Welcome to Litsy!

Update: this book was great. Glad I didn‘t pass on it.

This has been on my shelf for over six years.

Should I read it or let it go?

I thought this one would be more self-help, but was more of an autobiography. Still very good, but not what I was expecting. I really enjoyed the incorporation of Amanda Palmer‘s music, Dresden Dolls and other music throughout the audiobook.

A 2010 Princeton University study…concluded that money DOES buy happiness but only up to the point…where you have your basic needs met along with a few extra comforts.
[…]
…it‘s not rocket science. We need to eat, we need shelter…there‘s a satiation level…you hit when you have *enough*.
(133-134)

I‘m sorry I don‘t have the capacity to post the entire quote, and also sorry I‘m an epic Radiohead fanboy, but what Western popular music record label owner doesn‘t make it their business to learn who the hell Radiohead is?! (this is coming from a failed Western ‘high art‘ musicologist!!! 😭)

Asking is an act of intimacy and trust. Begging is a function of fear, desperation, or weakness. … Honest communication engenders mutual respect, and that mutual respect makes askers out of beggars. (52)

I got to meet Amanda Palmer several years ago when she came to Book People, played songs on her ukulele, and gave everyone in the book signing line who wanted one a hug, including me. This year I listened to the audiobook for the first time, which feels like a heart to heart talk with Palmer. It brought me back to that night when I experienced her brave, open-hearted vulnerability, which opened my own heart a little wider.🔸#novemberreads2021

My audio #doublespin for June was meh. At times I found her to be fierce, fearless, & empathetic. Other times I found her to be entitled, obtuse, & self-indulgent. The audio narration is lovely, and keeps it from being a (soft) pan.

#curiouscovers 25 Jun: Flowers.
I enjoyed this audiobook. The main point: there is nothing wrong with asking for something, or for help. ❤️ It is a simple concept, but I was definitely team “I got this” or “I don‘t need help” I love how the book makes you question where the shame of asking for help came from.

I have been in a terrible reading slump over the last few months. Audiobooks have been of great help in trying to get through this slump. The Art of Asking is absolutely wonderful. This will seriously change they way you view certain aspects of your life. Amanda does her own reading, which is quite enjoyable (I find her Neil Gaiman impersonation delightful), and there are a few songs thrown in. I really can't recommend this enough.

1. Tagged! The audiobook is amazing and she sings in it!
2. My Triggers. Patriarchal sexist nonsense , racism.
3. Casey McQuiston ( red white and royal blue was a five star read as well! )
Thanks for the tag @ImperfectCJ
Have you played yet @Megabooks @wanderinglynn
#wondrouswednesday

Agree 100%! ❤ this post by Amanda Palmer!

#Friyayintro
1. I love spring because it‘s time for plants and flowers to be planted and start blooming! It‘s a great time to clean and start fresh. Love the symbolism of it all.
2. Somewhere in between depending on the day.
3. Just 2 it‘s been a rough month for reading. But the tagged book was a 5 star! And Amanda Palmer has inspired me to learn the ukulele.
4. Thanks for the love @Chrissyreadit sending love to @MoonWitch94 @cobwebmoth

Speaking of Amanda Palmer and Fucking Neil Gaiman ! I‘m watching their crowd cast currently ! She‘s singing and he‘s reading Poe. Ahh you can find the link on her instagram. They are so lovely ! 🖤

Beautiful book! I love Amanda‘s artistic worldview and her voice is so lovely. I loved the musical interludes. As an artists this mentality of asking and taking care of each other is dear to me. I love supporting artists I love and it makes me feel great to be part of their community! ❤️🖤

I can‘t remember which Litsy friend gave me this, but it was some time ago.

I have to admit I don‘t like Amanda Palmer‘s music. I have friends who love her so I‘ve tried listening to her many many times. I just don‘t like it.

As a person though, I love her. This book is lovely. The idea of building community to support each other through times we need support, it‘s pretty relevant to the times.

I‘m glad I read this now. 🌸💕

#wondrouswednesday @Eggs
1. I try to participate in any challenge or survey I am tagged in. I admin the #moonreflections survey during full moons and sometimes new moons.
2. I love participating in swaps! I hosted #basicwitchswap with @sprainedbrain I am also a part of the lovely#litsylove group!
3. I am grateful for my job and the people I get to serve in my community everyday. My community here on Litsy, and my framily.

1. Claudia Gray, Elizabeth Gilbert, Margaret Atwood
2. Current inspirations Billie Eilish , Amanda Palmer (currently listening to her audiobook 💕)
3. I don‘t usually read blogs so I don‘t have any suggestions but I‘m welcome to everyone‘s .
4. I follow many lovely women who make and create a few of my favorites DarcMoon (Malas) RobinEisenberg (digital art) Black and the Moon (Tarot) Atomic Pixies ( Art and Pins! )
#friyayintro

“I went to a yoga class in Fitzroy today with a packed room full of people and during the final resting pose the teacher suggested we all imagine the clouds forming, the rain coming. I started to cry. I don‘t believe that our thoughts have the power to bring the rain — not exactly — but I do believe in the power of what it feels like to be in a room of human beings all wishing the same thing at the same time.” 👇🏻

"art‘s job is to speak truth to power. art‘s job is to not shut up, to not let up, to keep reminding humanity that there are far more important things than power, money and winning." - Amanda Palmer

This isn't from this book, but as always -and maybe especially when I read this book - Amanda Palmer's words ring true.

I started today! Only have one class this morning (On Sparta!) But still excited. Also really loving this audio book. Amanda is such an interesting person. And I've always been a fan of her music and I loved her Ted Talk.

The accompanying book to Amanda Palmers latest album. I became a patreon member to get the hardback of this. Stayed because she's an amazing woman and I should have joined sooner. Been reading this over the past couple of days and it's refreshing how open she is about what she's gone through. It's also tremendously sad. We go through so much as humans, yet we still seem at war with each other. Remember: 'It's just a ride'.

#community #quotsyjuly19 @TK-421

#moonreflections
1. Continuously learn & gather feedback.
2. Tagged. And the quote: “Any arbitrary turning along the way and I would be elsewhere; I would be different” Francis Mayes
3. Blessings to all! @Mitch @LapReader @cobwebmoth 😘

My morning consisted of a trip to the post office, library, and bakery. Now I'm off to see Dark Phoenix.

I dug this. Amanda herself narrated, occasionally pausing from the memoir to sing. Her story is a fascinating one, how she would “statue”, how she got involved with and ended up married to Neil Gaiman— I really respect how she achieved fame and genuinely cares for her fans. 💕

This book was heartbreaking, hilarious, insightful & challenging.
The format itself felt unorganized and scattered throughout, although I did enjoy the snippets on the audiobook of Amanda‘s music.
This book was a beautifully written narrative delivery of Amanda‘s wild ride of life thus far.
We could all stand to pay more attention to her living with reckless abandon and choosing to bravely connect with strangers, friends and lovers alike.

I think the real risk is the choice to disconnect. To be afraid of one another.
We make countless choices everyday whether to ask or to turn away from one another.

To erase the possibility of empathy is also to erase the possibility of art. Theater, fiction, horror stories, love stories. This is what art does. Good or bad, it imagines the insides, the heart of the other, whether that heart is full of light or trapped in darkness.

To erase the possibility of empathy is to erase the possibility of understanding.

The difference between wanting to be looked at and wanting to be seen.

This is definitely one of those “close the book and stare at the wall for a minute because that‘s so eloquently and beautifully written and I just can‘t even with it right now” moments.

Have to make it public to y‘all though because I need you all to experience it right along with me!!

This convo between Amanda Palmer and Neil Gaiman is such a classic depiction of the fiercely independent woman persona and the poor soul single man who just wants his woman but is having a serious eye roll moment right now AND IT HAS ME DYING OVER HERE Y‘ALL!!! 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

When you openly, radically trust people, they not only take care of you, they become your allies, your family.

All art, no matter what shape it is, has to come from somewhere.
We can only connect the dots we can collect.

Asking for help and the power of “We.”

Those who can ask without shame are viewing themselves in collaboration with—rather than in competition with—the world.

You‘re an artist when you say you are. And you‘re a good artist when you make somebody else experience or feel something deep or unexpected.

Often it is our own sense that we are undeserving of help that has immobilized us. Whether it‘s in the arts, at work, or in our relationships, we often resist asking not only because we‘re afraid of rejection but also because we don‘t even think we deserve. What we‘re asking for. We have to truly believe in the validity of what we‘re asking for.

Happy World Book Day, Littens!!

It‘s a neat thought to consider that many of you are from other corners of the globe, yet we come together and celebrate our love of reading and books!!

Tagged is the book I‘m diving into today!! Tag yours in the comments, I want to know what everyone is reading wherever you are!!

Last night I had the privilege of seeing Amanda Palmer's show. It was sad. It was powerful. I cried. I laughed. I smiled through the tears. #therewillbenointermission and the icing on the donut 🍩 😉 was that I got the chance to meet her preshow! It was amazing and beautiful.
I was first introduced to her music after reading her book. And the opening line makes me smile every time.

Not really book related, but she did write a book & I‘m still super excited.
I have been a fan of Amanda Palmer since 2006ish and read her book a few months ago.
Well, my boyfriend surprised me with a ticket to go see her in concert last night. This was the first time I‘ve ever did anything like this by myself, and it was one of the best experiences I‘ve ever had. It was sad, and beautiful, and hilarious, and I couldn‘t ask for more. ❤️🖤❤️

I didn‘t know who Amanda Palmer was until I attended a Neil Gaiman signing in 2013. I‘ve been interested in reading her book since it came out. I am blown away! I have so much respect and admiration for this amazing woman!! I ❤️ her narration of the audiobook; her voice and story telling brought me complete zen and peace. #theartofasking #ReadingUSA2019 #Massachusetts

This was a brilliant book. I thought it was a book about anxiety (“how I learned to stop worrying”) but it is more about how to ask for help and how to receive it, within the context of creativity mostly but also relationally. @amandapalmer is a kickstarter/crowdfunding genius and it was fascinating to read about how that process actually works. I‘m also a Neil Gaiman fangirl so the insights into how they met/married/etc were wonderful. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Just finished this book and I'm still crying. So good, so inspiring, so touching and raw and real. If you have a free weekend, spend it with this book!

I started this book 5 months ago and put it down as I wasn't "feeling it". I picked it back up, and actually quite enjoyed it. Yes, it's self-indulgent but that's just Amanda Palmer. I love that we have all kinds of people in the world and that many choose to share their art and soul with the rest of us.

And this is what happens when you visit the bargain books section of your local bookstore and find a book that has been on your TBR list for too long with a price tag of $5.99.

#septemberdanes @Cinfhen @Kalalalatja

#WarriorWorrier

I like the "moon" my page refresh/screenshot created. It fits with AP looking up.

I liked the message for the most part in this book but I didn‘t love the way it was portrayed. I just felt like she talked so much about all the negative things that happened to her and her message got lost in there. I also really didn‘t love this on audio. I didn‘t know much about her going into this so maybe someone who knows of her and is a fan would like this more.