No. 13 Bench Warmer Feature: Isabella Ubaldi

Isabella Ubaldi is a writer from Melbourne, Australia. She is a featured writer in our No. 13 issue Bench Warmer. We talked with Isabella about how she deals with writers block and how she took a risk to become a writer.

Tell me a little bit about yourself, where did you grow up etc? 

I was born and raised in a quiet suburb in Melbourne, Australia. You can probably guess from my name that I'm heavily Italian-flavoured. My Dad and both of my grandparents immigrated to Australia in the '50s.  So, my upbringing was filled with making salami and passata in people's garages and I often spent weekends helping my parents on their vineyard. It was such a pain at the time since all I wanted to do was watch The Simpsons marathons and be less 'Italian'. Of course, Melbourne is incredibly multicultural,  but at the time I just wanted to blend in as much as possible. I've since embraced my heritage and every crumb of Panettone that goes with it. I travelled to Europe in 2018, got to know my Italian relatives a lot better and eventually settled in Berlin to pursue my writing career. 

How did you get into writing? 

By taking a risk, I suppose. I spat the dummy a few years ago, quit my job in advertising and moved overseas to explore different opportunities. I studied journalism at university and always imagined that I would write. I learned a lot from my advertising days, but I was getting sick of myself continuously taking jobs that seemed to be at odds with what I thought I would be doing. 

What do you like to write about? 

Since I find writing cathartic, I try to use it to make sense of things which is why a lot of my pieces get so existential so quickly (I can't help it!) I am recently turning my thoughts to ideas about what makes us human. This cover everything from the psychology of grief to advancements in biohacking. 

What do you do when you have writer's block?

I have a few tricks up my sleeve! There's nothing like a looming deadline to whip you out of writer's block. Failing that, I like to set my phone to Aeroplane Mode and force myself to write for 10 minutes only. I can write down anything that comes to mind on the topic, so it ends up being a brain dump that I can eventually sift through. It helps me wade through the rubbish and form connections for different ideas. Finally, it also helps to talk to others about their take on the topic or absorbing other works of art, music, writing, design etc for a little inspo. 

What do you think of when you hear the phrase Bench Warmer?

Most of us automatically think a bench warmer is a second rate player. But it could also imply untapped potential. A pie fresh out of the oven is also a bench warmer. You can't really enjoy that pie without some time on the bench unless you also enjoy the feeling of molten lava inside your mouth. 

What inspired your piece A Drip in Time? 

My parents and I caught up with some Italian relatives in The Motherland earlier this year. My Dad's side of the family is from a less touristy region called the Marche. They took us to see the caves that feature in my piece and I was dumbstruck by the size, scale and history of them. I was personally feeling quite stale and stagnant at the time. As if I was a bench warmer in my own life, but visiting these caves gave me a new perspective on the situation.  

Where can people find your work?

On my website www.isabellalola.com that's long overdue for renovation (I'm taking offers if anyone out there is looking to fill their time). You can otherwise find me on Instagram @_isa_vibe