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Melanie Bettinelli's avatar

Julia, another gorgeous (devastating) essay. I love how you always manage to pull so many disparate threads together from art and music and history to tell a story no one else could tell.

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Julia's avatar

Thank you so much, Melanie. That means everything to me.

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Julia's avatar

The stuff about "The Awakening Conscience"/parlor music is from my dissertation/book -- reusing in a different context!

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Melanie Bettinelli's avatar

I thought I recognized it. I love how the things we work on that deeply become a part of us and weave themselves into other pieces in unexpected ways.

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Julia's avatar

Yes! And it feels like they settle into their right place.

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Paul Erlandson's avatar

I had never heard of Mahagonny (thank you).

But I knew Alabama Song as an odd inclusion on The Doors' 1967 debut album.

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Julia's avatar

Yes, that's a famous cover! David Bowie did it in the 1970s, too. It's a great song but in context it's even more disturbing.

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Paul Erlandson's avatar

Indeed.

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Mary Cleary Lewis's avatar

Julia,

Beautifully written!

Thank you, yet again, for being the standard bearer for mothers and the invaluable role they play in our lives, the lives of our children and the unconscious connection they sustain in all of us throughout history.

Your voice is desperately needed in the current dialog in this country so we can try to avoid becoming both "literal and spiritual orphans", as you suggest.

Brava!

Mary Cleary Lewis

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Julia's avatar

Wow, Mary, thank you so much. I'm humbled by your words. I just want to have these conversations.

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