qtb mixtape #03: alive.

The spring equinox calls on us to shed what binds and start again.

My favorite piece currently on display at Water Street Studios’ latest exhibition in Batavia. (Photo: Joe Erbentraut)

Springtime has arrived in the Midwest and, as per tradition, the weather has been all over the place. Sunny warm days give way to tornadoes give way to snow, with aggressive winds carrying every manner of allergen directly into my eyeballs. No, I haven’t been crying, I am just in a constant state of slight annoyance and redness because my eyes fucking hurt.

With that gripe out of the way, I’m embracing this equinox. In many ways, this winter has been one of the hardest of my life. In others, it’s been one of the best. I haven’t gone this long—four months now—without a full-time job since I was just out of college. As someone accustomed to deriving a huge chunk of my self-worth and structure from whatever my full-time job has been at the time, it’s been a period of rediscovery and redefinition. I’m hoping to come out stronger.

It’s hard not to look at the changing of the seasons right now and feel a sense of solidarity with nature. Spring represents rebirth and new beginnings, as the days grow longer and all that surrounds us comes back to life after a long period of dormancy. For this month’s mixtape, I’m taking cues from those equinox vibes. I’m thinking about how we stay alive and grow from the torment of those long, dark winter days. I’m thinking about how we’re all growing stronger every day, in ways big and small.