Dear readers,
Over October break, my friends and I day tripped to Western Massachusetts. I could wax poetic about the beautiful gradients of yellow, orange and red that peppered the trees, or the fact Emily Dickinson was such a recluse that she dropped a basket of treats off a rope on her balcony instead of greeting her guests. But what I actually remember most about the trip was the song “Temptation” by New Order.
We listened to the song on loop too many times to count, racing across highways, and strolling through Amherst and South Hadley with a pep in our step every time Bernard Sumner sang the words, “Up, down, turn around / Please don’t let me hit the ground / Tonight, I think I’ll walk alone / I’ll find my soul as I go home.” I’d like to imagine these lyrics to a line dance with a trust fall. That would be super cool, I think.
The album that “Temptation” comes off of is New Order’s Substance, which is a sort of musical smorgasbord of guitars, synths, and drums. Similarly to Substance, there is no unifying or consistent theme in this issue of the Herald. What’s more daring than having no idea what you’re doing? That’s the approach I’m taking to this LfE, anyways. I hope nobody is too bothered by it.
In this issue, you’ll find a feature by Miye Sugino about the woman who extensively documented Harvey Cushing’s findings on brains – yet is notably absent from the historical record. Clara Holahan converses with her fellow YUAG Gallery Guides. Kellyn Kolber travels to Guilford, Connecticut, home of the annual Gilmore Girls Fan Fest. Two-and-a-half hours away, in Farmington, Connecticut, Luna Martini reminisces on her childhood Halloweens. Melissa Adamantidi fucks around with the word fuck. Talia Namdar-Cohen plunges into the inner life of a superficial, wealthy Manhattanite. Amaré Fields memorializes Trayvon Martin. And the saga of the Lowell Mill Girls continues in Sharon Chou’s historical reimagination.
As we tread into uncertain waters (the post-Daylight Saving stretch of the semester), we can hold onto the memories, the people, and the places that have grounded us. We have you enjoy the glimpses into our writers’ souls as you read our newest issue – and possibly find your own as you go home (aka as you write for the Herald).
Most daringly,
Angel and Hudson
