Oops I dropped my whimsy!⋆˚꩜｡
Show me your whimsy at Zine Studio tomorrow May 31, 1-3pm @CML Main Branch
I’ve been in a creative rut lately.
I could say I caught the cold of general apathy that’s spreading around the internet. But I know it’s the concoction of burnout and heartache that I was avoiding. Any work I’ve made this year has felt exactly like that, work! For months, nothing has made me sparkle inside. Nothing has felt whimsical.
I’ve been “studying” the whimsy trend that is cluttering my algorithm for a few months now. I still don’t know what whimsy is. From the look of it on Instagram and Pinterest, whimsy looks like an aesthetic that embraces medieval fantasy, Y2K pop punk, and ice cubes shaped like stars. What started as an internet conversation to promote authentic living and the rejection of cynicism and productivity seems to be watered down by an abundance of…stuff!
Influenced, I did add a star shaped ice cube tray to my cart! But I don’t think it’s going to single-handedly bring me closer to my true self.
So the question I have for you, dear zine-maker, is:
What is your whimsy?
How do you practice whimsy? What does it look like?
Whimsy in Columbus
Today I found a crumb of my whimsy. I woke up early to watch the sunrise from my skylight window. I made a “pink themed” breakfast with yogurt, fruit,and cereal. I joined a run club for a 2 mile jog. And then, I went to Scattered Joy’s Listening Room!
The Listening Room is basically a hang where the album being discussed on Monday’s Album Club (by Alex Lewis ) plays lightly in the background. The event flyer says you’re there to listen to the album, but really you’re there to yap with people. I found myself in a wonderful conversation pit with complete strangers. We talked about reading deep histories, what does God look like to me?, emotional intimacy in friendships, and of course, music. We were so engaged– an hour into talking someone realized— wait what are all your names???
I’ve missed spaces like this. Zine Club can get deep and strangers become friends. I haven’t had a typical Zine Club hang since February and I’m so excited to get back to it.
Zine Club will bring back your whimsy
To me, whimsy can look like reconnecting with a childhood activity or hobby.
Since I was a kid, my favorite place to be was at a table with crafts, juicy gossip, and good music. It hits all my sensory sweet spots: something to do with my hands, beats to listen to, and stories to share. This chatter, laughter, and exchange of energy feels like home.
I used to love helping my mom and aunts prep for family parties. I loved playing with ribbons. I loved wrapping presents. I also had this secret game with myself where I would try to translate their chisme from Spanish to English in my head. Whenever I thought I cracked the code, I would verify with my mom to see if I got it right. Eventually, she did not like that I was getting good at this game haha!
Zine Club Columbus turns two in July. July is also the three year anniversary of when I moved to Columbus! My life looks very different than it did when I started Zine Club Columbus. So I think the root of my apathy is because I don’t know where my north star is anymore.
Which brings me back to the idea of whimsy. I don’t think an external expression of whimsy is going to help me. I think I need to focus on the whimsy within myself. My own inner wisdom.
Zine Club Columbus is a product of my own loneliness. Three years ago, I was a homesick baby who needed friends in Columbus. I missed being at the craft table. I missed yapping and making things with people I loved. So I set up my own table in bookstores, coffee shops, and libraries, to attempt to recreate that home feeling.
I chose zines as a medium because in simple terms, zines are a window into somebody’s inner world. Now that’s whimsy!
So show me, what does your whimsy look like?
If you can’t make tomorrow’s studio, email me your zines or thoughts on whimsy at zineclubcolumbus@gmail.com
rebecca
PS - Add to our playlist! I play it at every studio and take recs!