Welcome to the Circus

“Oompah Radar” by Goldfrapp plays as I start writing the very first article for the (re)launch of The Umbrella. It is a fitting song, for its surreal circus tunes and eccentricity set the scene for the realm The Umbrella sits in or the headspace I had while creating a newsletter.

With no professional writing training and heavily relying on technology to help me express how I feel (and also spell), it was a little silly for me to launch a newsletter. The idea came to me spontaneously in October 2022 as I, and I quote from the first issue, “wanted to do something that not only looked pretty but was worthwhile.” But it only lasted two months before I left my readers hanging. One could say that this self-made journalism is built upon delusions. Nevertheless, just as tracks like ”Oompah Radar” or any of the songs from Goldfrapp’s ”Felt Mountain” album bring me into a state of serene exhilaration and introspection, this self-made journalism is also intended to be unconventional and juxtaposed—like the spectacle of a circus. The delusions are my foundation, and only embracing them would keep me going (dance, monkey, dance!).

The Umbrella is a one-woman-led newsletter, seen through my gaze, reflecting my thoughts, and recounting the happenings I stumble upon. As an autobiography in a news-form, it covers a range of semi-casual and possibly silly worldviews. Every issue of The Umbrella is a glimpse into the kaleidoscopic circus of my mind, presenting a strange and slightly romanticized version of my everyday life. With quirky, slightly pretentious category names, you can dive deep into the world of me.

Although I did word this article with grandeur, not every article will be as interesting-complexedly-hard-to-digest-what-is-she-on-about; I do usually love to write dear diary-esque. Even then, I hope my writing is engaging as the subject is about my life (and to be deemed boring would devastate me). So, without further ado, welcome to the circus, where I am the ringmaster and the act. A new umbrella, new content, and a new flashy website!

August 26, 2023