Leah Wellbaum is a musician, artist, and writer living in Los Angeles, CA. She is the principal songwriter, guitar player, and unrepentant aesthete of the band Slothrust, and also has a side project called ANMLPLNET. On the upcoming Slothrust album, Parallel Timeline, Wellbaum constructs a luscious, ethereal cosmos perforated with wormy portals and unexpected magical iconography. She is a lover of all things mystical and absurd. When she isn’t on the road, she offers lessons in music and creativity. You can find her art at www.leahwellbaum.com.
Hello! My name is Leah and you have discovered my new monthly column with Talkhouse. Each month, I eat a different fruit and pair it with the astrological sign of the season.
Why fruit, you ask? I will tell you.
In moments where I find myself caught in loops of existential dread, fruit has been a surprisingly grounding force. In a world with so much perceived chaos, fruit anchors me in a reality where all is intentional and perfect as is. I mean, have you seen it — have you ever really opened your eyes and heart to fruit? It offers gorgeously wild colors and has shockingly well-organized insides; It is an epic sensory experience. Sometimes when I think about fruit, the presence of the void falls away and all is exactly as it is meant to be. It is proof of a friendly divine order, full of hyper-organization and beauty.
I saw the old Disney animation for the first time recently, MathMagic Land, (featuring your friend and mine, Donald Duck). It really sold me on the mysterious mathematical wisdom of our universe. I was left with a feeling of trust in the reasons for everything around me. This is not arbitrary, this is magic-magnetic destiny. What a goddess-damn relief.
I’m also obsessed with magnets and have been quietly (or loudly) sitting with theories on that for a while, but I will not be sharing them today. Maybe next month. Instead, I will share this related Insane Clown Posse song, which if I were to pair with an astrological sign… it’s gotta be the ever-unpredictable Gemini. You’re probably already dismissing ICP in your mind (if you’ve tried Faygo, I do understand why) but like, prepare to be pleasantly surprised at how much love lives inside this very surprising jam.
Anyway, hello, and welcome to Gemini season!
Gemini is a chaos muppet sign if ever there was one. You may find yourself simultaneously inspired and inconvenienced by a Gemini. Think Kanye West, Helena Bonham Carter, Prince, Bob Dylan — all inspiring and also slightly stressful agents of creativity and chaos and in their own right. Also, Nicole Kidman, Ian Mckellan (Gandalf, a classic prankster), Laverne Cox, Tupac, Angelina Jolie — kissing her own brother and a pulling reporters into a pool is very Gemini behavior — and Miles Davis. Have you ever listened to Bitches Brew? It’s some unpredictable, high-risk Gemini jazz.
The fruit I assign to Gemini is the passion fruit. Seemingly simple on the outside, but deeply unpredictable once you take a knife to it. Upon a first glance, you might think this fruit is similar to a small plum — but cut into it and you will discover a colony of yellow-green jello alien pods, like a unique society held together by electric pink webbing. Passion fruit, you have my full attention.
This is a fruit I was truly nervous to try, but I found myself delighted. Purple and waxy on the outside, a psychedelic visual somewhere between horrifying and glorious on the inside. It is a delicious surrealist treat. My favorite kind.
Gemini is one of the most creative signs. Part of this is due to how multi-faceted the Gemini personality can be. I suggest you take advantage of Gemini season by exploring sides of your personality that you might normally shy away from — sometimes the finest creative gems are mined from prickly caves of chaos you’d rather not touch.
At any given moment, there is a cast of characters in your mind offering you information about all you are receiving from the world, both internally and outwardly. Some of these voices will inevitably be kinder than others, but the best way to avoid getting tripped up by the nasty ones is to first identify them, and then to not over-identify with them. It might even be helpful to externalize a particularly rude voice by drawing a tiny sketch of a cranky little character. I tried to draw my depression monster once and came up with this:
It made me laugh and, at the risk of saying something you probably know, laughing is a fabulous remedy for depression. Bringing a sense of humor to all you do will serve your spirit well.
Let’s all continue to remind ourselves that we are not our thoughts. Who you are is not based on how you feel today, and the Gemini proves that to us time and time again. It is the chameleon at its finest, always embracing experimentation and party vibes. Camouflage is sexy, and contrast is too. You can have it all. Why not choose to embrace the voice daring you to try the freaky fancy fruit (passion fruit, hi), instead of the one that insists you are a pile of garbage?
Following that which charms you is key to living your life in awe of the world instead of feeling attacked by it. When I cut into the passion fruit, there was a voice in my head saying, This looks disgusting and if you eat that, you will vomit. But you know what? I chose to listen to a different voice, one that encouraged me to explore the messy-webbed universe that is the inner-passion fruit. Embrace Gemini season this year by noticing the voice in your head that says, No way, and pick the other one that says, Just try it, you might love it. And if you don’t, there will always be another fruit to try next time.
To wrap up the kick off of this series, here is a Gemini-themed playlist to throw on while you snack on your favorite fruit, or while you stroll through the remainder of your waking hours pondering how many plot twists you want to throw at the world today.
Gemini is a social, multi-faceted, secretive, unique, inspiring, unpredictable, and creative sign. I hope you can feel into those aspects of yourself this month regardless of your personal astrology. If you want to take the temp on what astrological sign you’re channeling energetically today, check out the slothrust Mind Your Mood astrological playlist generator and take a quiz to yield a playlist connected to where you’re at at this exact moment. You may be a Pisces, but today you’re serving Scorpio. Who knew?!?
And here is our “Strange Astrology” video for further inspo.
Many blessings. Until we meet again.
Your freaky fruity friend,
Leah
