Hello and Happy Monday! I’m Mark Richardson and I’m thrilled to be filling in today! I am, in a roundabout way, Mal’s uncle. Here’s how we are related: her grandfather, whom she called Poppa Ira (he passed away in 2013), was my wife Julie’s stepfather. There’s something special about the fact that this large blended family with all these connections that are hard to keep track of has stayed so tight, and I feel lucky to be part of it.
I was trying to pinpoint when Mal and I first met and I found this photo, taken (I think?) when I first met her in Richmond. I’m not sure what year it was since I look like I’m roughly 12, which would make Mal approximately negative 13. I wish I could tell you what’s up with the hat.
A few words about me: I live with Julie, our dog Lenny, and our cat Rufino in Phoenicia, New York, which is a little over two hours north of New York City. Phoenicia is in the Catskill Mountains. We moved here in late 2020 after nine years in Brooklyn. My work life is centered on music and writing. I’m the rock and pop critic for the Wall Street Journal. I used to be the editor of the website Pitchfork, and I also work for a company that does curation and editorial stuff for streaming companies. I have a Substack.
OK, let’s get to it!
The format:
What I’m crushing (accomplishing, achieving, attaining, fulfilling, something that I am being successful at.)
What is crushing me (see definition 3b, something that is bringing me down.)
What I’m crushing on (admiring, adoring, appreciating, cherishing, favoriting, etc.)
What I’m crushing
It was a very warm weekend here in the Catskills, and the weather and coming spring have me excited to live healthier. I like winter, but sometimes being mostly inside for months can lead to unhealthy habits. So I’m feeling motivated to eat better, exercise more, and wake up earlier. Today, we took Lenny for a long walk in the woods by Esopus Creek, and it was heavenly.
What’s crushing me
The past few months have been brutal for media and journalism. I’ve been thinking a lot about my field, and what it means that so many people are being laid off—including many of my old friends at Pitchfork—and publications are being shuttered. I’m also thinking about artificial intelligence and what it will mean in the future for people who make money by thinking and writing, like me. It’s scary!
What I’m crushing on
I mentioned I write about music for a part of my living, and I’m also an avid record collector. There are a couple of great shops in the nearby town of Kingston and another I like in Woodstock, and I typically pop in there every couple of weeks to flip through LPs. Since moving to Phoenicia, I’ve immersed myself in the music of roots-rock singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams, and I’ve been playing her song “Are You Alright?” on repeat. I love how simple and vulnerable it is, just letting someone know they’ve been on your mind and that you’re hoping for the best for them.
Wherever this finds you, I hope you’re alright. Thanks again to Mallory for asking me to pinch-hit!
Two great writers of the family unite -- what a triumph!