Don’t Stop Believing | Wishing a Departing Team Member Well
Pauline Shen joined the Blank Spaces volunteer team as a proofreader for the June 2022 issue and has been a consistent and reliable source of insight, encouragement, and wisdom in the two years that followed. Through eight stunning issues Pauline has been a tremendous asset and now, as she steps away to focus on her own writing and creative projects, we wish her nothing but success and fulfillment in her pursuits.
She will be greatly missed as part of this team, but we can’t wait to see what the next chapter holds for her.
from Pauline…
My all-time favourite song comes from Journey’s Escape album, first released in 1981. I listened to it on repeat at top volume as a teenager in my bedroom during the late 1990s in small town Ontario. This was track one: “Don’t Stop Believin’.” The song was first popular before I was born, and it wasn’t like anything else I’d heard. “Don’t Stop Believin’” rattled something in me.
The melody and lyrics hit on a feeling that I couldn’t express on my own. Call it hope. Call it dreams. Call it a belief in something bigger than myself in that small town world. It was out of context with what was popular. At the time, very few of my peers knew the band, let alone this particular song.
Now “Don’t Stop Believin’” has cycled back into popularity through its use in television, movies, and internet culture. These days, many people will recognize the song’s opening bars and chorus. But in the ‘90’s, it was just me, my stereo, and this wonderful CD.
So, what does an old song have to do with a little Canadian magazine called Blank Spaces?
Let’s turn from the song to the band for a minute. Journey is one of the supergroups that emerged from the 1970s and continues to release albums and tour to this day. I first learned about Journey in the 1990s, and by the time I saw the group perform in the early 2000s, it was a different assembly of musicians than the Escape album I knew so well. The concert rocked nevertheless and I remained an enthusiast. However, the idea behind a supergroup might seem strange or inauthentic in some way. Like, why support a group where its members come and go?
The thing about being a creative, though, is that you cannot do it alone. In order for your form of creative expression to gain traction and thrive, it is important to network with fellow artists who support one another. Contributing hard work toward a collective goal is not trivial. It is part of the process in developing as an artist and a person.
For Canadian creatives, Blank Spaces is a supergroup of subscribers, contributors, and volunteer team members. At its base, it is a platform for writers and artists, but it excels in being a tapestry of Canadian talent because of its enthusiasts. Alanna Rusnak started-up Blank Spaces as a result of her unique vision, but could not do it without calling upon a team of supporters like you. I had the pleasure of serving this team of Canadian creatives, this supergroup, which is Blank Spaces magazine.
Although it is time for me to move on and turn my focus toward more complex writing-related goals, I will always remember this little Canadian magazine that has such a big reach and a supportive community. It is far from small. Don’t stop believin’.
Best Wishes,
Pauline Shen
We won’t stop believing, Pauline, and we know you won’t either. Keep pushing and growing chasing that vision that been laid on your heart. May it go on and on and on and on…
You can support Pauline on her creative journey by checking out her website and following her on social media.
X (Twitter) @ZenPaulineShen: https://x.com/ZenPaulineShen
Website: https://paulineshen.ca/
