Musings & Meanderings: This is it. Art lives on…it’s just not going to be here anymore

By Leslie Lindsay

A curated newsletter on the literary life, featuring ‘4 questions,’ reading & listening recommendations, where to submit, more

Leslie Lindsay|Always with a Book

~MUSINGS & MEANDERINGS~

Welcome to 2025

“Hibernation is so complex it requires adaptations at multiple levels.” — Elena Gracheva, neurophysiologist at Yale University

I’m crawling into my cave. It’s time.

Friends, I’m exhausted. All things aside, I’ve been tirelessly dipping into the literary waters for twelve years to provide Musings & Meanderings. It’s been a joy and privliege, but all good things must come to an end.

Here’s what I AM doing:

Sharing lots of good content on Instagram.

Book unboxing, book photography. Book reviews. Dorky selfies.

Architectural stuff when I find it.

Homes & design.

Travel & adventure.

Vintage stuff that sparks joy.

You can follow along there to learn about all the things that drive me. I promise, I’ll continue to shine my light there.

Over here, well, I might pop on for a little note, inspo, rant, whatever, but sadly, I’m moving away from Author Insights. It’s time to pass the baton.

No more Readerly Things or Writerly Things.

But please, subscribe to your local indie bookstore’s newsletter/email list and buy from them. Purchase gifts and books locally, otherwise, those local stores will cease to exist.

If you’re a reader, read.

So many people call themselves ‘readers’ but they don’t actually read…books. What are they doing instead? You tell me. You know. Scrolling. Posting. Reading what someone else posted. Go to the library. Silence your phone. Better: leave it at home or the car. Sit for an hour. A whole hour and just READ.

If you’re a writer, get your butt to a writing group.

Be accountable for yourself. Make it a daily practice. Even five or ten minutes a day counts. You don’t have to be at your desk for 8 hours to call yourself a “writer.” Nope! Find an online community that supports you and maybe offers Zoom writing classes. Sign up for them. Be an active participant.

If you’re an obsessive artist-creator type, do it.

Make yourself a little studio in your basement or garage or kitchen table or spare room. If you have the means, rent a space. Go to things that interest you at local art centers. Go to readings and gallery openings. Soak it in so you can go make your own.

This is the good part!

~Leslie : )

“Finally, never give up on yourself. Then you will never give up on others.” —Pema Chodron, When Things Fall Apart 

“All you have to do—and watch this carefully, please—is keep writing. So long as you write it away regularly nothing can really hurt you.” — Shirley Jackson, Let Me Tell You: New Stories, Essays, and Other Writings

“Art is where what we survive survives.” —Kaveh Akbar, The Palace