Voice Note #3 - Girlfriend // Yoga for loneliness
I'm tired of all the spaces between
Hello friend, thought I’d try something a little different today and illustrated a comic strip instead of writing a letter. Lately I’ve been feeling inspired by artists like @filthyratbag, Liana Finck, Emily Sundberg, and Edith Zimmerman (of the wonderful Drawing Links newsletter). There’s just something about their work that’s so loose and free and full of life. So I cracked open my sketchbook and just went for it. (I completely lost track of time, which is rare for me these days). This week’s song below the comic strip. <3 I’d love to know your thoughts on this one, let me know in the comments or reply to this email! (Recommendations for pens and sketchbooks always eagerly appreciated) — Niki x
Yoga for loneliness
Girlfriend
I do all the things like
Hold you when you’re not right
But I’m not your girlfriend
Itching just to know now
All about how your day went
But I’m not your girlfriend
What would it take
For you to stake your claim
I wait up for you, take you serious
You talk so sweet
But you’re so hard to read
I’m tired of all the spaces between
Go a little crazy, cry when you don’t call me
But I’m not your girlfriend
Think about you constant
Whizzing through my mind like
Maybe I’ll tell him
What would it take
For you to stake your claim
I wait up for you, take you serious
You talk so sweet
But you’re so hard to read
I’m tired of all the spaces between
Before we turn the lights out
There’s always a goodnight
And then I dream about you
Reach you for real this time
You drive, I call shotgun
I could do this all night
But I’m not your girlfriend
In case the embed on top doesn’t work, try clicking on the title, above the lyrics. Shoot me an email if you encounter any issues.
Listen to the entire Voice Notes secret playlist here.
Special thanks to: my sister, for helping me collate the illustrations on one PNG file with her magic Photoshop skills; to K, for letting me call instead of text; and to Yoga with Adriene for her Yoga for Loneliness video, which really got me through this week. (That, and two bars of Lindt 70% Dark Chocolate. In three days. Lol). I hear a lot of people have been feeling similarly lonely and/or sad lately, and if you’re one of them—I see you, you are here, and it’s going to be okay.
Niki!!! I'm not very good at expressing my thoughts and feelings verbally, but I feel like I have to say this. I've subscribed to your Substack since you first made it, but the emails have just been sitting in my messy inbox. Yesterday when I was cleaning my 897 unopened emails, I found your newsletter again and decided to binge-read them while listening to your Soundcloud playlist. I cried at many parts but especially about the boy who stayed up with you while you were locked out of your room. Somehow it just hit a spot. You have such a beautiful way of storytelling, and I love how you reflected on your experiences in hindsight. You truly have a gift. I feel so bumped not having read your Substack newsletters sooner (tbh I used to think I'm not a newsletter reader type of gal), but from now on these Voice Notes will be something I look forward to every week!
I can feel the emotions in all your words and drawings, loved your strip. Great to know that you found in your loneliness a gateway to appreciate all the goodness inside and around you.