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Every year at A-Camp, I do some variation of a writing workshop which is kind of just like Advanced Journaling in a Group Setting and an excuse for me to pretend that I’m the unshowered and dehydrated version of Robin Williams’ character in Dead Poets Society. Obviously the writing workshop needs a playlist because otherwise you’re a little too aware of your thoughts in a super quiet room; the songs shouldn’t have super engaging lyrics because otherwise they’re too distracting, and they should be kind of moody so that you can really get in touch with your angst but not too much so or otherwise people are too emotional and then it’s like we all just saw Old Yeller for the first time. It should be a reasonable length, so that your writing session naturally comes to an end before you’re totally drained and your hand is cramping. Also nothing can be too out there, because I want to avoid a repeat of the time a real student I was teaching at the university asked me in front of the class “this music is weird, can we listen to something else?”
Anyhow! This is what I landed on this camp, and a couple workshop participants said I should publish it as a playlist. HERE YOU ARE. Feel free to play while you’re writing letters to your camp penpal or journaling or just making a list of sandwiches you would make if you could take Janelle Monae on a picnic.
Songs to Write Your Face Off To
Stars – The xx
202 – Khoiba
I Never Said I Love You – Kaki King
Breathe Me – Sia
Tidal Wave – Grouper
Terribly – Khoiba
Gay Sons of Lesbian Mothers – Kaki King
Svo Hljótt – Sigur Ros
Infinity – The xx
Stuck – Grouper
Í Gær – Sigur Ros
Rewrite – Sia
https://open.spotify.com/user/autostraddle/playlist/59LCE7ujSEb3Oh3p833O5K
Huzzah! I was one of the campers who requested this, so thank you muchly (for both the playlist and running the workshop in the first place).
you are exceedingly welcome!
I’m playing this as I write what I’m going to say next week at my mom’s memorial service. It’s helping.