Monday Matter: On a Tuesday?

Your weekly Foreign Bodies roundup

Every Monday, I send subscribers and gift recipients of immigrant mental health and storytelling newsletter Foreign Bodies stories I recently inhaled and adored. This is also a chance to do some housekeeping and give shout-outs and all that jazz.

First things first

A little housekeeping

Good…Tuesday morning?

Apologies for the late roundup, friends! It looks like my newsletter did not publish when I pre-scheduled it, so I’m resending it this morning 😊 Anyone else have a slooooow start to the week? I had an early hourlong meeting yesterday and could hardly keep my eyes open. But unlike last week, I’ve been better at sleeping through the nights. Funny how addressing your problems, unloading and venting with loved ones, and even writing through it all can help me self-adjust. A snapshot of what’s been lifting my spirits these days:

• a perfect pool day with some of my best friends

• when Chris Martin brought Kelly Rowland out at the Atlanta Coldplay concert

• weeknight mac n’ cheese from my bestie

• unexpected visits

• my sweet, sweet animal pals

• rain in the forecast

• long hugs when you need ‘em most

• seeing my body change with strength training

• date nights at summer festivals in my city

• that moment in the first few episodes of The Office when Pam falls asleep on Jim’s shoulder and he simply can’t handle it

• an eagerness to start anew

A musical start to your [Tues]day 🎧

One song to groove to, cry to, drive to and share

This song, handpicked from a mixtape my brother made me a few years ago, is by Fishmans, a Japanese band formed in 1987 in Minato, Tokyo, best known for their psychedelic sound, late lead singer Shinji Sato’s vocals, the drum work of Kin-Ichi Motegi and the basslines of Yuzuru Kashiwabara. According to the band’s Wiki page, the group was relatively underground until the sudden death of its lead singer, which sparked an international cult following.

Resource(s) of the week

Something helpful and interesting and cool (*storytelling opportunity)

• Counseling and Psychotherapy for South Asian Americans: A new book edited by Ulash Thakore-Dunlap, Devika Srivastava and Nita Tewari exploring what it means to be a South Asian American living in the United States while seeking, navigating and receiving psychological, behavioral or counseling services. Pre-order the October release here.

• *Triangle House, a boutique literary agency, is open to flash submissions for its Not The New Yorker Flash Issue! Submit your best work of up to 1,500 words (and any questions you have about the competition) to alex@triangle.house. Deadline: June 27.

Read this!

Personal stories I’m loving

• Someone Else’s Language (Kate Vieria, Guernica Mag): “In terms of politics, language is just a red herring, smelling up its coat of beets. It’s never language itself that creates conflict or, for that matter, builds peace.” A lovely essay about what learning Russian in Latvia taught Vieria about the role of language in understanding and conflict. Read here.