Sometimes it’s hard having a friend or a loved one that also has mind obstacles. Not everyone’s mind obstacles are the same, and sometimes they can clash and cause a need for you both to give each other space or let go of each other entirely. In Fiona Apple’s words from her song “Werewolf,”
panic attacks
The Strange is Beautiful at L.A. Zine Fest 2016
I had an AMAZING time offering The Strange is Beautiful Alternative Self-Help Guide at L.A. Zine Fest 2016! Besides offering the guide, I was honored to interview three exhibitors of diverse backgrounds, a UCLA zine librarian, a Skylight Books zine lover employee and last year I had the opportunity to interview Daisy Noemi, one of the organizers of L.A. Zine Fest, for a zine community piece <333 I love the zine community, and I hope you fall in love with them too!
Open Letter: Why Is Positive Change Traumatic?
Dear those of you making positive changes in your life but feeling super confused because you feel worse,
Change, even good change, is always painful or hard because it is a change in your identity. Habits become character which becomes your identity. So the habits you are changing will also change your identity in a good way.
When I struggled with depression, and was writing sad poems and music, I was releasing things at first, but then it became a static habit. So by changing the habit when it was no longer a needed form of release, I changed my well being too.
Also, we have a relationship with everything we do. We have a relationship with food, with sleeping, with depression etc. So breaking a bad habit and starting a good habit, even though this is a change you consciously and willing decided to make, is essentially similar to a romantic breakup with a partner. It can be traumatic! It can be hard.
So if changing aspects of your life has got you feeling down and you feel you like slipping back into your old habits, acknowledge that it is hard, know that this is normal, and keep going! You’re doing a great job :)
-Shannen Roberts
Founder of The Strange is Beautiful
Release with Poetry: “Digital Kiss” by Dorian Gray
Born into a generation, where apathy is our favorite trait
Watch the world spin as you don’t care at all
But inside we’re screaming as our walk turns into a crawl
A race to a finish line, that we believe so much exists
The demon of effortless perfection takes over through digital bliss
As we count the hearts, count the likes,
Always checking so no approval is missed
As our world slowly fades to black,
As we die by the digital kiss.
Sadcore Sundays: “Happy” by Synthetic Colours
I was so scared after I wrote the lyrics to this song that I was going to throw it away but before I did, I sent it to Austin Kowalczyk. He wrote the happiest music to go with these terribly depressing lyrics. If the music was written any other way, I wouldn’t be able to perform it. The audio is of Austin’s recorded version from his solo project “Synthetic Colours” and this video is of me and my friend Gabi Garcia performing it at a record store called Rock Candy that closed down a few years ago.
Find beauty in even the scariest of songs.
Sending you ++posi vibes++
Shay
Founding-Editor-in-Chief
The Strange is Beautiful
Lyrics:
My body sinks into the depths of the ocean
Shrinking, drying up into a fossil
In the fetal position
With the dark deep blue as my blanket
With the dark deep blue as my blanket
With the dark deep blue as my blanket
I walk by mirrors in a fun house
That magnify my defects
And reflect all the whispered judgements of the crowd
And reflect all the whispered judgements of the crowd
And reflect all the whispered judgements of the crowd
The whispers, the echoes, the shadows
They made me do it
The whispers, the echoes, the shadows
They made me do it
Uncomfortable sitting here in prison
With the guards piercing eyes
Accusing me of murder
And wishing I’d give in and wilt away
Just like the rest of my inmates
Just like the rest of my inmates
Just like the rest of my inmates
The whispers, the echoes, the shadows
They made me do it
The whispers, the echoes, the shadows
They made me do it
I do it because it makes me feel happy
That the whole world is happy because I am
Obey the whispering secrets that promise
And guarantee my bliss and sanity
Guarantee my bliss and sanity
Guarantee my bliss and sanity
Guarantee my bliss and sanity
Guarantee my bliss and sanity
I’m happy.
I’m happy.
I’m happy.
Lyrics by Shannen Roberts
Music by Austin Kowalcyzk