Words and Music Is On Hiatus. I’m Sorry.

There’s no easy way for me to say this but Words and Music at MILK will be taking a hiatus. It will probably be longer than six months. This has been a difficult decision for us to make and has been after months of deliberation.

I have tried to keep Words and Music afloat when most days I have had 20% to give at best. I struggle to leave the house at all most days, even for a walk in the park or to go to the supermarket. The newsletter and email reminders fell to the wayside and social media management has been inconsistent at best. I have been worried that, because I am unable to be truly present for my event, that the quality of the nights at Words and Music has been suffering.

My burnout and mental health struggles will likely not be news to some of you. There’s a chance you may have noticed it some nights I’ve performed or hosted, but there’s a chance I may have been able to mask effectively.

I have struggled with organization and socialization for as long as I can remember. I was diagnosed with ADHD this year and it explains a lot. It explains my emotional dysregulation which for years I had mistaken for bipolar disorder.

Words and Music deserves better. I want to be able to give it better. But I cannot do it when I am so vulnerable. The event has been a big part of my identity as a writer but it has defined my adult life up until this point. Over this period of time, you might catch me at some writer’s groups or open mics as I try to rekindle some creative juices and motivation. You might not. I need to take care of myself, first and foremost. I also have my wedding to plan, which for an AuDHD person is a hard task!

I hope that Gayle and I can bring Words and Music back in some form or other but I can’t promise you any specific timeframe, how it’s going to look or where it’s going to be. All I know is that I’ll be working hard to get better so we can come back stronger.

Gayle, my poetry godmother and cohost, sporting her blonde hair. It's one of a few photos I remembered to get from the event this year.