My Sunday List
|| May 18, 2025
Words
“If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit.” — Bansky
Music
It doesn’t matter what I listen to at the moment, I’ve got Dolly Parton running in my head 24/7. Dolly’s exhibit, Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker, opens Tuesday. Dolly’s is the first exhibit I’ve worked on since joining the museum, which is mind-blowing on its own. Where do I go from here? I’ve fallen in love with museum work so I know every story I have the opportunity to help bring to life will come with its own joys, but I have to say, I think there’s something special about Dolly coming into my life in such a big way when she did. I needed to feel her positivity, to learn about how hard she’s worked, and how strong her volition is. She’s an inspiration to the world, not just to me, but I feel particularly charmed that the timing on this was so good.
I hope y’all will come see the exhibit if you come to town. I couldn’t be prouder to say I worked on it. My co-workers at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum are so talented—it’s a pleasure to work alongside them.
Don’t forget Natalie Hemby in conversation with me at The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, May 24, 2025. I think the event is sold out, but there is a waiting list.
Joy
Saturday evenings with friends. It’s even better when everyone else wants to go to bed early too. Best to start early and stay on schedule—who’s got time to stay out late?
Pink peonies in my backyard. I’m still shocked I can grow these. Contrary to my love for gardening, I really don’t have a green thumb and I don’t get a ton of light in my yard, so growing a dozen or so of these big, fluffy beauties is little miracle.
Long cats. Sam Callaway won’t be a year old until July, but he’s already a big boy. He’s tough too. While Louis has marshmallow energy, Sam’s got the charisma of a panther. He sleeps in my flower pots. Once a dirt cat, always a dirt cat.
Cross eyed cats. How can you look at that face and feel anything but sweetness? I like how some cats’s eyes are just a little cocked. It makes their craziness easier to accept. When you look at their eyes you know something’s a tad off, so you’re not as surprised or confounded when they do cat things.
Birthdays. Happy Birthday to the one and only Savannah Yarborough. She’s one of my very best friends and I think the world of her and am grateful for her friendship. Check out her menswear line: Savas
The Nashville sky. The late afternoon western sky in the summertime is pink. The night sky is indigo. It moves me.
The way you do anything is the way you do everything.
Book
Almost there. I don’t want it to end. Maybe that’s why I’m not getting to it.
Gratitude
Enthusiasm. I’m glad to still be able to get excited. Show business can make people jaded and sometimes really early on. There’ve been times I have been jaded, but now I see that as posturing covering for a fragile ego. I’d rather be curious than always fighting to be right or get there first.
Friends. I feel about my friends the way I feel about music. And to tell you the way I feel about music I’ll use this Shawn Colvin lyric from “I Don’t Know Why:”
But if there were no music
Then I would not get through
I don't know why
I know these things, but I do
Seeking Simplicity. Not only in terms of stuff, but in principles. Life isn’t black and white and it doesn’t pay to think that way, especially when we get older, but having the discipline to work deeper within a narrower set of confines allows the skill set, whatever it is, to be honed.
Light clothing. It was so humid today, my hair blew up to gargantuan width and when it does that it also gets hotter than hell. So here’s to ponytails and flowy layers for what looks like is going to be a hot summer.
What else? Watermelon. Tomatoes. The arugula I’m growing in the backyard, and the pollinator flower beds I planted a few weeks ago are coming up. The birds that come to the feeder are so sweet—I’ve been seeing cardinals and robins, and there’s a squirrel with a missing tail that’s been hanging around. Good movies, and finding time to watch one now and then. Linen pants that don’t touch me. Slip dresses. Sun hats. Beach trips. Not going anywhere at all.
Desires
Precision. I think this goes hand in hand with seeking simplicity above. Being precise takes a lot of skill, and developing a strong skill takes time. I have a deep appreciation for specialists—those people who have their one thing that they do and do it better than most everyone else.
To get a record out soon. Kenny and I are inching closer to releasing our first Saint Seven single.
More time to work on my novel. I peck at it here and there but lack, at this time, the opportunity to do any significant stretches of concentrating solely on it.
A lighthearted summer. Last summer was definitely not light. But there’s no reason this one can’t be. John Henry will be home in a matter of days and summer Fridays start soon. I can’t believe the year is almost half over. We always say that, I know. Everything is just fast these days.
Prayer
Let me be good. Let me remember to talk to you and hear what you have to say to me. Let me value your divine knowing over anything and everything else, over anyone and everyone’s opinion. Let me be choosy about the counsel I seek. Let me be loyal, kind, and compassionate to my friends and family. Let me use good judgment and strength of character in every moment. Let me never forget that each breath is a gift from you, from this universe, from the miracle that is this moment of perfect combustion. Let me be strong in my faith. Let me receive inspiration. Most of all, let me love and be loved.
Intention for the week to come
May I be the best version of myself at every opportunity.
May I be patient. May I be kind.
May I have self-awareness.
May I clear clutter from my life.
May I welcome change.
May I love unconditionally.
May I slow down my emotions and keep them at arms length. They are clues—not answers, not truth.
Something I’m thinking about
How a thing—anything—a relationship, a project, anything that calls for collaboration—is at the mercy of conflicting ideas and ideals. Maybe not in all cases, but 100% agreement is rare. I guess that’s why many artists prefer to work alone. Vision is a funny thing to relate to another.
Before enlightenment; chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment; chop wood, carry water. — Buddha
DO NOT EVER LET THE BASTARDS GET YOU DOWN.
Wishes
That we all receive the love we deserve.
That we all find comfort and peace.
That we all find time for the things that soothe us.
That you will forward this to one person you think might like it.
Have a wonderful, peaceful, joyous week. And thank you for supporting my work here at The Autotelic.
Peace. Love.
Allison
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I would so much love to see the Dolly exhibit! It sounds like she came into your life at just the right time as she did in mine. In 1981 I wrote a profile of Dolly for the Washington Post and got to spend a couple of days with her. I was going through a hard time and her sweetness, positivity, courage and grit had a profound effect on me. I always think about “WWDD?” And always will.
I absolutely loved the talk that was posted this week between you and Tyler Mahan Coe! Even your questions were artistic!