Where I've Been

Sometimes life takes me away from Substack and to faraway places like Big Sur, New Mexico, and the playground where my son insists on dive-bombing off the slide forty-five times in a row. This past month has been full of adventures, editing my next film, and I guess I’m a playwright now?! Here’s the latest…

If you’re going to be in London on June 25th and 26th, my short doc on female orgasm called It's Not Pee! is premiering at Raindance Film Festival. I made this film in a fever dream with adriana marie rizzolo, working late nights with our fabulous editor, Ky Shea, over the course of my vacation in Hawai’i (why do I do this to myself…why?). The film is an ode to female pleasure, adult sex education, and honors Queer pioneer Deborah Sundahl and her decades-long career in all things sex. Thank you to the freaky folks at Raindance for programming this film. Go see it! Watch the trailer here.

Speaking of pleasure, last month I spent three dreamy days at Esalen Institute assisting Mirabai Starr. Spending time with Mirabai is like taking the deepest exhale, and on this land with its healing hot springs, towering trees, and nature spirits, I was practically reborn. Plus, this was the first trip I took away from my toddler, and guess what? I slept great. In addition to drinking in Mirabai’s wisdom on Ordinary Mysticism, I got to hang out with Greta Ronningen, a radical Episcopal nun and prison chaplain. Being with these two badass women all weekend gifted me many lessons which are still unfolding.

Me, Mirabai Starr, Sister Greta

Last weekend, I hopped on a flight to New Mexico with my husband and our 20-month-old. Since we are completely psycho and crunchy and don’t own an iPad, our two-hour flight was one long reading marathon and animal finger puppet show. It was actually great. We got to attend a vibey wedding with Persian and Sufi touches and opened with an original MUSICAL telling the couples love story. I don’t know what could top that. Highlights included our son falling asleep during zikr (Sufi chanting), staying in a gorgeous Airbnb, and eating the best rose-pistachio cake I’ve ever tasted. There’s something about the high desert that puts me in a trance, maybe it’s the dehydration, but I’m completely enamored with the Land of Enchantment. I also realized the last time I was in Taos, I was about six months pregnant with my son and an old lady asked me if I was having twins (I forgive you, lady. When I look back at photos, I was HUGE).

Life has been full lately! I’m gearing up to share an excerpt from my play Jackpot in a reading this weekend. I just completed my most recent Screenwriting Essentials class and was inspired by the power of visual storytelling once again. It’s so satisfying to witness total beginners write screenplays that are fucking great (seriously). I may offer this class online again soon, stay tuned. And if you’re interested in joining me and powerhouse adriana marie rizzolo on retreat, come to Ojai in July for Embodied Performance: Ritual, Rage, and Divine Comedy – A Weekend Retreat. Everything we do is fun (and deep) and this will be no exception!

x kat