Taylor Swift and goodness from the internet
we all contain multitudes
Last Friday, I met a friend for the Taylor Swift Eras Tour movie.1 I’ll confess right away that I got very judgy of the people sitting behind us because not one time did they stand up, which meant we couldn’t stand up without blocking their view. Nevertheless we danced in our seats and sang along for the whole two hours and forty minutes.2 I loved it. I do wish that we had recorded all of our commentary along the way because we discussed everything from the range of T’s music to how difficult it must have been to record the show in a way that would translate to the big screen to how malforming it must be to a person to just stand while 70,000 other people cheer for you. Everything has layers.
I enjoy Taylor’s songwriting. Frequently one of her albums is playing in the van if I’m traveling by myself. A few of her songs have migrated onto a playlist for the boys. I roll my eyes when people hate on her work. Sure, prefer something else, but we only have that reaction for people who are very successful. I don’t think she’s the world’s most incredible singer, but many popular singers are not. It’s a package a lot bigger than just voice. Nevertheless, I left the movie more impressed with Taylor’s voice than I have been before.3
During one of the songs, I leaned over and asked my friend if she had read The Art of Gathering. I borrowed the book earlier this year and it will easily be in my top 5 books of the year. It’s about hospitality and gathering and how to take meetings or dinners or any gathering of people to the next level. Taylor’s concert felt hospitable. While many things had to have gone into the design (I would love a documentary series on how they developed the program and its surrounding details), clearly the experience of the concertgoer was prioritized. I felt cared for while I watched the performance.
I think the explosive reaction to Taylor’s tour has highlighted a couple of things. One, there’s work out there about the summer of women. Barbie, Beyonce, Taylor: women’s things are having a moment. Two, people are interested in something bigger than them. Whether it’s being part of a fan club or the expression that someone is spiritual but not religious, we are hardwired for something that is beyond just ourselves.4 For myself, I thought about the power of music and the joy of communal singing. I warned my friend before we went in to the theater that I would probably cry. I’m not a big crier, but someone doing their work really well brings tears and when people join together—especially if it involves singing together—it really touches me. There’s a lot more I could say, but I’m going to leave it here. I’m not a critic and since I didn’t record our in-person commentary, we are left with this.5
Internet goodness
This post by Beth Allison Barr links to work by Jen Wilkin. Why don’t we pay women well in the church?
For the oncoming winter months.
I love Cup of Jo and their new Substack Big Salad is a delight.
It’s time for fall food and here’s a favorite meal.
Speaking of fall food, I got a bag of tiny potatoes from The Little Potato Co (just at the grocery store, they didn’t mail them to me) and discovered that you can drizzle them with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and then roast at 400, and it’s a bunch of tiny baked potatoes. They are amazing and I’m obsessed. The skin is crispy and salty. The inside is soft. Can’t go wrong.6
I also made this pot roast last weekend and it was the best I ever made. I think it was a combo of the wine + rosemary.
Jasmine Holmes has a new book that I can’t wait to read.
This podcast episode was thought-provoking.
I wrote about leaving Instagram again.
I enjoyed this long read about doing the dishes.7
Because I’m reading The Silmarillion (slowly), I’m not joining Breanne’s read-through of The Lord of the Rings, but I am loving her weekly posts about it.
Share your favorite links—or fall meals—in the comments!
Is it super weird to write about a record-breaking-concert-turned-into-a-theater-experience when the world is so full of hate and violence and chaos? Yes, of course it is.
Without a bathroom break which tells you something about my determination to not miss a minute of it.
And dang, the endurance she has to sing/perform for three hours and look just as energized at the end.
When we think about talking to people about Jesus we should be considering this.
I just realized upon further reflection that I totally can be a critic and I think that’s a good thing. I just like to save it for certain things. Some things I just decide to enjoy. Or I acknowledge that I don’t know enough to be a critic; all I have are opinions. Either way, this isn’t a critical review of the movie, only a smattering of my thoughts from attending.
Eating potatoes also reminds me of hobbits. Potatoes are very hobbit-like food, don’t you think?
There is one line in here that might offend. You’ve been warned and now you can practice overlooking it.
I also went and also cried, haha. Majorie got me!It’s always an emotional song for me, but it was my first time hearing it since my grandpa passed away. I often find myself defending Taylor to friends who don’t get her and think she only writes breakup songs (though she does do those better than anyone).
I missed the Taylor Swift on-ramp ...somehow maybe was a little older or out of it when she was coming onto the scene. But my 11yr old loves her and so I've become a student of Swift's lyrics and storytelling, so I can walk with my girl into what she loves and help her employ delight and wisdom. But I do NOT understand why I sometimes cry when I see a Swift performance. I've been mostly. neutral about her the whole time. 😆 It's not even the same song when I see a clip. But I tear up *frequently* when I see snatches of her shows. I'm not sure we'll see the film, but I'm intrigued by this expression of beauty and imagination that comes from the Good Maker.