The Void
in between the in-between
HAPPY HOLIDAYS/NEW YEAR, FINE FOLLOWERS!!!
I hope everyone got to relax, recharge, see some loved ones, treat themselves, eat decadently, and log the heck OFF! This time of year I am often fixated on the in-between of Christmas and New Years - we’re definitely not BACK for the year but we’re also like… not fully off? Depending on what field you work in, we’ve got some weekdays in that 5.5 day chunk of time to tackle. And my retail/service industry warriors I mean… forget about it.
The way I work, days mean nothing. Any day of the week can be a show night, a travel day, or a studio session. Because I am self-employed, I have the combined privilege/horror of being able to work whenever I want which also means that any free moment can be consequentially filled with work.
Something I want to get better at in 2026 is to make intentional downtime a part of my routine. An amorphous time like the year’s end is an opportunity to try this out - it’s almost as if the global excuse of unavailability gives my brain a little more wiggle room to fuck off. I am guilty of regular self-guilting sprees (!) and I want to start imposing a recharge period of time because ultimately, this will help me show up to my creative and work processes prepared, with an open heart, excited to execute.
The void, this odd less-than-week is also a time to think about what’s ahead with a mindset of calm, cheerfulness. Each year I assess my goals from the previous year and brainstorm new ones. I WRITE THESE GOALS DOWN!!!!!! and it’s so fun to see what got accomplished vs. what’s still in progress. This year, I have goals that expand beyond music into further creative fields and personal flagposts. I LOVE talking about goals and I LOVEEEEE hearing what other peoples goals are! WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS?! WHAT ARE YOUR VALUES?!?!? Hit the chat - and perhaps once I’ve wrapped my brain around some more specifics, I’ll share some too :)
The void is SWIRLINGGGG about. The cities are quiet!!!! I encourage you to make something special out of a time that feels so painfully “hurry up and wait” that by the time the new year hits, we’re already exhausted. I’M TRYING, OK?! A blessing on this void and on having a moment to yourself to wring out your brains from the big year we all just experienced <3
Let me wrap by saying: thank you all for being a part of another wonderful year at IH HQ. We toured hard, culminating in two of my favorite shows EVER to date, in celebration of 5 years of FREE I.H. We dropped an EP, Nickel On the Fountain Floor, which contains five songs I’m really proud of. The studio projects on my docket have me bubbling over with inspiration, and I’m looking forward to our first show back on Feb 28 in San Francisco for Noise Pop. It feels like it’s been 1000 years and also 1 second, and I’m so glad to have met y’all along the way.
If you’re still reading this, I've got POWER hoodies on mega sale on my merch site - it’ll be 50% off when you add it to your cart! Have the happiest new year, see you on the other side.
shred on,
Sarah
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if you’re feeling generous, cheers me!!
if you’re feeling inspired, support CHIRLA <3
Lovely sentiment and I’m in the same work-boat as you (in that I too am self-employed, going project to project, filling the in-between with whatever needs to be done when it needs to be done). One of those filled moments was seeing the Free IH show here in LA which was a highlight of my year in music. I’m not a strong believer in the New Year as a re-set of goals and intentions. I’m more of a rolling-start-date kind of person. Each day can be a re-set if necessary. That way if I miss a target, whatever it may be, I have a chance to get there again right away. Of course, I go way off track frequently, and I fail often. But I also succeed, too, and there is some joy in that. Happy new year to you and as much as you look forward to creating this year, I look forward to hearing it.