Sunday Scraps #9

Coney Island, thunderstorms and writing songs

Coney Island

Well everyone, the weather has improved! After some scary thunderstorms and hailstones (!!!) it’s now roasting hot in New York city!
On Friday we spent a beautiful day in Coney Island which was a delight.
Here’s a list of the cultural experiences:

• Nathan’s hotdogs (I mean, just very delicious)

• A cold beer on the boardwalk

• Guys with massive snakes around their shoulders offering the snakes for a photo opp.

• 10 different songs playing from 10 different speakers all existing in the same space all at once + a dude shaking maracas and dancing = peace.

• Fireworks just because it’s a Friday night!

I’ve been before but on a much quieter day and I will be back I have to say the people watching and vibes are unparalleled.

Also the thing I find so amusing about New York is that it’s such a compact city that people talk about going to Coney Island like it’s some kind of big day trip. It only takes 50 minutes from the middle of Manhattan on the subway. In London that’s a regular commute. London is too big. There, I said it.

Work(s) In Progress:

I started writing a new song this week which is the first in a long ol’ time. I haven’t felt inspired in about a year which is a first for me. It was actually inspired by how I got ready to go to the shops for buy groceries but a thunderstorm descended over the Hudson so I ended up just writing about that. It’s nice to noodle on a guitar, I had almost forgotten.

I’m also trying to get into the habit of making Tik Tok videos. Do any other creatives out there hate doing them? I’m so happy in this format. I like words. I can do words all day long. Videos are so uncomfortable for me!

It took me forever just to get this one which I mostly like because of the view in the back!

What I’ve Been Overthinking This Week:

What am I doing with my life?

Stuff I’ve Been Staring At/Listening To:

I just started watching The Gilded Age.

Loving the sets/costumes.

Anyone else into it?

Also watching that and And Just Like That means that I’m watching Cynthia Nixon go between two different centuries in New York. Which could be it’s own series in itself.

When it comes to light-hearted stuff in these chaotic times, what are people watching? I feel like there isn’t a lot unless you want to delve into the trove of re-runs. I don’t want to rewatch New Girl or The Office though.

Quote/Lyric of the Week:

I came across a bunch of quotes from Charles Darwin letters that made me laugh. They are so like what my friends send into group chats that I couldn’t help but draw the conclusion: people don’t change very much, do they?
(this is from the wonderful Letters of Note substack:

I loathe, I abhor the sea, & all ships which sail on it.

I hate a Barnacle as no man ever did before.

I am very tired, very stomachy & hate nearly the whole world.

I am very poorly today & very stupid & hate everybody & everything.

I hate myself, I hate clover, and I hate bees.