I wander down the rabbit holes to find clarity in my writing. I’ve been so excited to listen to the Dissect podcast on Andre 3000’s greatest features. I would love to be in a book club with Andre 3000 because the way this man be pulling off these double, triple and quadruple entendres in his work, I just know he’d be brilliant at breaking down some Morrison. But whenever I’d go to open the podcast app, I’d immediately forget what it was I wanted to listen to. So somehow I ended up listening to several Ta-Nehisi Coates interviews instead this weekend, which was obviously a good use of my time, BUT finally this morning on my walk up to the grocery store I listened to Dissect.

And then still jazzed up on the host Cole’s analysis but not interested in the next ep, (which was on J. Cole) I at random chose his anniversary episode to listen to where he did a mail bag and answered listeners’ questions. And one of the questions was about his process. He said he doesn’t like giving advice, but you should go down every rabbit hole as an antidote to scrolling short form content.

And this made me realize that I chase down so many rabbit holes that will never make any kind of appearance in my writing but do make me better understand something I’m trying to articulate. And a large portion of that work is achieved by reading and watching related or topical materials but there are these additional connections you make by throwing some completely unrelated stuff in the mix.

What I’m saying is, I no longer feel guilty about the Richard Pryor rabbit hole I tumbled down this weekend when I should have been reading Zora essays, and I suspect, something about Pryor’s artistic greatness but unresolvable loneliness will be relevant to what I’m writing in some way. Or not. Who knows. But this method of living is also likely why I’m so enamored with Andre 3000 as a rapper because he can draw from so many different sources to create these rich, engrossing layers in his rhymes.

I know Halloween is over, but it’s always the right time of year to put your phone down and do your best Alice (in Wonderland) cosplaying and explore a few rabbit holes.

This week I can’t stop talking about:

Minda

You may have heard me mention a time or two that I was stranded on a mountain by hurricane Helene while teaching at a writers’ retreat. Nicole, who fearlessly led us, has a new essay out about being a new mother, being a new mother on that mountain with their young daughters, postpartum, and the need for community. One of the most powerful, vulnerable essays I’ve read in a long time.

I guess the word is out that Bjorn Qorn’s Earth blend is delicious because it is now consistently sold out at the lil’ bougie grocery store I buy it from. But, to my delight, the store has begun stocking my favorite popcorn kernels, which I rarely buy because SHIPPING COSTS. Almost all the kernels pop, you get fluffy, white popcorn and they’re this lovely ruby red color.

If you’re someone who also regularly eats beans or are shopping for a multi-person household, you might be able to hit that Rancho Gordo $50 free shipping threshold. Otherwise, see what local spots near you stock them.

This Substacker interviews writers in the process of becoming authors. It’s all kinds of people from all kinds of walks of life (and with all kinds of day jobs) who are trying to making their aspirations a reality. A good read for all my folks out there trying to go from hobbyist to professional.