#1. The Bad Beginning
an obscure reference that tells you nothing about the content of this newsletter
Introduction
Dear Reader (most likely, just Laura),
Happy fall. Sort of. I’m sitting in my Brooklyn apartment, wearing my “Directed by Rian Johnson” sweatshirt (if RJ had really directed our 2020 lives, they would be going much better, so my wearing of this has become ironic as well as fun), trying to figure out how to explain my decision to put out a weekly “newsletter” that’s really devoid of a typical central theme.
The best I can do is this: I’ve spent the past few months reading several online newsletters that have all been fun, informative, and inspiring in the “you can probably do this too” kind of way. Plus, I’ve been looking for a nice low-stakes project and/or an organizing principle to my life. (The days until Nov. 3rd are ticking by like the beating of the tell-tale heart.)
Essentially, I wanted to get in on the action; I was experiencing digital FOMO, the only kind of FOMO that’s really accessible to us these days.
my friend and newsletter inspiration, laura of the BHE, being overly kind, and me being unwilling to share my private conversations
So, I figured that documenting the ways I’m finding to enjoy fall (my favorite season, because I’m a true original!) in a COVID-era NYC qualified as “good enough”, and now I’m diving in. Hopefully I don’t quit in a couple weeks, but no promises. If I do….we’ll always have October 12th, 2020.
Speaking of, I’m almost a month late to my own party, but I’m sure this won’t surprise anyone (sadly). We are a few weeks into fall now, so I’ve missed out on recording some of the fun fall-maximizing activities I’ve already explored. These include apple picking, hiking, looking at various pumpkins, rapping on pumpkins to experience their hollowness, impulse-buying boots, buying and attempting to use a “fall palette” nail polish collection (very out-of-character for a lot of reasons, but very satisfying for some other reasons), transitioning to pumpkin beverages, remarking that the air is crisp, and insisting on ordering every fall-themed special on every menu I get my hands on. I happen to genuinely like root vegetables, but let’s be clear, I’m a sucker and would order anything “autumnal” just for the excitement anyway.
cameron is taller than me
These were all great successes: captured the spirit of the season, were generally not risky behaviors, etc. 10/10 would recommend all of them, because I’m too lazy to go back and rate them individually. I promise more nuanced opinions from here on out, probably.
So, how did I enjoy autumn this week? Because I learned what the inverted pyramid form was in college, not to be confused with the pyramid formula or pyramid scheme, I am going to start with the most exciting thing and work my way down to the least exciting thing. (If I know you in real life and a time when I actually saw you is at the bottom of the list, it is not personal!!)
Played music outside!
bragging
This is really multiple experiences rolled into one, because I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to get together with other musicians outdoors more than once. From Central Park’s Great Lawn to the cluster of rooftops near East 86th Street, many a NYC pocket has been “blessed” this week with the wafting sounds of my atrocious sight-reading (and mumbled apologies for missed entrances). This is at the top because it’s really hard to beat the feeling of being able to play music with other people again, even if your callouses are gone (along with your sense of rhythm, and time signatures, and key signatures). The Mozart Viola Quintets and the Mendelssohn Octet were particularly fun.
photo credit to someone else
These men probably had to deal with plagues at some point in their lives, but they made beautiful things anyway. It’s comforting.
So, a true 10/10: highly recommend anything creative or community-based. Anything to provide localized meaning. Can’t beat it right now. Do it even if you think you suck these days. I even felt lucky to carry around my clunky red stand and then struggle to figure out how to open it (see: every time for the last two years)!
a piano is not a piece of furniture, but a carbon fiber cello? maybe.
Returned to my office
I despise working from home and I got to go back to my desk. (There are many precautions in place, pictured below.) That’s really all.
this photo was plastered all over my company’s social pages
Focus, productivity, everything is all up. Can’t recommend this uniformly, of course, since it depends on your comfort level and what your company is doing to try to be safe. So, no rating!
Painted my nails green
Why does this seemingly trivial activity get middle billing? I don’t know.
Maybe because I’m really tickled by the idea of olive green as a fall color (according to Olive & June nail polish, not an ad)? Maybe because I’ve never really been allowed (by myself) to paint my nails? Maybe because carving out agency for yourself by making changes to your appearance feels satisfying during a pandemic? (Changes to your appearance here = impermanent, slight, majority of people do this anyway, this doesn’t even qualify…)
i am making it seem like laura is my only friend
As Lena Dunham once said, and please give me a pass for quoting her, “Nail polish is a very important statement of self.” Being someone who plays violin, I’ve never really gotten to experience this mood-ring-on-your-fingertips thing, and I like it.
Anyway, it was fun. 8/10.
Visited the East Village for some fall supplies
Okay, fall is for witchy stuff. I stopped by Flower Power on East 9th St. for some unusual stuff, like arnica and flower essences. Very excited to have these. (Disclaimer: did not go in the store! Just picked up!)
This is already a pretty long “edition”, so I think I’ll save the details about these items for future newsletters, when I don’t have any ideas and need to fill some space.
But, this was very cool, 8/10.
i confess that this is laura
Went to a rooftop party* in Bushwick
*gathering of fewer than 10 people with masks**
**fewer than 10 people, with masks
Honestly, the only reason this is last is that it happened last chronologically so I forgot about it until now.
Happy birthday to my awesome roommate Raquel, who is not Laura.
That’s all for now!*
*(Quote one of my professors in college: “The muddled last sentence hints that you completed your essay with the clock ticking, and wrapped up in a hurry.”)
Miscellaneous Observations
“Miscellaneous Observations” is what I would title any Noah Baumbach screenplay.
I might experiment with using the imperative voice – and you will like it – because that’s what a lot of other people do when they put out newsletters, and it seems fun.
I’m definitely over-using hyphens, drunk with power, and I’m sorry but I’m a Virgo so it’s my right, and it’s also not going to change, because I’m a Scorpio Moon (a fixed sign).