amandapalmer
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A Long-read Post. Some deep thoughts, some kid dots, some group shots, some tight knots....
🕑 Added 2025-12-12 17:38:30 +0000 UTCHello my loves.
A long catch-up, it's been a while since I wrote at length, and there's a lot going on.
Greetings from a beautiful little coffee shop in Boston where I'm trying to get caught up on admin before a big friends-n-fam weekend for the kiddo.
I'm feeling the frightful nearness of the holidays, the fractured time-blitz that always comes with this time of year when you have a diaspora of friends and family, and the political landscape continues to provide endless poetry.
Ash surprised me this morning.
I still get the paper delivered, because I'm OLD SCHOOL and sorry not sorry, I do feel it's worth $7 of your patronage dollars a week to have an actual newspaper in my hot little hands (even though I almost never read the whole thing and whatever...it doubles as fire-starter for my fireplace).
So the Boston Globe is sitting on my kitchen table as usual.
I have the same morning routine every morning: I make Ash's lunchbox while he eats his breakfast and we chat while I futz in the kitchen. Sometimes Ash brings a book to the breakfast table (that's allowed, books are verboten at the dinner table). But this morning...he picked up the Globe and started reading me the news. From the front page. He just barrelled in on an article about Trump and Venezuela. And I didn't stop him. I just kept working on the Kale chips and the sandwiches and listened.
There's no way he understands what he's reading. I thought.
He got to the end of the front page section of the story and then flipped to A7, this ten year old.
Then he went to A7 and kept reading.
Then he heard him say "Oooo COMICS". The news ended abruptly.
Then I asked him: "Ash, do you get what you just read?"
He said, while chomping on his toast:
"Yeah. It seems to me that Trump just wants to steal that Venezuelan ship and basically lie to the American people."
We are gonna be okay, people.
We are gonna be okay.
...............
That being said, the knots in certain parts of my life are still tight, though they're loosening day by day.
Still shit-snorkeling.
My yoga practice has been a real balm lately, and I've been practicing with friends as much as possible, when time allows.
It's cold outside and hot in this room, which is key.
I posted this up yesterday to socials.
I haven’t posted about my practice for a while.
As a survivor, as a mom, as a small-business owner facing 2026 and the current political landscape with a full Edvard Munch screamface, as one currently feeling like I’m continually snorkeling through a swamp of infinite sewage: it’s worth saying that everything feels more manageable when I stick to my yoga and meditation practice and my sangha with my old friends and my lifelong teachers here in Boston.
I really missed it.
There have been many eras of my life where I let it all go. I have had spans of time - especially after motherhood hit and pandemic and divorce and threat of cancellation and annihilation swallowed me whole - where I took to the comforting and tempting: food, wine, coffee, bed, doomscrolling, always making an excuse why I was going to practice today, maybe tomorrow, maybe tomorrow, maybe tomorrow, and months would go by. That’s fine. I did that.
I have gotten back on my mat again and again and again and it’s always scary when you haven’t practiced in a while. It’s easy to just wither.
But you cannot stay withered forever. You die.
One day at a time, people. One breath at a time. It’s never too late. Put yourself around the people who will practice with you.
No matter how bad it gets, my friends, no matter how long it’s been, whatever your practice IS….try to get back to your practice.
This time of year is so hard. So, especially now. I am a tiny yoga potato and I believe in you.
You can do the thing.
Photo by Keight Leighn
...........
Now that the Australia/NZ tour news is outta the bag.... if you missed it the ticket links are HERE....art by Niki McQueen!
....and you can imagine the state of my brain.
I leave in about a week.
I'm taking the kid with me so I gotta pack for two (for SUMMER!), get the actual show in shape, make sure the halls sell out, deal with the PR, and also get all the Christmas THINGS sorted before I take off.
It's all juicy stress, but it's stress nonetheless.
I'm putting together the song and setlist (and GUESTS!) for this final show of the year in Norwood on Dec 19th (tickets)....and we're gonna film that one, and I'm having FUN with the setlist since I'm gonna play a whole wild variety of material, not just the new stuff (I'm a little burned on the new stuff at the moment, and it ain't party material)....
...............
The photos from the teeny tiny show at Niagara are IN...and they're charming as fuck!
The show was a truly special one, especially because I had a whole new batch of songs to pull from because of my secret recording.
So....do the math, but when someone requested "Sex Changes", I delivered a weird and slow solo piano rendition, and it was wild. And I played "First Orgasm", which I NEVER do because it's usually reserved for the Dresden Dolls and I never have it in the quiver.
It was a gorgeous and intimate night. Just LOVED it, and loved the venue, who were wonderful local folks.
These photos by Melissa Smith....
This may be my favorite picture of Michael....ever.
Soundchecking assistant FTW....!
Photos by Lisa Dragani:
The venue from the street....
Me and sweet Brendon in soundcheck...
The patrons.....
I love you all...
SEE YOU SOON....wherever on the globe!!!
Hang in there, everybody.
xxx
AFP
Comments
Pamela Kirsch
Also if you are taking requests for Friday - coin operated boy would be epic 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷
Scott Meekins
MICHAEL F*%KIN' ROCKS WITH THAT JOHNNY CASH POSE! LEN, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU IN THE GROUP PHOTO! ASH, I WOULD HAVE GIVEN ANYTHING TO BE AS SMART AS YOU AS A KID! I WISH I COULD'VE BEEN THERE! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!
Larissa Rook
What a beautiful hall you played at. Bet it sounded great in there.
Avital
Being able to get hands at least on one AM New York if I’m not mostly home during week is honestly my favorite thing about leaving Brooklyn for Manhattan (bk still has em just rarer to find them in the stands). There is nothing like finding a Tuesday paper, reading it, digesting and critiquing, and then doing the crossword at the bar my friend works at
Len Tower Jr.
The Niagara show was grand! Glad I found a ride. Of late, I only buy the daily paper when I'm out of town, for their local news. Great subway reading. Love to all, Len
Aimsel Ponti
And I still have your Christmas song in my head 😘
Aimsel Ponti
♥️
Lindsey Lubow
Hadn't thought about at least one of the songs you mentioned for a good long while. Gonna revisit at least one of them now.
Marcus
Love the pictures, especially the Patron photo! These group photos are always a treat. So nice to see you all! Even if I can only match very few faces with names. 🙂👋
Alleria0
Love you 🥰 it’s so frustrating that when we need our practice the most, we feel like we have no time or energy for it. me this summer when my grandma passed and I went road tripping out for the funeral. But coming home to it is getting easier each time. Happy you’re in your yoga flow again ❤️
Jen
❤️❤️❤️
