28 Comments
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Carol Shaben's avatar

Mandy, this is soooo good. Your words are a beacon illuminating why we make art and the way we must continue to make art. Thank you.

Mandy Len Catron's avatar

Aw thanks! Miss you, Carol!

Katharine K. Wilkinson's avatar

Gorgeous, inspiring, wise. Thanks for sharing this, Mandy.

Mandy Len Catron's avatar

☺️☺️☺️

Minhal Hasnain's avatar

To ask, "Does this need to exist?" truly does make me pause and reflect! Thank you for sharing! And also, I always loved your drawings and illustrations in our lectures, Professor Catron -- and the wand here is lovely!

Mandy Len Catron's avatar

aw thanks, Minhal!

Sarah Leavitt's avatar

Love this, Mandy. All the things I’m currently struggling with for my own work and for teaching! Super helpful. I totally agree with you about what you want to work on with students during this time, and look forward to trying to figure this out together. Eek!!!

Mandy Len Catron's avatar

Eek is right! But in my better moments I feel excited??

Katie Jameson's avatar

Loved this. Thank you, Mandy.

Mandy Len Catron's avatar

Thanks so much, Katie!

Redefining Intimacy's avatar

I absolutely love your perspective and really enjoyed this read. It even inspired me to write, if not just to convey my humanity. It's almost like we will have to write to prove our humanity.

Lisa Richardson's avatar

Spectacular! AI and all the converging crises are asking me “what’s the point what’s the point what’s the point of any of it?” And I really feel you’ve pressed into something true and timeless and alive in response to that. Thankyou!

Mandy Len Catron's avatar

Thank you, Lisa. I’m so pleased to hear this!

Michelle Kuo's avatar

I loved this and relate to a lot of it. Thank you Mandy!

Mandy Len Catron's avatar

Thanks so much, Michelle!

Melissa Chasteen's avatar

Love leaning into our humanity at this time—this was such a good read and timely!

Mandy Len Catron's avatar

🩷🩷🩷

Maureen Phillips's avatar

As usual, Mandy, you write from your great big honest heart. Thank you for this. I needed to be reminded too.

Mandy Len Catron's avatar

Maureen! Hi from way up North! ❤️

Lisa Sibbett's avatar

Beautiful, Mandy! I needed to hear this today!

Mandy Len Catron's avatar

You always inspire me, Lisa!

Deborah Vail's avatar

Love your posts. They remind me of how eager I was to write something people would want to read while attending a non credit class at ubc that you taught at least 15 years ago. Since then, my writing has appeared in over ten of Canada’s literary journals.

I’ve been in a writer’s slump lately and suddenly I need to clear off my desk and get at it.

Thanks!

Mandy Len Catron's avatar

So lovely to hear from you, Deborah! Clear the desk!!

Dayna Mahannah's avatar

Big love for this. Amen Mandy.

Emily Maloney's avatar

ugh this is beautiful as always. i feel this. i am writing from the bottom right now. i may be a catfish, or some other carp with whiskers.

Mandy Len Catron's avatar

Haha I can be a flounder

Emily Maloney's avatar

perfect flatfish