thinking about
Vol 4 | Issue 10 | May 2023
Thoughts or something like it
The foxes who would meet regularly in the community garden overlooking my flat for a late evening/middle of the night shag and cause hours of sleeplessness made a cub and now drop by to hang out as a family. Some times there are three big foxes and a cub and it’s kind of like a Jerry Springer episode. Jerry died last month, and will forever live on as the person who destroyed television. It has been five months since I sent a newsletter. My sabbatical came and went, and I did mean to send an update on several occasions, but I was caught up in writing and life and everything else in between.
Refusal to explain
New policy, refusing to explain, inspired by this quote “Never explain. Your friends don’t require it, and your enemies won’t believe you.” – Elbert Hubbard
Another new policy, if you’re the type of person who asks to hang out but constantly asks “What do you want to do? What time do you want to meet? Should I book?” Every. damn. time. Take the time to suggest something and make a decision!
However – lest I be misunderstood – there is a difference between explaining and common courtesy. It feels that we now lack commitment to our friends. I am hearing from friends how more and more people are making plans and easily breaking them, at times without informing the other person unless they reach out because – even though it has never been easier to reach someone – it’s best to assume they forgot.
The loudest cafe alive
Back in 2011, I wrote a blog post about the music cafes play. I was sitting at Jimmy’s Coffee off King Street West (their pecan pies were magic). The cafe I am writing in has ensured you can Shazam every track without it telling you “expanding search, hold tight” even if the barista machine is on full blast. This place is reminiscent of the 1990s, where I imagine the conspiracy theorist character from Mike Meyer’s latest The Pentaverate would frequent. Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm by Crash Test Dummies is blasting on the speakers. And it’s amazing how the music video is fresh in my mind thanks to hours of watching Much Music after school. The place sells some of those annoying Guardian-esque “Tofu Eating Wokerati” mugs. Who buys this stuff? And why?
I am unable to drown out background music, and am amazed by the person next to me who is on a work call on her laptop but she is on her phone the whole time until prompted to speak. She lifts her laptop up and shows them the cafe, putting me in full view.
I wonder if it’s living in London and becoming increasingly aware of the noise pollution in the city. I come to the conclusion that most cafes are terrible places to work. People talking about silly things, loud machines, louder music, furniture screeching on the floor, plates and cups clattering everywhere. We can put people in space but we can’t….
Collabs
In 2016, I asked a student of mine how I can increase the visibility of my magazine. “Collaborations,” she said, “millennials love collaborations.” She wasn’t wrong, except now we have reached peak collaboration. Even pizza places have collaborations: MC Grindah’s Taste Cadets ‘collaborated’ on creating a pizza with Yard Sale.
War against wheelie luggage
European cities are fed up with tourists. Cities like Amsterdam, Venice and Marseille. If cities don’t want the sounds of 4-wheel luggage in their city, but mostly/solely rely on tourism, then how about revising the old school valise with no wheels that needs to be carried?
Be well,
Danah (The Pessoptimist)
Things
I’ll be delivering a lecture titled the ‘myth’ of Global Design History as part of BIPOC Design History’s latest course Design Histories in Southwest Asia & North Africa: Voices from the SWANA Diaspora. Details and purchase here.
My co-authored article The Case for Minor Gestures (with Pedro Oliveira) was published in Diseña. It’s open access and available in English and Spanish. Read it here.
I have been awarded a fellowship at the Centre for Lebanese Studies (Lebanese American University/University of Cambridge). This means Countless Palestinian Futures will be hosting a session in Beirut in June, and Santiago, Chile in August (fingers crossed). Details to come.
Links
Read
Subscribe to Vittles, a food, culture and politics newsletter. (Still on the lookout for some good writing to subscribe to).
You have a new memory. (if you read anything on this list, let it be this)
Watch
Netflix decides to stop being complacent and gives everyone a reason to hang on to the subscription. If you haven’t, watch Beef. Is this what happens when people are lonely and have nothing better to do?
Plebs: Groomio is an incredible character.
Listen
10,000 by 100 gecs: listening to this album was like floating between a mishmash of Crystal Castles-cum-Sum 41-cum-Limp Bizkit-cum-Mighty Mighty Bosstones-cum…it goes on.
Voice Notes by Yazmin Lacey: a perfect album to play at a dinner party