My Sunday List
February 22, 2026 || The eighth weekend of 2026 || The weather in Nashville: High 36 degrees, Low 22
Words
“There is nothing you can see that is not a flower; there is nothing you can think that is not the moon.” —Matsuo Bashō
Music
I looked at Spotify to see what popped up and it was this lovely piece. It’s close to home too—Brian Blade played drums on Emmylou Harris’s Wrecking Ball, his brother Brady Blade played on the Wrecking Ball tour, then Brady became the drummer of choice for Buddy Miller, Steve Earle, and me for a while. Brady played on my fifth record, Getting Somewhere. He’s the best.
Back to the song though—this is mellow in the best way. I’m glad the algorithm thinks so much of my taste.
Within Everything—Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band. This a perfect tune for a cold Sunday evening.
Something that bugs me
Lately, not getting enough sleep. I’ve finally capitulated to the fact that I can’t get by on five or six hours anymore, not for long. I can picture a languid retirement—one in which I depend on my own circadian rhythm and not what the world tells me to do—but that is not where I currently am in life. So, as is a common theme with me the past decade, I must draw a stronger boundary in this area.
“It is only in sleep that we can experience unselfing. It is the upset ego that can’t sleep—it can’t imagine not being needed. We cease to analyze and edit while we sleep.” —Iris Murdoch
Catalog of Gratitudes
Smooth paper and Japanese ink
The perfect 1960 portable Hermes typewriter I received as a gift from someone who loves me
My Symthson diary. A splurge I allow myself every year. These are the only notebooks I hope survive me—just a daily record of the things I did.
My writing table. On loan from my sister, it’s a beautiful Heywood Wakefield Butterfly drop leaf. It’s the midnight blue blazer of tables—it goes very well in most places.
That boredom is never something I’ve had to contend with in this life. This whole thing has been entirely visceral. I‘m grateful for my experiences, and I trust the universe to give me the ones I need. While I’m indeed grateful for such a wild ride, in truth, I seek boredom these days. I’m the opposite of addicted to excitement. I guess when the nervous system has a chance to heal, a truer self emerges—I’m more like I was when I was a kid than I’ve been since I was a kid. I’ve returned to my essence in some ways—my focus has shifted away from concern over the male gaze. I’ll always be a fool for beauty and I come by it natural, but little by little, I’m learning to value myself for the internal attributes I possess. I want to back away from self-consciousness. This is my first grade photo. I’m five years old.
The way you do anything is the way you do everything.
What I’m Reading
I finished the Elvis books. Both are intense but the end of the second one is downright painful.
I haven’t yet started The Colonel and the King, and for some reason I picked up a biography on Cy Twombly (I’m obsessed with Cy Tombly and have been since I read Sally Mann’s first book (I have her second one in my to be read stack) and then saw his permanent installation at The Menil in Houston several years ago. Isn’t it like me to do that? Oh wait, yes, let’s read a few pages of this 500 page thing and then put it in the pile… I shouldn’t be so hard on myself—doesn’t everyone have this same habit?
What I’m writing
I haven’t worked on the novel in a few weeks. I read somewhere the other day that taking a walk in the middle of the day and just talking into the notes app on my phone would go a long way toward getting more work done. I thought that was a good idea. I have a hard time getting up from my desk and actually taking any lunch time, but that’s not necessarily good. Maybe a walk and some plot plotting would push things along.
Work
I hosted Josh Osborne in Poets & Prophets at the museum yesterday. Josh is a HIT songwriter with thirty-one #1s and countless awards including two Grammies. He is a true craftsman—right up there with Max Martin and the Brill Building greats—here’s a playlist.
He makes a specific moment universal. That’s one of the keys to good writing, it’s like a whisper in your ear that you’ve found common ground and are understood.
He’s also a diamond of a human being. I genuinely enjoyed getting to know him.
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.
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 travel, and tread, lightly.
May I slow down my emotions and keep them at arms length. They are clues—not answers, not truth.
Something I’m thinking about
This evening I’ve been thinking about how important it is to have a true perception of myself, or as true as possible—can we ever truly see ourselves?—not doing so ends up a hindrance. If we can’t see ourselves as we are, how are we to recognize the blessings that are meant for us and are ready to reveal themselves to us? Living in false selves makes us make false choices.
Before enlightenment; chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment; chop wood, carry water. — Buddha
Talent: hitting a target no one else can hit.
Genius: hitting a target no one else can see.
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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Good morning Allison
Look at sweet you in your first grade picture! Who in your family carried the red hair gene? You probably know, but worth mentioning it’s the rarest hair color on the planet.
By the way, thank you for the choice to listen to your words. I read it too, but I enjoy listening the most.
Your physical body is speaking to you, and I’m glad you hear it. You know you e got to establish a better sleep pattern, and there are ways to do it. Struggling with sleep can mean a protein deficit in your diet. Salads can’t be a mainstay, Allison. You’ve got to feed your body. Remember when you used to make a homemade soup on Sunday.? Make a big pot for yourself now . You know beans are a great protein source. Sunday is a good day for meal prep. Have Shelby over and make it fun!
Order your groceries online for the week.
I hate when anyone calls me after 6pm. Matter of fact, I won’t answer. I find talking on the phone is a HUGE brain/sleep disrupter. You do that enough at work I’m sure.
Give your brain a break.
MAGNESIUM after you eat something for dinner. Not in the morning. Always in the evening.
A weighted blanket. Amazon has them. I’d probably stay around 5lbs. They go up much heavier, but your small framed so 5 lbs should be just enough to feel comfortable. Will help you.
Diet, exercise, sleep.
Will mention one more time
Vitamin D3 w/ K2 (must have k2 w D3)
Magnesium
Oregano oil w/black seed oil (capsule’s organic) 6000mg
All available for delivery via Amazon
Allison, you’ll always be pretty. There will always be men. Put a stake in the ground and claim YOU time.
If not now, when.
Be safe this week.
xo
Sleep is a big challenge. I was diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea in 2012 and since then I have slept with my “Best Friend”, a CPAP device that goes everywhere with me and the quality of my sleep has improved and it’s probably saved my life and that’s no exaggeration! However, since retiring 4 years ago, I find the process of getting to sleep challenging and I still wake up around the time that I used to when I had to drive 45 minutes to the office. Sleep is precious and we mustn’t neglect it! ❤️