A week or so ago, I finally made the decision to start writing more often and made a Substack. My favorite way to create has always been painting or drawing. But writing lets me go deeper into my mind when I sometimes struggle to say what I want with a piece of art. I enjoy writing long form email letters to friends and have one or two running word/google docs journals to ease the pressure in my head. (Going on the record now that those will never see the light of day as long as I can help it —of course if there is an fbi investigation...shrug, what can you do?
My writing is simple and I aim to present subjects in a way that requires you to think, not deeply, but I want to make you wonder. I am indirect. I want you to think what you think, I don’t want you to think what I think, because then you would be me and I’m pretty sure that would set off some type of cosmic crisis! I would like you to feel something too. I do want you to be amused or moved. In a way, it’s kind of contradictory to write simply with underlying complexity. But, that’s kind of a metaphor for me. I am pretty dang simple , but damn if I’m not complex underneath - a little hard to get just right. Aren’t you that way too?
I think my mother had a hand in this. She named me Jeanne after one of her best friends. It was a common name at the time. Very common, at least two of us in every class of 30 students throughout my childhood. It is also commonly mispronounced- a little hard to get just right. Teachers and telemarketers, nurses and new acquaintances usually read it gee ann or gee ann knee. Some stumble into juh net, god knows how, and many long time friends, call me gee knee. Once or twice, it has even been heen!
But my name is Jeanne, it rhymes with green and bean and MEAN. Easy peasy.
The bungled attempts often happen in multiples. When a stranger addresses me, a teacher calling roll, a nurse calling my turn, they often make several attempts calling out gee ann ( I don’t respond), gee ann knee, (no reaction), jee ann uh,(nope) juh- net, (oh ffs, come on!)
One of my favorite podcasts is called The Wednesday Audio by Craig Burgess 1 it is a fun brilliantly jaunty absurd half hour of pure Yorkshire gold. I often write Craig missives and one week he read one of mine but had difficulty with my name. So I wrote back to give him some help on how to say it. He came to the correct conclusion Smart men, those Yorkshiremen.
Like ‘e said: It’s Just Jeanne.
It is, in fact, the ONLY podcast I listen to. Not a podcast person particularly. Thank You Craig.
Jeanne! I now have an extra nice reason to smile, welcome to Substack :)
Welcome Jeanne! Excited to have you writing here.