Alexandra Silber's Blog, page 3

Alternative Email Sign-Offs for an Unhinged Era: A List

With pizazz,  At your cervix,  Apologies for existing,  Over and snout,
 Without my ducks in a row, Ew,
 Feeling hamburger helpless,
 On the brink of tears,
 Stressfully, Not one single regard,
 We ride at dawn, Ok then,
 Searching for my marbles,
 Help I've fallen and I can't get up, In a tailspin,
 Throwing it on the back burner
 Sitting in utter confusion,
 One fish two fish red fish blue fish, Blessed be the fruit,
 Roll the credits,
 Neutral regards, All panic no disco, With fighting words,
 Alright al...

Things I'd like to [learn how to] do: a List

© Emenem- bake bread from scratch

- speak:
    italian, at all
    spanish, fluently

- play an entire set of American Vaudeville and English Hall variety songs on the ukulele - spend a night stargazing in the Sahara

- play the accordion, virtuosically
 - see the Northern Lights in Iceland 
- spend Shabbat in Tzfat
- witness birds migrating  - scuba dive
 
- drive a race car  - travel the length of Japan by train

- make mosaic artworks (I’d especially like to beautify broken urban spaces like Emenem, It’s...

Books by-the-month: March

As March arrives, bringing with it the promise of early spring, Women's History Month, and the festive revelry of St. Patrick’s Day. The literary world offers us tales of renewal, strength, and history. This month, we celebrate not only the invigorating green of the season but also the empowering stories of women throughout history.  Daylight is adding up, about three minutes more each day as March progresses, give or take. Spring hasn’t arrived yet, but the plane is circling the tarmac. Welcome...

Writing Tips, Part 1: YOU and Your Writing

Dear Writer,
You. Yes, you. The one with notebooks full of snippets, bits n' bobs of nice words, characters, plot lines rolling about in your skull.  So, you’re standing at the edge of the writing world — heart full, hands unsure. You’ve got the spark. Maybe even a brilliant idea or a dozen, and perhaps even a quiet ache at the pit of your gut because you know there’s something in you waiting to be written— but you’re not quite sure how to begin.
I remember that feeling. It’s not hesitation; it’s ...

Five Women at an Airport: The Full Film

It's here.  "Five Women at an Airport" is complete and ready for your viewing (in 4K!)

 I wrote about this incredible piece, project and experience last July, but here is a snippet of what I said:

"This piece. This experience. This team. These WOMEN. 

I will never know what I did to deserve this perfect alchemy of passion, commitment, humor, depth and talent— but we got it all and then some, all in 20 days that felt like 20 years. 

What we achieved artistically, emotionally, and all ahead o...

Books by-the-month: February

Ah, February. The month of winter’s last gasp, of small joys, and, yes, of love—whether it’s the romantic, the familial, or the self-love that comes from curling up with a good book.  To help you make the most of these cozy, cold evenings, here are five books that should take you on unforgettable journeys. From classic tales of unrequited love to dazzling modern narratives, these picks will keep your heart warm as the chill lingers outside.

February Theme: Valentine's Day (obvs)

1. Fingers...

Race you

@James.T.MurrayBack to 'I Wish' after a year away! There were postponements and jobs and travels and health battles won for some of our team! And in the end? What a joy to gather together once more and celebrate at 54 Below. I feel so especially grateful to gather together in health and wellness in the presence of Drew Wutke post-liver-transplant-miracle-man, and post-4th-bowel-surgery me. We are here !
 This being our 10th I Wish (since the first one in 2018), I struggled a little with what to s...

Things D0nald †rump Has Ruined For Me, Forever

the word 'tremendous'

red hats

the news

home alone 2

social media

the color orange

america, probably

 

© Barry Blitt,

 

Books by-the-month: January

T. S. Eliot was wrong when he said that "April is the cruelest month–" [he was wrong about a lot of things, like, ya know, his raging antisemitism, but, anyway, meh: a phenomenal poet] he’d clearly never experienced the nightmare that is returning to work, and the world-in-general, in January. In an election year. 
"Oh, what a long year this January has been!" I literally proclaimed yesterday. It's January 9th. Bleak times.

But with the festive season long gone, January can feel bleak and never...

Bye bye 2024

^ on a kamzoil date with adam kantor. cheers viennaGood Gd, you were weird.  There were great timesAnd new friendsand mountains climbedand lessons learned What a ride. A year full of jaw-dropping highs and face-palming lows. 
Is it okay to say I am so glad you are over?    I never thought I’d spend December 31st clutching a glass of wine like it’s a flotation device, but here we are.  2024, you full-on gave me the business—and also handed me Champagne. Work opportunities rained down like somebod...