<![CDATA[Rebellion Just By Existing - by River]]>

<![CDATA[Rebellion Just By Existing - by River]]>https://riverayla.substack.comhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!u_B4!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe6ad424f-618b-4404-ab81-4aab97a58852_832x832.pngRebellion Just By Existing - by Riverhttps://riverayla.substack.comSubstackFri, 04 Sep 2026 17:46:57 GMT<![CDATA[Obituary]]>https://riverayla.substack.com/p/obituaryhttps://riverayla.substack.com/p/obituaryFri, 28 Aug 2026 18:29:18 GMT

STAINES, Elizabeth "River" Bauman

Elizabeth "River" Bauman Staines died of metastatic breast cancer on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at the age of 38.

Born in Los Angeles, CA, River grew up in Lexington, MA. Graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, she started her career in digital marketing for music. River received an MBA at NYU Stern School of Business and spent two years as a consultant at McKinsey. She then founded the holistic consulting business Clear Resonance Lab.

River traveled to 40 countries and lived in 10 of them. She wrote 8 books. She documented her cancer journey through her Substack blog, "Rebellion Just by Existing." But her proudest achievement was her music. She wrote over 200 songs, nine of which she recorded. Her song "Better (The Chemo Song)" has comforted many fellow cancer patients in the Boston area. She released her EP "Notes from the Liminal Space" in the weeks prior to her death.

River is survived by her mother, Linda Kames; father, Edward Bauman; brother, Alexander Bauman; sister-in-law, Lauren Bauman; nephew, Oscar Bauman; ex-husband, Josh Staines; and their dog, Kaia.

Services are private. If you would like to honor River, please listen to her music by searching "River Ayla" on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, or YouTube; and/or make a donation in River's memory to the Ehlers-Danlos Clinical Research Program at www.bu.edu/holickehlersdanlosfund

Stanetsky Memorial Chapel (617) 232-9300 www.stanetskybrookline.com

]]><![CDATA[I want people to know you]]>https://riverayla.substack.com/p/i-want-people-to-know-youhttps://riverayla.substack.com/p/i-want-people-to-know-youMon, 17 Aug 2026 16:52:51 GMT[A post for those who have already read 300+ posts
Otherwise, go back to a peppier chapter and build more trust together.
Honesty takes time.]

Maybe Chapter 10 or Chapter 11

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Read more

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]]><![CDATA[She's hereeee]]>https://riverayla.substack.com/p/shes-hereeeehttps://riverayla.substack.com/p/shes-hereeeeFri, 14 Aug 2026 09:33:33 GMTNotes from the Liminal Space is an album spanning 2016 to 2023 about the deep void.

Let me tell you about the six tracks.

“Second Chapter” (also known as “Finish What I Started”) was always the biggest crowd pleaser at open mics. Someone always found something to relate to in there.

“One Last Leaf" is from a songwriting workshop I did in 2019 where the first and last lines of each stanza are the same.

“When All Is Lost” is the digital nomad anthem… full freedom and free-fall at the same time.

“Simon Says” is for anyone who’s made the bold choice to live an unconventional life… and all the people they’ve pissed off along the way.

“Transfiguration” is the precipice of doing that bold, courageous thing that most would never do.

“I Can See the Stars Here” is the aftermath… when you look up, maybe from the bioluminescent water, or at the northern lights, or even your own driveway in the suburbs in summer and you actually feel connected to something bigger. Stars. Nature. Wonder.

Please make my day / life and listen to them and tell me what moves you, what stays in your head, what you find yourself singing to yourself, what makes you laugh or think or wonder, what lyric shocks you.

I’m excited (and a little nervous) to share this part of me with you. These songs aren’t new to me, they’re from 2016-2023, but they’re a part of my history that I don’t often talk about.

With love,
River

P.S. You can play it below (I think), but I would be so grateful if you add it to your playlists on Spotify and listen to it more than just once.

P.P.S. Thank you for listening and opening your heart in this way!

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Something is working.

Either the morphine is finally kicking in (I always thought, from the movies, that morphine would be more … moving than it turned out to be) to mask the cough. Or the ch…

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I cannot control other people’s grief.
I cannot control other people’s feelings.
If they do not want to see another angle, if they are not curious, if they don’t …

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“She’s only been asking for you.” My mom says to MJ as I give my chemo nurse another hug. Am I five years old?
I tell MJ: “At 2:30am this morning, when I was in so much pain, I said to my mom…

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They have us wait for over and hour back outside th…

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Here are plenty:

I love you.

I’m sorry (with specificity).

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I’m here (if that’s true).

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