Hello Lovelies, I am so glad you have found me here. YAY!

 

WhoDat?

My name is Heather Cook, but my nickname, which has stuck since college, is Hedda. You can find me on all social media as Heddamaven. My last name was Newman for a while, too.

WhyDat:

Today is my Summit day—six months from my birthday (July 18). I like starting things on this day, so here we go. Let’s mix it up!

Why a "mix tape"? I am a Gen Xer who has fond memories of making and receiving mix tapes from friends. The curation of a mix tape equals time, energy and care. I plan to curate eclectic content, like how a mixtape blends different songs, genres, or themes to create a personalized experience. I'll share ideas, insights, and where I find inspiration. Just like a mixtape is meant to be shared and enjoyed, the newsletter aims to create a connection, offering a mix of what I find exciting and relevant. Press Play.

So, “Hedda's Mix Tape” is a newsletter exploring the intersection of the arts, music, travel, culture, and women's issues. With a focus on positivity, it will blend insightful analysis with an optimistic outlook because, frankly, I want to be your ‘joy read’ amidst all the doomscrolling. With this newsletter, I hope to tell you some good stories, share things that I love, things that make me put my fist in the air, and to shout out the works of others. Once a month, I’ll choose a song and share its history. I’ll share a Mix Tape Trifecta on Tuesdays - three fun things that would belong on a mix tape together.

WriteDat: 

I wrote this piece on my birthday in 2018 as a love letter to the mix tape, and I thought I’d bring it back to kick off this publication.

A lost art, the mix tape.

One song at a time.

A mix tape was not just a click of a mouse.

The move of a file.

A ‘follow’ on Spotify.

It was something you did for someone you love.

Someone who also loves music.

Who loves to dance.

Who you want to give a sweet nothing, a sweet everything to…

A person has the patience to press buttons.

To make the perfect side of music.

The perfect mix tape.

I, too, was a mix tape maker.

The dual cassette, the stop-start motion of the buttons, the tape.

The creation of the cassette cover, the writing of the song list.

The sweet message on the inside. The glue for the cover.

The little random cuts of the spoken word.

In the continuous motion of cleaning out my life, I came across this box of tapes, my prize possession from the early 1990’s in Seattle.

This cassette tape holder was not only rescued from the back of our car that we had to escape from in a flash flood in Dallas, TX, but it also managed to travel with me from college to home to home and now to my place in Los Angeles.

How does one recreate these masterful music gems in iTunes? the songs, sure but the in-betweens…

Well, I guess I don’t have to. Everything just needed a little dusting, and they played just fine.

I still have Sony Sports Walkman from my dorm room; it was in the same box.

Simpler times.

And I’m listening to:

She Just Can’t Stop, a Birthday dance mix for Heather

 

This cassette Mix Tape tape is 25 years old.

A fantastic gift from the past.

It was made for me by my sweet dance partner and friend Scott Holland inspired by those Thursday nights at our long-gone Seattle haunt, Re-Bar - Thursday disco nights with MC Queen Lucky.

“This is a getting steamy” side

Prince — Classic Medley

Tennessee — Arrested Development

Apparently Nothin — Young Disciples

Too Funky — George Michael

Freedom (Back to Reality Mix) — George Michael

Soul to Soul — Medley/Mix

“Go, On Girl” side

Janet Jackson Medley

Throb — Janet Jackson

Erotica/Justify My Love — M

Numb — U2

Paper Doll — PM Dawn

The Beautiful

A Deeper Love — Clivilles + Cole

Aural-gasm for sure.

 

This box is a mixture of mix tapes from my two favorite dance partners and music lovers:

Scott Holland and Louis Parent.

The tapes are chockfull of our favorites:

Prince, Madonna, George Michael, my first listen of RuPaul, PM Dawn, Janet, Desiree, disco songs galore, Deee-light, Notorious B.I.G., Salt and Pepa, Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock, Sneaker Pimps, DJ Brian Gore mixes…

I love you both so much and just wanted to say thank you for these.

You always gave me one for my birthday and many times in between.

I know how long they took to make, and I couldn’t seem to part with them.

And they sound great.

A little misty, I’m dancing around my apartment.

She Just Can’t Stop, never will.

Groove is in the heart.

Some More o’Dat:

I live in Los Angeles, but I’m originally from Michigan. I attended the University of Washington in Seattle. I majored in theatre and use my degree daily while working at Microsoft, building community strategies for Microsoft 365, producing events, and speaking worldwide on topics I am passionate about: tech, women, leadership, and healthy workplaces. Creative Maven is the home for my creative and artistic endeavors - check out my About page for more.

I’ll post weekly for free subscribers and welcome hellos, dialogue, and comments. Become a paid subscriber (coming soon) to access exclusive sub-scriber-only discussions and essays.

To learn more about my work, visit my website at www.creativemaven.com. To learn more about the company that provides the publishing platform for this newsletter, visit Substack.com. For questions about your account, subscription, or customer service-related, go here.

I'm excited to mix it up with you.