Layover Thoughts
This edition is available to all subscribers (except the paid exclusives). Support my work and upgrade to paid here for as little as $3 a month.
LISTENING: to sad piano music in this airport lounge
FEELING: in need of a shower
SEEING: a bunch of travelers who probably feel the same
"Sustainability" can find you in the most unexpected of places.
I'm on a layover in Turkey for a big reporting trip I'll be on the next two weeks. If you're a creature of detail, then you probably know where I'm headed. (I've shared a link about it here twice.) I can't say much more until I'm back home and safe, but let me tell you about this airport lounge I'm at.
Istanbul Airport has the world's largest airport museum. I haven't yet made my way to the museum — I hope I'll have time — but you can find mini exhibits throughout the airport. In this lounge, for instance, there's a small one called, "From Waste to Art." It's a zero-waste project where the artists upcycle used material.
One artist, Yildiz Özer, created a colorful web display representative of our brains — and all the pollutants that make their way there. Another, Mustafa Tugrul, created a metal monkey sculpture. The animal is holding a red paper plane, symbolizing the desire to fly from two-legged apes such ourselves.
"Wasn't this the dream that started everything?" the information placard reads.
These artworks reminded me how we're all in this fight together. The fight to save the planet (because every little bit helps). The fight to keep the people inspired (because what is art if not fuel for our souls?). The fight to liberate oppressed peoples (because what else would be fighting for?).
I'm going to head to my gate soon to catch my next flight. I'll have a more thorough news analysis once I'm back home and have the mental space to process and think without being jet-lagged. Expect next week's newsletter to be similarly short and sweet.
Send me good vibes, y'all. And stay safe, too! These are wild, weird times. 🌀
< I'll make room for five ads. 200 characters or less. >
I won't respond to your press release, but I will share your ad. Say what you need here.
Subscription FYIs
You can always adjust your subscription here. The newsletter has several tiers, so if you're able to give more or need to give less, please adjust it as you see fit.
I'm also giving paid subscribers a first look into my children's book. I wrote about this last year, but here is the landing page where I'm keeping track of all the editions where you can find what I've shared so far. Send agents my way!
Rest in Power
While we can't say for certain that climate change led to these specific weather events (we need attribution studies for that), we do know that the Earth's rising temperatures are already creating more frequent and/or stronger disasters like these.
There's been one more death related to the South Korean wildfires, rising to 28.
Deadly thunderstorms in South Texas last week killed at least four people.
In northern India, bad rains led to a landslide that killed at least six people Sunday.
Currently Reading
Gloria Gonzalez goes deep on Puerto Rico's energy crisis for POLITICO: "Puerto Ricans are constantly one power line, one bird, one tree branch and one iguana — true story — away from a blackout."
The always talented Nina Lakhani at The Guardian has an important story out about the fallout from Hurricanes Otis and John in Acapulco, Mexico.
I'm familiar with Cancer Alley, but Detention Alley? Damn. Great reporting out of The Guardian, per usual. This time, from Oliver Laughland.
Collage
I usually write these on Wednesdays, but it's only Tuesday. Sorry if I missed anything major. And I know I've been pulling from the archive lately for collages, but my creative juices are running on empty these days. Forgive me! April's gonna be so busy (too busy for collage-making), but I hope I get inspired to write some poetry to share soon.
- Yessenia xx
Comments ()