WHOA heading into fall like

Hope you’re feeling the fall mojo more than we are. Struggling here, which is a bummer because usually fall is the season that gives when it comes to forward momentum. We, a subset of three, can’t tell if this is a mood that’s overtaken us all, or if it’s life stage specific when you have kids leaving the house, or if it’s just that that the weird weather is taking its toll.

A suggestion, if you too are grasping at momentum straws? Change it up. Have a ridiculous adventure. Sarina and I (KJ here as always) teamed up with another friend and some assorted partners and went… to the Hilton Garden Inn to hear their “house band”.

Because when you tell me the Hilton Garden Inn has a house band, I say, bring it on. It fully lived up to the promise of the phrase. The band was a couple of talented guys, an enormous amp and a repertoire of songs ranging from originals to Thin Lizzie to… I don’t know. It would probably have all been quite loud for my old ears, except that we were outside, overlooking the bus station, and the band was… in the parking lot.

The waitress had bright red hair and a constantly changing wardrobe and strongly recommended the salmon.

Everyone was trying very hard, no one seemed to know what we were trying hard for, and high levels of absurdity were reached.

I know, not EVERYONE has a Hilton Garden Inn House Band. But perhaps there is something, somewhere to go where humanity transcends our urge to mock ourselves and just plays The Boys Are Back in Town in the parking lot for people eating chicken fingers and jalapeño poppers. Which were excellent.

Links from the pod:

Leuchtturm monthly B5 planner

Sarah Stewart Taylor

Nanowrimo

#AmReading

Jess: Carrie Soto Is Back, Taylor Jenkins Reid

Thank You for Listening, Julia Whelan

Sarina: Girl, Forgotten, Karin Slaughter

Jess also mentioned Michael Connelly and Wonder Boys, Michael Chabon

KJ: Also a Poet, Ada Calhoun

Also mentioned, and Jess is now reading: The Last Chairlift, John Irving

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe