Welcome to Gothic, Colorado
38°57'23"N 107°00'38"W
Elevation: 9,482 ft
Population: 1
W R I T I N G
A navigation of loneliness. The author examines her own experience of loneliness and the ways it intersects with the compelling story of Gothic, Colorado as well as various conceptual frameworks of loneliness.
A postscript from the author explaining the motivations and process behind "Aloneliness"
Bonus Essay:
A Handful Of Walnuts
A meditation on memory. The author considers the power of memory though the lens of her grandmother's Alzheimer's disease and the competition between scientific explanations and her own experiences.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hey, y'all! I'm Julia. By the time you read this I will (hopefully) be an alumnus of the University of Michigan with a B.S. in Molecular, Cellular, and
Developmental Biology and
a Minor in Writing.
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I was also recently bestowed the paperplate award of "Owner of the Cat with the Most FOMO," so if you'd like to learn more about me and/or see just how involved my cat was in my writing process, click the button below!
WORKS CONSULTED
BOOKS
Content
Bollick, Kate. Spinster: Making a Life of One's Own
Traister, Rebecca. All the Single Ladies
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Process
Jamison, Leslie. The Empathy Exams
PODCASTS
Content
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Judge, Phoebe. “How to be Alone.” This is Love, from Radiotopia, 19 December 2018, https://thisislovepodcast.com/how-to-be-alone/.
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Process
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“Episode 92: Leslie Jamison.” Longform Podcast, from Longform, 13 November 2019, https://longform.org/posts/longform-podcast-92-leslie-jamison.
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“Episode 368: Leslie Jamison.” Longform Podcast, from Longform, 14 May 2014, https://longform.org/posts/longform-podcast-368-leslie-jamison.
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Kisner, Jordan. “Leslie Jamison” Thresholds, from Lit Hub Radio, 22 May 2020, https://lithub.com/leslie-jamison-is-waiting-for-the-emergence-of-a-different-world/.
VIDEOS
Content
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Boroditsky, Lera. “How Language Shapes the Way We Think.” TEDWomen: Ideas Worth Spreading, November 2017, https://www.ted.com/talks/lera_boroditsky_how_language_shapes_the_way_we_think.
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Bound Alberti, Fay. “A Historical Journey Through Loneliness.” TED: Ideas Worth Spreading, July 2019, https://www.ted.com/talks/fay_bound_alberti_a_historical_journey_through_loneliness.
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DePaulo, Bella. “What No One Ever Told You About People Who Are SIngle.” TEDxUHasselt: Ideas Worth Spreading, May 2017, http://www.belladepaulo.com/2017/05/tedx-talk-references-bonus-material/.
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Moon Vestergaard, Søren. “Greta and the Snowman.” Journeyman TV, from the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, February 2019, https://www.journeyman.tv/film/7544.
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Pinker, Susan. “The Secret to Living Longer May Be Your Social Life.” TED: Ideas Worth Spreading, April 2017, https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_pinker_the_secret_to_living_longer_may_be_your_social_life.
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“The Snow Guardian.” Day’s Edge Productions, narration by Morgan Heim September 2016, https://www.daysedge.com/films.
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9News. “Billy Barr: The Hermit of Abandoned Mining Town Gothic.” YouTube, reported by Noel Brennan, February 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0JHpGst84U&t=212s.
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NEWSPAPERS
Content
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"Hermit Holes Up in Colorado Wilds." Los Angeles Times (1923-1995), Jun 20, 1982, pp. 10. ProQuest, https://proxy.lib.umich.edu/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.proxy.lib.umich.edu/historical-newspapers/hermit-holes-up-colorado-wilds/docview/153159388/se-2?accountid=14667.
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Johnson, Sarah. “‘The Man Who Stayed’ Now Gone from County’s Ghost Town.” Top O’ The World - WCU [Gunnison], Volume 9, Number 24, 21 May 1930, p. 1. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection.
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“Kind Words.” Silver Record [Gothic], Volume 1, Number 3, 8 July 1882, p. 2. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection.
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Miniclier, Kit. “Colorado News.” Colorado News and Denver News: The Denver Post, 20 Aug. 2000, extras.denverpost.com/news/news0820g.htm.
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“Our Candidates.” The Gunnison Tribune, Volume XVIII, Number 23, 15 October 1897, p. 2. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection.
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Parmelee, Jennifer. “Young man makes ultimate bid to get away for it all.” Douglas County News-Press [Castle Rock], Volume 90, Number 131, 20 May 1982, p. 6. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection.
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“‘Try Blue Bell Coffee.” The Elk Mountain Pilot [Crested Butte], Volume 41, Number 29, 1 March 1917, p. 4. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection.
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“Twenty and Thirty Years Ago” The Elk Mountain Pilot [Crested Butte]], Volume 35, Number 42, 15 May 1913, p. 4. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection.
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ARTICLES AND WEBSITES
Content
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Abbate, Emily. “Social Distancing Alone Is Making Me Crave Physical Touch.” SELF, 15 Apr. 2020, www.self.com/story/craving-physical-touch.
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“Alone Synonyms, Alone Antonyms.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alone.
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“Back In Time - Gothic.” Geocaching, www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC32GJZ_back-in-time-gothic?guid=25839cee-c4d7-452e-98a8-77bd61ba8f84.
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barr, billy. Gothic Weather, www.gothicwx.org/.
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Bella M. DePaulo, and Wendy L. Morris. “The Unrecognized Stereotyping and Discrimination against Singles.” Current Directions in Psychological Science : A Journal of the American Psychological Society, vol. 15, no. 5, Blackwell Publishers, 2006, pp. 251–54, doi:10.1111/j.1467-8721.2006.00446.x.
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Bichell, Rae Ellen. “Tips From Someone With Nearly 50 Years Of Social Distancing Experience.” NPR, NPR, 1 Apr. 2020, www.npr.org/2020/04/01/824001085/tips-from-someone-with-50-years-of-social-distancing-experience.
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Billick, Ian. “February 2021 E Newsletter.” Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, 23 Feb. 2021, www.rmbl.org/newsletter/february-2021-e-newsletter/.
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Bolick, Kate. “All the Single Ladies.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 19 Feb. 2014, www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/11/all-the-single-ladies/308654/.
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Bound Alberti, Fay. “The History of Loneliness.” The Week , The Week, 13 Oct. 2018, theweek.com/articles/798959/history-loneliness.
ARTICLES AND WEBSITES (cont.)
Content (cont.)
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Braithwaite, Patia. “Please Stop Assuming I'm Miserable Because I Live Alone.” SELF, SELF, 1 June 2020, www.self.com/story/living-alone.
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Brown, Anna. “A Profile of Single Americans.” Pew Research Center's Social & Demographic Trends Project, Pew Research Center, 2 Oct. 2020, www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/08/20/a-profile-of-single-americans/.
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Cain, Sian. “Women Are Happier without Children or a Spouse, Says Happiness Expert.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 25 May 2019, www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/may/25/women-happier-without-children-or-a-spouse-happiness-expert.
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“The Colorado Silver Boom.” Western Mining History, westernmininghistory.com/library/9/page1/.
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Comrie, Bernard. “Language and Thought.” Linguistic Society of America, Linguistic Society of America, 2021, www.linguisticsociety.org/resource/language-and-thought.
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Cushman, Ruth C., and Glenn Cushman. "A Summer Nature Walk: Judd Falls Near Crested Butte." The Daily Camera, Jul 20, 2015. ProQuest, https://proxy.lib.umich.edu/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.proxy.lib.umich.edu/newspapers/summer-nature-walk-judd-falls-near-crested-butte/docview/1697329965/se-2?accountid=14667.
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DePaulo, Bella. “Housing Discrimination against People Who Are Not Married: What We Just Don’t Get.” Unmarried Equality, 16 Aug. 2015, www.unmarried.org/featured/housing-discrimination-against-people-who-are-not-married-what-we-just-dont-get/.
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Dolan, Paul. “Singled out: Why Can't We Believe Unmarried, Childless Women Are Happy?” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 4 June 2019, www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/jun/04/singled-out-why-cant-we-believe-unmarried-childless-women-are-happy.
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Elobeid, Nouseibah. “Living Alone Comes With Luxurious Times Of Silence.” Solo Living - A Manual For Living Alone & Navigating Life Solo, 13 Feb. 2021, wearesololiving.com/single-life-living-alone-comes-with-luxurious-times-of-silence/.
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Fogarty, Grammar Girl Mignon, and Neal Whitman. “Does Your Language Influence How You Think?” Scientific American, Scientific American, 30 Nov. 2018, www.scientificamerican.com/article/does-your-language-influence-how-you-think/.
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Fogelberg , Ben. “Gothic's Ghosts.” Gothic's Ghosts | History Colorado, Colorado History NOW, 1 Jan. 2006, www.historycolorado.org/grant-news/2006/01/01/gothics-ghosts.
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“Gothic Colorado.” Western Mining History, westernmininghistory.com/towns/colorado/gothic/.
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“Gothic, CO Ghost Town – by Crested Butte.” Uncover Colorado - Free Colorado Travel Guide Vacations Travel and Tourism, www.uncovercolorado.com/ghost-towns/gothic/.
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“Grinnell Glacier - Hike to Grinnell Glacier in Glacier National Park.” Hiking Glacier, 2021, www.hikinginglacier.com/grinnell-glacier.htm.
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Gross, Jessica. “The Price of Being Single.” Ideas.ted.com, 21 Oct. 2015, ideas.ted.com/the-price-of-being-single/.
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Hancock, Olivia. “8 Women Share the Ups and Downs of Living Alone During a Pandemic.” Byrdie, 29 Sept. 2020, www.byrdie.com/living-alone-during-a-pandemic-5076540.
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Healy, Melissa. “Science Confirms That Women Reap Health Benefits from Friendships.” The Seattle Times, The Seattle Times Company, 15 June 2005, www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/science-confirms-that-women-reap-health-benefits-from-friendships/.
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“Here's How Much Money You Save by Moving In Together.” The Black Tux Blog, 20 Aug. 2019, theblacktux.com/blog/how-much-you-save-moving-in-together/.
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Itkonen, Viivi. “The Lonely Age of Self-Help Feminism .” Elm, 18 June 2019, elmmagazine.eu/adult-education-and-sex/the-lonely-age-of-self-help-feminism/.
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Julianne Holt-Lunstad, et al. “Loneliness and Social Isolation as Risk Factors for Mortality: A Meta-Analytic Review.” Perspectives on Psychological Science, vol. 10, no. 2, Sage Publications, 2015, pp. 227–37, doi:10.1177/1745691614568352.
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Koeing, Jennifer, et al. “Portrayals of Single Women in the Self-Help Literature.” Journal of Feminist Family Therapy, vol. 22, no. 4, Taylor & Francis Group, 2010, pp. 253–74, doi:10.1080/08952833.2010.525963.
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“The Linguistic Relativity Hypothesis.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford University, stanford.library.sydney.edu.au/archives/spr2015/entries/relativism/supplement2.html.
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Livingston, Gretchen. “On Average, Older Adults Spend over Half Their Waking Hours Alone.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 30 May 2020, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/07/03/on-average-older-adults-spend-over-half-their-waking-hours-alone/.
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“Loneliness Is at Epidemic Levels in America.” Cigna, Cigna, 2021, www.cigna.com/about-us/newsroom/studies-and-reports/combatting-loneliness/.
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Molly Stroud Weeks, Steven R. Asher, Chapter 1 - Loneliness in Childhood: Toward the Next Generation of Assessment and Research, Editor(s): Janette B. Benson, Advances in Child Development and Behavior, JAI, Volume 42, 2012, Pages 1-39, ISSN 0065-2407, ISBN 9780123943880, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-394388-0.00001-0.
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Novotney, Amy. “The Risks of Social Isolation.” Monitor on Psychology, American Psychological Association, May 2019, www.apa.org/monitor/2019/05/ce-corner-isolation.
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Phippen, J. Weston. “The Hermit Who Inadvertently Shaped Climate-Change Science.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 12 Jan. 2017, www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/01/billy-barr-climate-change/512198/.
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Qian, Angela F. “Ophelia and After: Inventing the Lonely Literary Woman.” Literary Hub, 6 Dec. 2019, lithub.com/ophelia-and-after-inventing-the-lonely-literary-woman/.
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“A Quiet Hero.” Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Feb. 2021, www.rmbl.org/article/science-story-february-2021/.
Sakas, Michael Elizabeth. “The Colorado Ghost Town Of Gothic Has A History Thanks To This Century-Old Laboratory. Now It Has A Future, Too.” Colorado Public Radio, Colorado Public Radio, 16 July 2020, www.cpr.org/2020/07/16/the-colorado-ghost-town-of-gothic-has-a-history-thanks-to-this-century-old-laboratory-now-it-has-a-future-too/.
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“Who Judd Was.” Fourth Street Realty RSS, 30 Sept. 2013, www.robquint.com/who-judd-was/.
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Wiegand, Jenny. "Winter's Keeper: MEET BILLY BARR, GOTHIC'S RELUCTANT MOUNTAIN HERMIT AND CLIMATE SCIENTIST." Ski, vol. 84, no. 1, Oct. 2019, p. 23+. Gale In Context: Biography, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A608501702/BIC?u=umuser&sid=BIC&xid=12c0aa7f.
Worsley, Amelia. “A History of Loneliness.” The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2018, theconversation.com/a-history-of-loneliness-91542.
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Process
Jamison, Leslie. “52 Blue.” The Atavist Magazine, The Atavist Magazine, Aug. 2014, magazine.atavist.com/52-blue/.
