I’m afraid that the tension in my back and shoulders will never leave my body because that’s how long I’ve had it but when I look back at the past month, I feel like it all might just be worth it. A massage might also be nice but I’m not entirely extravagant with my spending these days.

I quit my job about a month ago today and the amount of stuff I’ve accomplished in this short time has me wondering a) how I hadn’t quit sooner and b) how I managed to get all this done and still find time to nap as much as I did. 

I won’t bore you with details, but rather a few highlights: I stepped away from the day-to-day management of this site and gave the reins to Luci (who has done a marvelous job, and never ceases to amaze me), launched Left Bank Buzz (our sister site/creative agency), geared up to launch Left Bank College (the ‘Trump University’ of Left Bank that curates art from college students and doesn’t actually give degrees), put together the zine and prepared for the release show, and completely redecorated my apartment. 

I also went to Oregon and Beacon, NY and have just really enjoyed my life, in between the panic attacks I’ve been having. So, to celebrate and honor this moment in my life, I’ve done what I do best: made a playlist.

Marcos Naide — In the Streets

This track is like a drum and bass meets bedroom pop lullaby. I can’t quite figure out where it fits in the genre spectrum but you know what, like my employment status, let’s not put a label on things huh?

Sir – Vival — Girls Retreat

This chapter of my life is equal parts hell and Valhalla, and I’ve always really liked this track as the artist is from my mother country of Grenada.

Goo — Repetition

We’ve all had that one job that you go to and feel your soul slowly drain from your body each day. You gain like 15 pounds because you’re stress or bored eating and really anything seems better than getting out of bed and heading to work. Goo has completely captured that feeling in this track Repetition. It is my life. Well, my previous life, now there is no repetition and everything is chaotic but freedom is so much better than boredom.

Julian Alfombra — Renaissance Boys

Durham, UK musician Julian Alfombra has a voice of gold and sings sad songs that sound more bedroom pop and dreamy than sad, which is great because when you’re sad (or stressed, or both) the last thing you want is a track to make you feel more sad (here’s looking at you Morrissey). So thanks Julian, you get me.

Zeroth Ones — Dread Glimpse

I’m sure you see where I’m going with this. The thing about quitting your job and embarking on a magical journey of confusion and angst and happiness is that it’s filled with a lot of high’s and low’s. And the low’s are low, man. Like, how am I going to pay my rent low.

This track by Zeroth Ones is dark and instrumental, and very rarely do we even share tracks without lyrics but this is pure genius.

Echo Ladies — Overrated

So this track is oddly soothing and I can’t decide if it feels more Cocteau or Cranberries, but it’s like a really big hug and someone on the street telling you everything is going to be okay. This track is taken from Echo Ladies’ debut album “Pink Noise”. A marriage made in heaven.