the smart decision to push the wedding off until 2021. It was a blow, but obviously understandable and out of their control.
A few months later, they got married on a whim, just the two of them in secret. It was disappointing for me not being there after also missing the engagement, but I'm happy for them regardless.
They're still holding an unofficial wedding in Jamaica in 2021. I'll still be the officiant, and all of my friends are going to be there, together.
They've inspired me in my relationships and I know they're going to have a beautiful family. I can't want to celebrate with them in 2021.
Evan asks:
What animal/pet has made the largest impact on your life and why?
If you’d like to answer this question, you can simply hit reply to this email and write it in. Be sure to also include a question that you’d like to submit next. And tell us a story — your answer will be the bulk of the next newsletter. We will only use your first name, but if you wish to answer anonymously, let us know.
Bits and Pieces
From time to time, I’ll throw some updates, links, and other notes at the bottom of the newsletter.
Chris Gethard with truly inspiring words. I needed to hear this. There’s no reason not to check in with what you love in this moment.
WFMU has a page where you can watch some excellent music documentaries, and support the station at the same time. I highly recommend “White Riot.”
I think I’ve said this before, but Sharon Mashihi’s “Appearances” is a truly funny, ambitious, and special series. And if you’re looking for more audio inspiration, The World According To Sound is doing another listening series this winter. I’m starting to get into weird radio again, it seems.
A quick thought about “memory prompts.” I’ve never kept a journal. But I also recognize that 2020 is one of those years that I will want to remember, in whatever way, many years from now. In thinking back to the conversations I’ve had with my parents and grandparents about what they lived through, I realize that they rarely start with them telling me a story out of the blue. They have always happened more organically, with the help of an external prompt. An old song will come on the radio and I’ll ask “did you ever see this band live?” Or something will happen in the news and they’ll tell me a story about another moment that it reminds them of. So, I’ve started to write some things down. Not full stories or journal entries, but quick sentences, that will hopefully spark a conversation when someone, years from now, stumbles across the little book labeled “2020 memory prompts.”
“March, going to the grocery store for the first time, terrified.”
“Summer, fireworks, all the time, for no apparent reason.”
“Friday night movie night.”
“Saying goodbye to Nana Fran over the phone.”