Exciting developments, Kate! Really looking forward to An Interpreter in Vienna. Love your willingness to pivot - life evolves, our writing must too. I won't speak to schizophrenia specifically, but for the anxiety-prone, the constant need to juggle a million balls at the same time can produce some pretty hallucinatory moments... ;)
Thank you, Troy! Let's see where things go, right? I always want to follow new turns as they emerge...
Yikes. Anxiety is not fun. But I also listened to a Dr Chatterjee podcast that basically said you're a more advanced human if you're anxious. 👀 Hope the hallucinations at least lead to artistic experiments!
I hope I do Vienna justice for you! I also love Vienna! The story is about someone who is a foreigner and mainly sees / experiences the dark side of the city at first. Hope it doesn't startle you 😅. But...my favorite character is an old Viennese lady. Would love to get your ideas along the way.
I don't think it will startle me, I had the experience of being here as a foreigner and I know that it's not alway smooth (though it kind of was mostly for me). Regarding the old Viennese lady, I have a very good film for you to watch as research: 'Caught on a train' by Stephen Poliakoff. It's a gorgeous film about generational clash.
I love the dynamic way that you keep your programme of work under review. It makes me think I should give my own Substack a refresh and not keep plodding on in the same way! Terrific energy, Kate. I can understand your being eager to get back to teaching but rest assured, as a Matterhorn subscriber I have been the beneficiary of those teaching skills of yours. I am positive that many of your readers will feel the same. A big thank you from me and every good wish for your new job 💛💛💛
Such a kind comment, Jules. Thank you! I think a lot of us in this community are curious and open to learning from each other.
I do find that the work I do here just naturally progresses to something else in my mind. Then I find it useful to go back and structure what that looks like. It helps me to move ahead. Does that make sense? Sometimes I worry I change it too much! But I think we have to go where our creativity is taking us. Your newsletter has a lot of twists and turns to keep us guessing even if it has a certain structure it follows. Experiments always welcome though! 💜
It makes perfect sense. Having the confidence to change and also adapt to new stimuli is what keeps it exciting and fresh. It's a wonderful ride and I enjoy it so much!
Thanks, Wendy! London is such a great city. Looking forward to it. Also, there seems to be a lot of Substackers around there...well, more than in Basel :)
Bit late to the comments section on your email update, Kate, but this all sounds brilliant. I absolutely love how you consolidate and move on to the next iteration, learning from what you have done and taking the good stuff to the next stage. Your publication has consistently been one of the best I've read here on Substack, and I am so grateful for all that I have learnt from you so far. Looking forward to hanging out in person in London in the autumn!
These are exciting changes for you, Kate, I'm thrilled for you. Like you, I have also left Switzerland (still in transit for some time). "Ta panta ri (everything changes, I'm certain you know the quote). I think you'll love London and the art/writing scene there. I wish you much success and look forward to reading about your new life and work.
Thanks so much, Jo. Lovely message! We are also moving to be closer to my in-laws. I’ll miss Switzerland so much but it feels like the right thing (for now haha)!
Congratulations on the job offer, Kathleen! The students will be so lucky to have you as their thoughtful teacher. I hope it will be an exhilarating experience for you and them. I'm excited for all your upcoming offerings on your Substack. And I just bought A Hong Kong Story so I can continue reading the amazing novel!
It speaks to me so deeply, from all I've read thus far. Especially the relationship aspect. Many years ago, it was a similar experience for me. I appreciate how profoundly you delved into exploring the nuances of love and also the culture, the community, the city, who is an important character too.
Grüezi Kathleen! Interesting post and good luck with the move to London from Basel. I've lived in Zürich and worked in Basel so can appreciate the cultural jump. Wanted to point out, from a medical perspective, one of the most persistent and common misunderstandings about schizophrenia is that it involves a "split personality," two separate and conflicting identities sharing one brain. The ‘split mind’ in schizophrenia is in fact a split from reality, not split personalities. This doesn't diminish what's being highlighted by those you've mentioned, but I think knowing the metaphor is a myth is something worth taking account of. https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/probing-question-how-do-schizophrenia-and-did-differ/
This is a great article, Johnathan. Thanks so much for sharing it. It's complicated when terms are borrowed and then morph, often with connotations the public might not be clear on in the first place. Interesting the way a term can do this but also important to understand the differences.
Thanks for your comment and interesting to hear about your Swiss experience! Basel is a fantastic place. So much art and the tri-nation frontier. I will miss it a lot! But my inlaws live near London and that's where our next jobs are. London will have other cultural experiences to offer, no doubt.
I know something about psychiatry, little about entomology but zero about etymology (is this even what 'word morphing' relates to?), so I'm very pleased you liked my comment. My first experience of Art Basel was walking to the office one day and having a naked woman painted all in green thrusting a leaflet into my hand! This Englishman never went near a sauna after that... 😛. Carnival day and Zürich's Swiss Pride was also a revelation, given the reserved Swiss reputation. For sure, London has lots to offer, but the Swiss cities - and mountains - are wonderful.
And yes, etymology works for sure -- history of the word and all. It could also be resignification. I feel like there should be another word that specifically talks about a word changing shape in different contexts. If there is, i don't know it.
Congrats on the new position and looking forward to the new serialized work! While I’ll be disappointed the podcast is in slumber for a while, fortunately there is so much great content in the previous recordings I can spend 2024 just relistening at will!
Thanks so much, Brian. Listening again -- what a compliment! If you find threads you’d like me to continue on the podcast, I’d love to hear it. Think you’ll also find the discussions will add to these ideas. They are meaty with lots of links and possibilities!
Congrats on all of the great news you shared here, Kate! Excited to hear updates on life once you're back in the (physical) classroom.
And thank you for the layers you've added to my reading of Bernstein’s interview with Murrow. I've seen and read a wealth of interviews with Lenny, enough to know that more than a few of his ideas haven't aged well at all. Your contextualization of his allusion of the creator/performer dichotomy to schizophrenia is illuminating.
I've felt a similar tension since leaving my performance career more than a decade ago. While I wouldn't want to be back up on stage testing reeds and counting rests, I did for so long miss that sense of immediate connection when sharing music directly with an audience. It wasn't until writing on Substack that I felt a similar charge as being on stage. Writing as a solitary or business pursuit didn't scratch that external itch, but writing in public here absolutely has done that.
Which is all to say, I'm sure your brilliant work here at the Matterhorn will fuel your IRL teaching and vice versa in so many new and exciting ways. What a rush you must be feeling! 💙
Thank you, Michael! I’ve only heard/read a small amount of Lenny’s interviews but can see what you mean. Happy this worked for you. I think Cooper was making a kind of adaptation of the text in this way.
I was also thinking this part may have resonated with you. Interesting to hear your perspective. The balance can be so tricky! The other thing is that we can always adjust the balance. Finding connection in different ways is difficult and a different experience. You were literally on stage and mine was more metaphorical. I think it can be draining at times even with the joy it brings. I’m never sure where things will lead me and wonder what direction this will take eventually. In any case, your work emerging from that space is wonderful and I hope you have found or can find that balance!
Yes! Part of doing what we do is knowing we can always recalibrate that balance. It brings such a sense of freedom and freshness to my work knowing that I've pivoted 100 times before and will likely pivot 100 times more!
Congratulations on the position and move, Kate! The school is lucky to have you inbound!
Also, I applaud you on the pivot for The Matterhorn and am excited for everything that's in store. Your energy and enthusiasm is always infectious.
Those words and quotes about the split creative life resonate.
Thanks Nathan! Kind words.
I thought that part might apply to you. ☺️
Congratulations on the new job. You're going to rock! Looking forward to the new Matterhorn! Change is the only constant in the universe, after all.
Thanks Alexander 😁
Always a good philosophical perspective from you!
Exciting developments, Kate! Really looking forward to An Interpreter in Vienna. Love your willingness to pivot - life evolves, our writing must too. I won't speak to schizophrenia specifically, but for the anxiety-prone, the constant need to juggle a million balls at the same time can produce some pretty hallucinatory moments... ;)
Thank you, Troy! Let's see where things go, right? I always want to follow new turns as they emerge...
Yikes. Anxiety is not fun. But I also listened to a Dr Chatterjee podcast that basically said you're a more advanced human if you're anxious. 👀 Hope the hallucinations at least lead to artistic experiments!
Congratulations on your new job, and all the best with moving to a new country and starting at the school. It sounds all very exciting!
I loved this update and now I’m curious to dig into your fiction. Vienna… excited to read how you’ll portray this city that I simply love.
Thank you, Claudia! 💙
I hope I do Vienna justice for you! I also love Vienna! The story is about someone who is a foreigner and mainly sees / experiences the dark side of the city at first. Hope it doesn't startle you 😅. But...my favorite character is an old Viennese lady. Would love to get your ideas along the way.
I don't think it will startle me, I had the experience of being here as a foreigner and I know that it's not alway smooth (though it kind of was mostly for me). Regarding the old Viennese lady, I have a very good film for you to watch as research: 'Caught on a train' by Stephen Poliakoff. It's a gorgeous film about generational clash.
Oh I can’t wait! Will try to see it this week. Thanks 😊
Will be fun to compare Vienna notes.
Yes, that would be fun. Lots to talk 🤣
Kate - congrats on the job and move. That is quite exciting. Looking forward to what you have in store for us going forward. All the best!
Thanks Matthew! Appreciate it. Good to have you here.
So excited for you to move to London! And this all generally sounds very exciting. :-)
Thanks Tom! London meetup for sure... :)
Sounds like you've got lots of great stuff planned for the newsletter and life in general. I'm only an hour's train from London!
Nice, Harvey! See you at the meet-up then? :)
All being well and if I can make it, sure! :)
I love the dynamic way that you keep your programme of work under review. It makes me think I should give my own Substack a refresh and not keep plodding on in the same way! Terrific energy, Kate. I can understand your being eager to get back to teaching but rest assured, as a Matterhorn subscriber I have been the beneficiary of those teaching skills of yours. I am positive that many of your readers will feel the same. A big thank you from me and every good wish for your new job 💛💛💛
Such a kind comment, Jules. Thank you! I think a lot of us in this community are curious and open to learning from each other.
I do find that the work I do here just naturally progresses to something else in my mind. Then I find it useful to go back and structure what that looks like. It helps me to move ahead. Does that make sense? Sometimes I worry I change it too much! But I think we have to go where our creativity is taking us. Your newsletter has a lot of twists and turns to keep us guessing even if it has a certain structure it follows. Experiments always welcome though! 💜
It makes perfect sense. Having the confidence to change and also adapt to new stimuli is what keeps it exciting and fresh. It's a wonderful ride and I enjoy it so much!
🤗 🥂
Love london I am based in christchurch in Dorset a pretty village just a few hours from London ..... good luck
Thanks, Wendy! London is such a great city. Looking forward to it. Also, there seems to be a lot of Substackers around there...well, more than in Basel :)
🤔😂 when your in london visit Cecil Court In london very cool place for book fanatics like ourselves!
https://maps.app.goo.gl/9jtxZUv9yc33JmSH7?g_st=ic
Oh I've heard about this and never been! Thanks a lot.
Your welcome 🙏
Bit late to the comments section on your email update, Kate, but this all sounds brilliant. I absolutely love how you consolidate and move on to the next iteration, learning from what you have done and taking the good stuff to the next stage. Your publication has consistently been one of the best I've read here on Substack, and I am so grateful for all that I have learnt from you so far. Looking forward to hanging out in person in London in the autumn!
You are the best. What a nice comment.
Yes to London hanging out, fun times!
These are exciting changes for you, Kate, I'm thrilled for you. Like you, I have also left Switzerland (still in transit for some time). "Ta panta ri (everything changes, I'm certain you know the quote). I think you'll love London and the art/writing scene there. I wish you much success and look forward to reading about your new life and work.
Thanks so much, Jo. Lovely message! We are also moving to be closer to my in-laws. I’ll miss Switzerland so much but it feels like the right thing (for now haha)!
That makes sense, Kate. Yes, I know what you mean when you say, "for now" 😉 one never knows. All the best!
Congratulations on the job offer, Kathleen! The students will be so lucky to have you as their thoughtful teacher. I hope it will be an exhilarating experience for you and them. I'm excited for all your upcoming offerings on your Substack. And I just bought A Hong Kong Story so I can continue reading the amazing novel!
Thank you so much, Nadia! And oh that is so kind of you to buy my book 🤗 I hope you enjoy it!
It speaks to me so deeply, from all I've read thus far. Especially the relationship aspect. Many years ago, it was a similar experience for me. I appreciate how profoundly you delved into exploring the nuances of love and also the culture, the community, the city, who is an important character too.
Lovely words 💙💙
I’m sorry you had to go through something like this. Many aspects of it also came from a real experience for me. Writing always helps. ❤️
And I'm sorry for your experiences. We take the good out of the bad and transform it into wisdom and writing! <3
Grüezi Kathleen! Interesting post and good luck with the move to London from Basel. I've lived in Zürich and worked in Basel so can appreciate the cultural jump. Wanted to point out, from a medical perspective, one of the most persistent and common misunderstandings about schizophrenia is that it involves a "split personality," two separate and conflicting identities sharing one brain. The ‘split mind’ in schizophrenia is in fact a split from reality, not split personalities. This doesn't diminish what's being highlighted by those you've mentioned, but I think knowing the metaphor is a myth is something worth taking account of. https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/probing-question-how-do-schizophrenia-and-did-differ/
This is a great article, Johnathan. Thanks so much for sharing it. It's complicated when terms are borrowed and then morph, often with connotations the public might not be clear on in the first place. Interesting the way a term can do this but also important to understand the differences.
Thanks for your comment and interesting to hear about your Swiss experience! Basel is a fantastic place. So much art and the tri-nation frontier. I will miss it a lot! But my inlaws live near London and that's where our next jobs are. London will have other cultural experiences to offer, no doubt.
I know something about psychiatry, little about entomology but zero about etymology (is this even what 'word morphing' relates to?), so I'm very pleased you liked my comment. My first experience of Art Basel was walking to the office one day and having a naked woman painted all in green thrusting a leaflet into my hand! This Englishman never went near a sauna after that... 😛. Carnival day and Zürich's Swiss Pride was also a revelation, given the reserved Swiss reputation. For sure, London has lots to offer, but the Swiss cities - and mountains - are wonderful.
Oh my, what an experience! :)
Heading to the mountains again tomorrow...
And yes, etymology works for sure -- history of the word and all. It could also be resignification. I feel like there should be another word that specifically talks about a word changing shape in different contexts. If there is, i don't know it.
"Etymorphsimification'? 😳😛
It's a win! Call the OED.
Congrats on the new position and looking forward to the new serialized work! While I’ll be disappointed the podcast is in slumber for a while, fortunately there is so much great content in the previous recordings I can spend 2024 just relistening at will!
Thanks so much, Brian. Listening again -- what a compliment! If you find threads you’d like me to continue on the podcast, I’d love to hear it. Think you’ll also find the discussions will add to these ideas. They are meaty with lots of links and possibilities!
Some big changes coming! Congratulations on the new job, Kate. I look forward to following your new endeavors.
Thanks John! Appreciate that. Also always interested where diverse work will lead.
You and others here have inspired me to think about writing fiction for the first time in twenty years--so thanks for that. An idea is brewing.
That's great, John. Can't wait to hear more about it!
Congrats on all of the great news you shared here, Kate! Excited to hear updates on life once you're back in the (physical) classroom.
And thank you for the layers you've added to my reading of Bernstein’s interview with Murrow. I've seen and read a wealth of interviews with Lenny, enough to know that more than a few of his ideas haven't aged well at all. Your contextualization of his allusion of the creator/performer dichotomy to schizophrenia is illuminating.
I've felt a similar tension since leaving my performance career more than a decade ago. While I wouldn't want to be back up on stage testing reeds and counting rests, I did for so long miss that sense of immediate connection when sharing music directly with an audience. It wasn't until writing on Substack that I felt a similar charge as being on stage. Writing as a solitary or business pursuit didn't scratch that external itch, but writing in public here absolutely has done that.
Which is all to say, I'm sure your brilliant work here at the Matterhorn will fuel your IRL teaching and vice versa in so many new and exciting ways. What a rush you must be feeling! 💙
Thank you, Michael! I’ve only heard/read a small amount of Lenny’s interviews but can see what you mean. Happy this worked for you. I think Cooper was making a kind of adaptation of the text in this way.
I was also thinking this part may have resonated with you. Interesting to hear your perspective. The balance can be so tricky! The other thing is that we can always adjust the balance. Finding connection in different ways is difficult and a different experience. You were literally on stage and mine was more metaphorical. I think it can be draining at times even with the joy it brings. I’m never sure where things will lead me and wonder what direction this will take eventually. In any case, your work emerging from that space is wonderful and I hope you have found or can find that balance!
Yes! Part of doing what we do is knowing we can always recalibrate that balance. It brings such a sense of freedom and freshness to my work knowing that I've pivoted 100 times before and will likely pivot 100 times more!