Obviously: Stories from My Timeline

Obviously: Stories from My Timeline

Adult memoir
I think many of us go through our child years, our teen years,
and maybe even some of our adult years feeling like our families of
origin and life experiences are/were uniquely weird. Everyone else's
clan could fill in for the perfect sitcom household or those
photoshopped images of artificial awesomeness posted on social media.
Your family just never got the script. Anyone suffering under this
delusion would do well to read well known Black actress, writer,
comedian Akilah Hughes' Obviously: Stories from My Timeline.
"Even if you have seen me on TV or the internet, you probably
don't know that I am a former spelling-bee champion, Southerner,
Sundance Labs alum, and Disney cast member. I've lived a lot of lives
so far (all of them black, all of them matter), and it was never
really all that obvious how things would turn out..."
Reading Obviously is a real literary treat. Hughes serves up a
series of exquisitely crafted vignettes from her childhood and teen
and early professional years including:
*her mortification at a regional spelling bee where she misheard her
word;
*her nightmare fifth grade year with a hater for a teacher;
*her early experiences with animals, both pets and intruders;
*the many experiences of racism she encountered as a 15-year-old;
and so many more.
This coming-of-age narrative is completely engaging. I
recommend it to all readers who happen to be human beings.
On a purrrsonal note, I hope you had a great weekend. I sure did! On
its second official day spring came busting in like 4th of July
fireworks. Eugene and I went on a Sunday road trip. We went west
this time and enjoyed a McDonalds lunch. When we got back home temps
were in the 60s. I read outside in shorts and a tee shirt.
For the first time this year I'm doing a little project--a poster of
spring firsts and the day they happen. Everything from universal
(equinox) to idiosyncratic (the first spider). I plan to make it an
annual thing. You might want to try at least a list. It helps with
mindfulness.
My work week is starting off amazingly well. I got 96 on assignment 5
in statistics--my 2nd highest grade this semester. My favorite pre
pandemic jeans fit perfectly. And Emily stopped by a few minutes
ago. (Jules)
It feels like summer. Where are the Beach Boys when you need them?
(Tobago)
A great big shout goes out to Eugene and Emily.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway



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