12 Comments
Jul 23, 2021Liked by Antonia Malchik

Antonia, I'm so glad to have found your writing again! I feel a similar ambivalence about writing and what it's for. Maybe it's not the world, but the writing changes us, more often than not for the better I hope. I'm so glad that I get to read your thoughts on the regular now!

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Jul 21, 2021Liked by Antonia Malchik

+1 to Swainson's Thrushes. I call them rainbow birds, for the sound of that extraordinary song.

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Jul 21, 2021Liked by Antonia Malchik

By reason of all its powers that you listed, I think writing DOES change the world. But incrementally, a person at a time, an idea at a time, a feeling at a time. For better, for worse, for who knows what, but it is a force of change. And yet, as you said, as powerful as it feels, it does not SAVE anything.

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So much of the world is "absurdly, insanely beautiful." Thanks for your thoughts, your writing and your links!

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Ahhhh, camping. We haven't been since the pandemic began, and I am missing my favorite spots. I've got a story about a rude couple though, because of course those are the memorable moments that stick in my mind. 4th of July weekend, a few years ago at Newhalem campground in North Cascades National Park. We chose it because there are no fireworks allowed within miles and our dog doesn't like the noise. A big pickup (of course) pulls in next to us, and the young-ish couple sets up their site festooned in red, white and blue decor - music blaring. We complained to the ranger as they came by, and the music got turned down and wasn't a problem the rest of the weekend. It gets better though! After a while, I realized the guy was shooting bbs at little targets he had placed around the campsite. Looking back I don't know why I didn't complain - probably because it would have been obvious it was us. When they finally departed, they drove their big truck the wrong way out of the campground. I picked up a bunch of little targets from the site, which he had put some effort into placing here and there. I was just thinking about this the other day when I picked up some fireworks detritus on the dog walk. I've been meaning to make some collages with this stuff. This will be a good project if/when we get trapped inside due to smoke.

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The piece about expecting writing to change the world really resonates. And the campsite borrowing and sharing brings back some lovely childhood memories.

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