unintentional inspiration from Goodnight Moon.
though I have questions about the writing.
My toddler daughter is ob-sessed with the book Goodnight Moon. She asks for it constantly (“nigh nigh?”) and actually requires sleeping with a copy of “nigh nigh” in her crib each night/nap. I was a little critical of the book at first. Some lines…
Goodnight room.
Goodnight moon.
Goodnight cow jumping over the moon.
You can’t rhyme “moon” with “moon”! I dunno. I used to think it was a fine book. But now I love this book. I’m becoming obsessed with it—just like my daughter. And it’s all because of this one accessory in the Great Green Room…
It’s not the balloon. (though I love a red balloon.) It’s not the paintings or the old-timey phone or the bowl full of mush (gross… you’re just gonna go to sleep with that bowl of mush there??). These cute bunnies (which, unclear if they’re related) live in a home—in a bedroom—with a tiger-skin rug.
What a fucking baller move.
Tigers literally eat bunnies for breakfast (or even just a light snack.) and here these badass bunnies are saying, “Yeah, I’m not scared. I conquered that. Thinking about coming at me, Tiger? You should see my bedroom.”
This is the energy I’m bringing into this year. I am choosing not to be scared. Whatever’s coming for me? I will conquer you. If you are trying to kill me, my spirit, hurt my family, pain my friends—I will destroy you. Whatever shape the tiger takes, I am not scared: COVID, allergies, heartache, the patriarchy, cancer, addiction, rejection, disappointment. I will skin you and put you next to my bed so that when I’m saying goodnight to the rounds, I feel the strength of defeating you at my feet.
(should I get this rug to bring the sentiment home??)
Maybe my daughter has already figured all this out and this is why she loves Goodnight Moon so much. She knows that she’s got a lot that she’ll come up against in this life, but she’s got this tiger by the tail—by the everything, actually.
Goodnight room.
Goodnight tiger.
Goodnight you ugly bastard of a tiger.
A Little Woo:
Last night was a full moon. The Wolf Moon. Indigenous people coined it that as they observed in the dead of winter, wolves howled more. They believed that this was because they were hungry and in need of food. But we know today that that’s not the reason they howl. They howl to define territory, locate pack members, or to coordinate hunting. Maybe one of the wolves needed to hunt a tiger and they had to ask, “Who’s in? Who’s with me?”
Did you hear any howls last night? Have you heard any lately? Sometimes they’re quieter than you think. Let your pack know if you’re in for the hunt. Let the howler know they’re not alone.
Quick Hits:
Jam of the Week: San Gabriel – Tape Machine.
(whilst homesick, I was perusing KUTX and heard this song and loved it and then found out it’s a friend from high school! get it, James!)
I Had No Less Than Eight People Send Me This.
(and I welcomed them all, because it is fucking hilarious. they have all of us pegged. and I’ll leave it at that.)Wow, This Podcast Ep.
(it’s about as much true-crime as I can take these days.)Wanna Love Seattle? Watch This.
(my friend, Marco Collins, is a badass. always has been.)
I Will Always Feel Like This Video.
(this came back up for some reason and I laughed as hard as I did the first time I watched it a decade ago. god, I love it. it’s me. I’m her.)
06: goodnight tiger.
(a Spotify playlist for you. well, for me. but I’ll share.)
I love y’all. Thank you for being here with me.
xxo,
rachel.