In suspended drift.
Analog Lava Lamps is a newsletter for the things that don’t disappear. It’s about media that lingers, forms that require our hands, and the cultural residue we can’t scroll past.
Every Wednesday, you’ll get one essay that moves at a different pace. It’s not nostalgic. It’s an attempt to pay attention to what’s heavy, textured, still here. The soft little hypnotic motion in the corner of your room.
I'm Shannon Ratliff. My print work has appeared in Seneca Review, Pleiades, Gulf Coast, Hotel Amerika, SLICE, and others. You can read my full-length online-only essays at Joyland and Hippocampus Magazine.
I also cofounded and write Shroomer, a mushroom research newsletter. I've worked in digital media for 10 years in content and editorial strategy for brands from lifestyle media to wellness to software. Analog Lava Lamps is my own signal.
Analog Lava Lamps is fully reader-supported. No ads, no affiliate links, no sponsorships. Just essays and the time it takes to write them.
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If you want to support the work without subscribing, you can send a Lava Drop my way via Buy Me A Coffee. A small gesture that helps a lot, and keeps this going without algorithms, ads, or permission.
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Club Lava is the paid tier of Analog Lava Lamps. By joining, you help keep this space alive and you’ll get:
📝 One essay every week
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It’s for readers who want to go deeper—and help this stay reader-powered.
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For those who believe in the power of paper, the long form, and my work.
