It's my first time watching your "one word" video. It is really unique and poetic. Thank you for crafting this in a such a way we not only think of about art (dada-dadaism), of childhood, of the bird always present watching, but mostly of the power of a voice and eye for storytelling. Really cool!
Thanks for taking the time to watch. I know 15 minutes is a big ask, so it means a lot that you gave the video a shot.
And I hope that I can keep doing exactly what you say here, finding a link or meaning not just in the word itself, but how they connect together and in this one person's life.
You are welcome, It is an inspiring goal and it does help whoever reads it to reflect and look into small or funny words in a bigger vision or parallels. I am looking forward to your next pieces!
Thank you. It always surprises me how much meaning you can find in a word, especially when you bring your own experiences into it. Hopefully the next one doesn't disappoint!
Taegan, this is so incredibly good. I read the essay first and it made me smile, but then I watched the video and it made me feel so happy to live in a world where another human took the time to bring this piece of art into the world as an expression of love, fear, and hope.
I'm not sure if you've seen the HBO show How To With John Wilson, but the video made me think of that show, which is the best thing that I've seen on TV in the last few years.
The scene in the park, where you're talking about how you are afraid for your daughter's safety in this world, where you say "she's so special it hurts" and then run up to take her hand is so tender I don't even have the words to do it justice. Brought a tear to my eye. Thank you for that and for sharing this with the world.
I'll be honest, I got a little emotional reading your comment. Whew, but I'm good now.
I have watched How to with John Wilson. In fact, it was Wilson's show that gave me the confidence to start One Word, especially the video component. I loved it, too, and after the second season I thought, "It's just a guy exploring his surroundings, shooting footage, and writing a story - I can do that." And here we are.
I think my wife is the only one that knows this, but the two inspirations for One Word are John Wilson and Anthony Bourdain. Wilson is the starting point, and Bourdain is my goal. Especially his narration and interviews. If I can sit between those two artists, I'll be happy.
I am very happy to find you and your work early on your journey. When I restacked the post this morning I was trying to say it is like How To With John Wilson mixed with [insert essayist], but I couldn't quite put my finger on who the right comparison was for the essayist, plus I needed to get back to work, so I just restacked with the sentence about how much I loved this piece. But now that you mention Bourdain I can see the influence and you moving in that direction. I think it will be a big challenge (in the best way) because Bourdain managed to keep his personality and wrap his work in his aesthetic style, while also fundamentally centering the narrative on something external to him, be that a place, another person, or even just an idea.
Love this feedback. Yeah, the Bourdain influence definitely feels more like a path than something I'm able to achieve right now. So I totally agree that it's a challenge. In fact, I've even struggled trying to explain what it is about him that I'm aiming to emulate. So much of what I'm doing right now is emotion and instinct.
But your explanation is so helpful! Bourdain wasn't very personal, and you're right, he thrived when focusing on a place or person or meal. Right now, I'm tackling a lot of personal history, so channelling Bourdain can be tricky. I do have two One Words this summer that focus on places, so hopefully I can lean on his influence there.
Thanks for offering your thoughts on Wilson and Bourdain - seriously - it helped a few ideas in my head click into place.
Dadas are a special breed. Like this brilliant article. My dad turned 73 yesterday. And as you try to make your daughter know and feel that she is always welcome at home, Taegan, what you are giving her with this gesture is worth more than it's weight in gold. Being welcomed by the people you love is one of the best feelings ever. Thank you for the nice reminder.
Thanks a lot for the compliment. While making the piece, I had to keep the idea of what I was giving my daughter with this word far, far away from my mind. Because it's such a crazy idea, imagining her at 10 or 16 watching it, that it was hard to focus on the task at hand.
I'm glad this one resonated with you. And happy belated B-Day to your Dada!
That's, well, exactly it. I try my best to make the video something that builds on the words. So reading you encouraging people to watch for that exact reason -- thank you.
Entering her language for a month was a challenging but very rewarding experience. I told my wife this morning though that I'm glad it's over and I can just relax with my little girl and not have to think about her language and the word and how to use it.
Taegan, I used to watch some foreign films back when there was time, and there was a genre called "slice of life", that was really cool, done Japanese style. Your vid reminded me of those.
Our kids renamed some things, some of them forever. When she was 2, Kid #2 renamed newborn Kid #3 at the hospital, and it stuck. It still fits, even though he's full grown now. We were surprised to recently uncover an old vid of when it happened, and it even shows 4 year old Kid #1 trying to correct Kid #2 but it didn't work. :-D
In some ways, our 'baby brats' caused us to revert into kid-think, and there are some pluses to that.
I've never heard of this sub-genre. Japanese Slice of Life. But I've been looking it up today and it's fascinating. If you had to choose one, can you recall a title that's a good place to start? I can give it a watch this weekend.
I love that you have video of when kid #2 renamed kid #3. Don't lose that tape! Who knows where it'll make a return down the line.
Personalizing language like this is so odd, but it anchors a family, you know? Like my brother called chocolate milk "Cocoa Bubba" and we STILL call it that sometimes. Instant memories.
Yasujiro Ozu is the slice of life master. Talking about stuff that predates my birth, even. Black and white. I saw a few of his films, decades ago. The one I remember most is Tokyo Story. Early Summer is another.
Yep- personal family slang is part of the glue that holds people together.
I love that Taegan is doing this. It really adds to that forced nature of slowing down.
I'm being weird and reading these comments before sitting to watch the video because it's really early and my wife is still asleep and my headphones are buried in my bag, but in some ways the building of that anticipating before the calm is going to make it even more special.
I'm finding it really interesting that the video is what lets everyone take a moment of pause to watch. On a platform with so much writing, you'd think it'd be the writing that had that effect. But you're right, 15-20 minutes is a big ask, and you do have to be intentional about taking that time to watch. And it helps me, too. Knowing my goal is respecting that time and putting the effort in making it worth it. I'm really enjoying that challenge.
Yeah, it does seem counterintuitive. But perhaps it's because reading is active and even though there is an act of pausing when sitting down to read, it's a different kind of pausing to sit down and watch.
You accomplished your task of bringing yourself (and presumably the reader) to tears. This was so endearing, a peek inside the mind of a “dada” and all the love to be found in there.
On a personal note, even though I’m vegan, I have a strong dislike of birds (particular Canada geese). But seeing it through the eyes of a child, felt completely different and wonderful - I use that word in its sense of something being full of wonder. And I think you really captured that in this piece. I also appreciated the look into parenthood and the fear, joy, and complexity there as someone contemplating that roll for myself.
The line about her pointing out a “dada” and it being a frumpy old bald man made me laugh.
This one was emotional to work on, and tougher than I expected.
I totally understand your dislike of Canada geese. They can be really pushy, especially to kids. And to be honest I rarely thought about birds until this month, and after finishing this, I still find them a little hard to understand. But Ken Morrison helped me come to understand that, for some people, they are the most important thing. Not unlike someone's child.
Thank you so much for this Taegan. As the dad of a 9 month old this captured some of the emotions that you know are there but are so hard to articulate. Beautiful and meaningful writing.
Thanks for your kind words. I was looking forward to hearing what some dads thought of this one, so it means a lot that you found it meaningful. Fatherhood is... something else, that's for sure.
DADAAA!!=Amazement remember? I am a big fan of "The Twitts!" Roald Dahl, hopefully the book is preserved so you may be reading it at bed time some time in the future. Congratulations on being a Dada. Couldn't get the video to play btw.
Nice to find out about you. This brought my dad through to me in a really delightful way. He's been gone over three years. It helps me understand him better!
I’m so glad I found you and this lovely project. What an absolutely fantastic film. Yes, yes a thousand yes-es. No one prepares you for the monumental job of parenting. Best job ever. Hardest job ever.
I look forward to reading more of your work.
And my deepest sympathies to you on the loss of your father. Both of my parents have now been gone for some time and quite frankly... the pain doesn’t leave, it simply becomes manageable.
What a thoughtful comment. Thanks for taking the time to watch this one. My dad passed away around 16 years ago, but I find it fascinating how much doesn't change if you don't find a way to express the experience, you know?
Glad you watched it. And no I haven’t but holy shit I need to watch his work. This sounds very close to what I’m aiming for. Great recommendation- I’m going to see where I can find his stuff. Maybe the library or Kanopy
Wow, great to hear! I'm always open to hear anything else you have to say about his work. I'm a great admirer and I definitely see a kinship with your project.
Yeah, his work is really impressive. Sherman’s March blew me away. There’s a lot in his work I can learn about the form. In fact, I’ve already made some changes to the upcoming word because of McElwee.
I’ll watch some more and likely write about it in an upcoming post.
I haven't yet read this post but I did watch the first few seconds on the video felt the need to subscribe. I work with kids, have studied early childhood for many years and I love words/languages. It only made sense that I stopped watching to subscribe.
The structure of your newsletters feel nostalgic and sentimental. This first impression has made me think of ways I can also incorportate similar feelings to my newsletter. Can't wait to read/watch more.
It's my first time watching your "one word" video. It is really unique and poetic. Thank you for crafting this in a such a way we not only think of about art (dada-dadaism), of childhood, of the bird always present watching, but mostly of the power of a voice and eye for storytelling. Really cool!
Hey Keva,
Thanks for taking the time to watch. I know 15 minutes is a big ask, so it means a lot that you gave the video a shot.
And I hope that I can keep doing exactly what you say here, finding a link or meaning not just in the word itself, but how they connect together and in this one person's life.
No problem, it's not that long 🙂
You are welcome, It is an inspiring goal and it does help whoever reads it to reflect and look into small or funny words in a bigger vision or parallels. I am looking forward to your next pieces!
Thank you. It always surprises me how much meaning you can find in a word, especially when you bring your own experiences into it. Hopefully the next one doesn't disappoint!
Taegan, this is so incredibly good. I read the essay first and it made me smile, but then I watched the video and it made me feel so happy to live in a world where another human took the time to bring this piece of art into the world as an expression of love, fear, and hope.
I'm not sure if you've seen the HBO show How To With John Wilson, but the video made me think of that show, which is the best thing that I've seen on TV in the last few years.
The scene in the park, where you're talking about how you are afraid for your daughter's safety in this world, where you say "she's so special it hurts" and then run up to take her hand is so tender I don't even have the words to do it justice. Brought a tear to my eye. Thank you for that and for sharing this with the world.
Hey Spencer,
I'll be honest, I got a little emotional reading your comment. Whew, but I'm good now.
I have watched How to with John Wilson. In fact, it was Wilson's show that gave me the confidence to start One Word, especially the video component. I loved it, too, and after the second season I thought, "It's just a guy exploring his surroundings, shooting footage, and writing a story - I can do that." And here we are.
I think my wife is the only one that knows this, but the two inspirations for One Word are John Wilson and Anthony Bourdain. Wilson is the starting point, and Bourdain is my goal. Especially his narration and interviews. If I can sit between those two artists, I'll be happy.
Thanks for this comment Spencer, truly.
I am very happy to find you and your work early on your journey. When I restacked the post this morning I was trying to say it is like How To With John Wilson mixed with [insert essayist], but I couldn't quite put my finger on who the right comparison was for the essayist, plus I needed to get back to work, so I just restacked with the sentence about how much I loved this piece. But now that you mention Bourdain I can see the influence and you moving in that direction. I think it will be a big challenge (in the best way) because Bourdain managed to keep his personality and wrap his work in his aesthetic style, while also fundamentally centering the narrative on something external to him, be that a place, another person, or even just an idea.
Love this feedback. Yeah, the Bourdain influence definitely feels more like a path than something I'm able to achieve right now. So I totally agree that it's a challenge. In fact, I've even struggled trying to explain what it is about him that I'm aiming to emulate. So much of what I'm doing right now is emotion and instinct.
But your explanation is so helpful! Bourdain wasn't very personal, and you're right, he thrived when focusing on a place or person or meal. Right now, I'm tackling a lot of personal history, so channelling Bourdain can be tricky. I do have two One Words this summer that focus on places, so hopefully I can lean on his influence there.
Thanks for offering your thoughts on Wilson and Bourdain - seriously - it helped a few ideas in my head click into place.
Hey Lynn!
Were you a fan of How To?
Thanks Lynn! Excited to have you watching. I post at the end of the month, so next one is May 31st 📽️
Dadas are a special breed. Like this brilliant article. My dad turned 73 yesterday. And as you try to make your daughter know and feel that she is always welcome at home, Taegan, what you are giving her with this gesture is worth more than it's weight in gold. Being welcomed by the people you love is one of the best feelings ever. Thank you for the nice reminder.
Hey Rocket,
Thanks a lot for the compliment. While making the piece, I had to keep the idea of what I was giving my daughter with this word far, far away from my mind. Because it's such a crazy idea, imagining her at 10 or 16 watching it, that it was hard to focus on the task at hand.
I'm glad this one resonated with you. And happy belated B-Day to your Dada!
Usually I just read, which is what happened first, because vids take too long.
Slow down and watch the vid, people. It adds to the story, rather than subtracts, (unlike usual movies).
Very cool that you entered your daughter’s language.
Hey weedom,
That's, well, exactly it. I try my best to make the video something that builds on the words. So reading you encouraging people to watch for that exact reason -- thank you.
Entering her language for a month was a challenging but very rewarding experience. I told my wife this morning though that I'm glad it's over and I can just relax with my little girl and not have to think about her language and the word and how to use it.
Taegan, I used to watch some foreign films back when there was time, and there was a genre called "slice of life", that was really cool, done Japanese style. Your vid reminded me of those.
Our kids renamed some things, some of them forever. When she was 2, Kid #2 renamed newborn Kid #3 at the hospital, and it stuck. It still fits, even though he's full grown now. We were surprised to recently uncover an old vid of when it happened, and it even shows 4 year old Kid #1 trying to correct Kid #2 but it didn't work. :-D
In some ways, our 'baby brats' caused us to revert into kid-think, and there are some pluses to that.
I've never heard of this sub-genre. Japanese Slice of Life. But I've been looking it up today and it's fascinating. If you had to choose one, can you recall a title that's a good place to start? I can give it a watch this weekend.
I love that you have video of when kid #2 renamed kid #3. Don't lose that tape! Who knows where it'll make a return down the line.
Personalizing language like this is so odd, but it anchors a family, you know? Like my brother called chocolate milk "Cocoa Bubba" and we STILL call it that sometimes. Instant memories.
Yasujiro Ozu is the slice of life master. Talking about stuff that predates my birth, even. Black and white. I saw a few of his films, decades ago. The one I remember most is Tokyo Story. Early Summer is another.
Yep- personal family slang is part of the glue that holds people together.
Thanks for the recos weedom! - I'm going to check one out tomorrow evening
I love that Taegan is doing this. It really adds to that forced nature of slowing down.
I'm being weird and reading these comments before sitting to watch the video because it's really early and my wife is still asleep and my headphones are buried in my bag, but in some ways the building of that anticipating before the calm is going to make it even more special.
I'm finding it really interesting that the video is what lets everyone take a moment of pause to watch. On a platform with so much writing, you'd think it'd be the writing that had that effect. But you're right, 15-20 minutes is a big ask, and you do have to be intentional about taking that time to watch. And it helps me, too. Knowing my goal is respecting that time and putting the effort in making it worth it. I'm really enjoying that challenge.
Yeah, it does seem counterintuitive. But perhaps it's because reading is active and even though there is an act of pausing when sitting down to read, it's a different kind of pausing to sit down and watch.
Keep it up!
: D Something more than a coincidence just happened, which must be a directive to subscribe to your stack. :-D
Too kind, thank you.
What's the coincidence...?
More than a coincidence. It has to do with that kid story I told Taegan above.
And the word is.......
"Nake"
Oooh, interesting... the renaming was Nake?
:-D (๑≧▽≦)
I loved this post! I will now think of Dada every time I see the neighborhood birds.
Thank you Priya! And welcome to my world now. I literally can't look at a bird now and not say Dada.
Today, one of the poetry Substacks I follow shared Khalil Gibran’s On Children, one of my favorite poems, and it was a lovely sequel to your post.
Oh, I don't know that poem, but I looked it up.
"Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you."
Wow. Thanks for telling me about this one Priya.
You accomplished your task of bringing yourself (and presumably the reader) to tears. This was so endearing, a peek inside the mind of a “dada” and all the love to be found in there.
On a personal note, even though I’m vegan, I have a strong dislike of birds (particular Canada geese). But seeing it through the eyes of a child, felt completely different and wonderful - I use that word in its sense of something being full of wonder. And I think you really captured that in this piece. I also appreciated the look into parenthood and the fear, joy, and complexity there as someone contemplating that roll for myself.
The line about her pointing out a “dada” and it being a frumpy old bald man made me laugh.
Thank you Liz,
This one was emotional to work on, and tougher than I expected.
I totally understand your dislike of Canada geese. They can be really pushy, especially to kids. And to be honest I rarely thought about birds until this month, and after finishing this, I still find them a little hard to understand. But Ken Morrison helped me come to understand that, for some people, they are the most important thing. Not unlike someone's child.
I'm really glad you enjoyed this one.
Thank you so much for this Taegan. As the dad of a 9 month old this captured some of the emotions that you know are there but are so hard to articulate. Beautiful and meaningful writing.
Hey Babbage,
Thanks for your kind words. I was looking forward to hearing what some dads thought of this one, so it means a lot that you found it meaningful. Fatherhood is... something else, that's for sure.
DADAAA!!=Amazement remember? I am a big fan of "The Twitts!" Roald Dahl, hopefully the book is preserved so you may be reading it at bed time some time in the future. Congratulations on being a Dada. Couldn't get the video to play btw.
Hey Joanne thanks! Did you try playing it on mobile or desktop?
Yes got it to play Thanks 😊
Oh, good!
Nice to find out about you. This brought my dad through to me in a really delightful way. He's been gone over three years. It helps me understand him better!
Hey Journalis,
Sorry to hear about your dad, but I'm glad you experienced some positive emotion through this piece.
I’m so glad I found you and this lovely project. What an absolutely fantastic film. Yes, yes a thousand yes-es. No one prepares you for the monumental job of parenting. Best job ever. Hardest job ever.
I look forward to reading more of your work.
And my deepest sympathies to you on the loss of your father. Both of my parents have now been gone for some time and quite frankly... the pain doesn’t leave, it simply becomes manageable.
❤️🙏
Hey SBG,
What a thoughtful comment. Thanks for taking the time to watch this one. My dad passed away around 16 years ago, but I find it fascinating how much doesn't change if you don't find a way to express the experience, you know?
Exactly this. We must express what’s bubbling inside. Thank YOU for making me think of those gone in a fresh and happy/sad way.
I never thought how much exploring my grief would connect with others. So hearing this is very meaningful to me. Thank you 🙏
Beautiful story and great videography!
Thank you Jason! I’m really enjoying the videography aspect of the project, so I’m glad the effort is noticeable
Beautiful. Dadas are beautiful. I just discovered One Word today and I am so glad I did.
Thank you Helen. Dadas are indeed beautiful. Spending time working on this word really opened my eyes to that fact.
Glad you’re here, too.
I finally watched one of your videos. Great work man! Sorry if you addressed this elsewhere but have you ever watched any of Ross McElwee's films?
Hey dw, thanks!
Glad you watched it. And no I haven’t but holy shit I need to watch his work. This sounds very close to what I’m aiming for. Great recommendation- I’m going to see where I can find his stuff. Maybe the library or Kanopy
Kanopy usually has some. Sherman's March is the best but after that they're all very good and worth a look.
This recommendation is a game changer. Thank you - seriously
Wow, great to hear! I'm always open to hear anything else you have to say about his work. I'm a great admirer and I definitely see a kinship with your project.
Yeah, his work is really impressive. Sherman’s March blew me away. There’s a lot in his work I can learn about the form. In fact, I’ve already made some changes to the upcoming word because of McElwee.
I’ll watch some more and likely write about it in an upcoming post.
Okay I’m good to try and watch Sherman’s March this weekend
I haven't yet read this post but I did watch the first few seconds on the video felt the need to subscribe. I work with kids, have studied early childhood for many years and I love words/languages. It only made sense that I stopped watching to subscribe.
The structure of your newsletters feel nostalgic and sentimental. This first impression has made me think of ways I can also incorportate similar feelings to my newsletter. Can't wait to read/watch more.
Hey Victoria,
Thanks for subscribing. Working with kids is such an important and challenging role. I really respect that.
Hopefully you find something in my work to use as inspiration. And when to get the chance to watch the video, I’d love to know what you thought.
Very nice rolling flow!
Thank you! When you have the time, check out the video. I put a ton of time into them. They're more fleshed out than you may assume
I actually forgot to read the words.
I was blown away!
Thank you for this. The video was both beautiful and funny. I love dadas!
Thank you! Working on this project have me a much better appreciation for dadas.