1-800-POWERS

Delali Ayivor brings fun to the archive! In this conversation, we talk about her practice in information technology; family history and recipes in iPhone notes; creative tips for free writing; and her current project, Consideration, which mines her Facebook for 8th grade conversations. To top it all off, she reads one of her poems, IBID.

Delali is a poet writing for Black women and those who hope to love them. Delali has been a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts and was a member of the second cohort of Kehinde Wiley’s Black Rock Senegal residency. A 2020 Tin House Summer Workshop Scholar, and a resident at Atlantic Center for the Arts with Tracie Morris and at the STONELEAF Retreat.

1-800-POWERS returns from a spring hiatus with a pod noir. An intrepid woman of mystery takes you on a smoky case about abortion rights, teachers' gripes, Magritte's painting of a pipe, and Daniel Boorstin's 1962 book The Image: A Guide to Pseudoevents in America. Kick up your feet and grab a glass of something strong.

Ho ho ho. It's February. And Helpful Hints for Holiday Healing is here! In this episode is a trove of abstract and *practical* approaches for all kinds of ailments. Which include (though the list is certainly not exhaustive) healing from:

- depression, seasonal/environmental (2:18)

- depression, deep depression (5:06)

- loneliness (11:54)

- loss by death (21:08)

- loss of the living (25:09)

- being overworked (29:26)

- addiction (38:04)

- guilt (48:30)

- gaslighting (56:38)

- insults (1:17:04)

- apathy (1:19:14)

- poor self-esteem about hair, nose, ears, toes, skin, gut, butt, or any other body part that grows... or shrinks! (1:21:04)

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Following up from the last episode about the pineal gland, we continue the exploration of darkness - this time the psychological darkness of the mind. As much as we hate to admit it, it's one of our favorite places: we take ourselves into the dark to find things for our own growth. Without darkness, we would have no definition of light. This episode explores that idea of dualistic "sides" and the illusion of lightness and darkness – in between which is healing. Later comes a passage from all about love, the much-beloved book by the late, great bell hooks. bell hooks uses Erich Fromm's definition of love as "the will to extend one's self for the purpose of nurturing one's own or another's spiritual growth." This definition of love is very different than defining it as a feeling, and might be of more use to use when we are trying to figure out what are loving relationships and what aren't. 

It's the holiday season and that comes with bright lights and dark nights. In this episode we talk about the very amazing pineal gland, which orients us in time and space, how it's affected by electromagnetic fields, and some of its more mysterious qualities. We also reflect on evergreens, plants, and how they can help us think about planting new seeds in a season of rest and recharging. Make sure you tune in for the green smoothie recipe at the end!

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