As the prince of Zamunda once said, Merry New Year! 2022 is off to a rough start, much like the years before it. But this time, I'm hoping something is different in the way that we're perceiving what's happening not only around us, but to us. Gone are the wishful, unyielding new year resolutions and promises of "new year, new me." Instead, we're here with "I'm just trying to survive." That feels far more real. Anything else more than that is a bonus—a bonus we all certainly deserve.
One of the bonuses comes in the form of taking care of ourselves, which can be an incredible challenge for many of us. If you haven't noticed already, I've been taking over the reins for our fearless leader Alaina Johns, who has been coping and healing with mental illness—read her essay about it.
Taking care of yourself can also look a lot like doing nothing, and I touch on that in this week's roundup. After so many events were canceled or postponed, I had to change my roundup on the fly. Where I landed was on a handful of low-stimulating virtual experiences that will hopefully jumpstart some extracurricular exploring on your own, but also found myself contemplating the idea that we still haven't slowed down enough in the face of Covid-19. It's hard to slow down in a capitalist world, though, and that may be exacerbating the pandemic.
Outside of that, we review Jessamine Chan's The School for Good Mothers and the Rosenbach's Medium and Message exhibit. Then, we consider the history of Philly's indie cinemas and how they are thriving despite adversity.
Rest up, be safe, and I hope you are able to carve out a little merry nothing for yourself this new year.
