Ins/Outs #17

Now we’re in November we’re really in Winter, no more funny business with a stylish light jacket, you had better put that scarf on. This month is sometimes the most unforgiving & I can certainly empathise with anyone who is finding it tough this time of year. Christmas (& all the excuses for fun) is just around the corner!

Day trips

You need to be going on day trips, alone or with company. You need to be booking flights to different countries and hopping on trains. You need to be expanding your horizons in minuscule ways and then telling everyone about it, be it London or…Cobh.

I really love the idea of travelling somewhere for some ultra specific experience, like you’re not going for a holiday you’re going solely to get lunch at this one place you love or to get a tattoo or to see an exhibition.

Por ejemplo, I went to London for a day trip (cheap flights) and saw the Nigerian Modernism exhibition and the Lee Miller exhibition in the Tate and Tate Modern. It was so good, so many new things to look at and enjoy and experience. I have always wanted to go to the Tate and when you’re working so much it’s an interesting way to spend your day off reminding yourself you can make life fun at any time.

Twister

Twister as someone who's past the age of ten is really just a mini yoga boot camp. No one at Open Walls was ready for my moves…wish there were pics but really I don’t. Just know that I won the second round with the help of my collaborator Margaret.

Winnie the Witch books

I recently remembered that these picture books existed, I used to adore them and Winnie the Witch popped into my head out of nowhere a few days ago. I wonder did any of ye have some of them too?

Puma shoes renaissance

Why are all Pumas so fab now. Like GLAM and interesting, they’re playing with textures and colours. I’m obsessed with this one pair, they could take me from the streets to the clerb.

Rolex (all i ever wanted was a rollie rollie)

When a schizophrenic stoner is talking you listen 🗣️when a Byzantine chantress with a skullet is singing you LISTEN 🔥

Been really into that 2017-2020 era frat bro party music lately. Whatever happened the Rae Sremmurd? I miss them.

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No more video summaries under YouTube videos

There used be a summary of each step or main point of every video in the comments. Like a cute little footnote it helpfully summarised the whole video and now the comments are full of clout chasers trying to make YouTube the clock app…

Whinging about not feeling Christmassy

At this stage its a deliberate choice, you have to MAKE yourself feel Christmassy. You have to be brave and go into Spotify and press shuffle on the Christmas Hits playlist and then you have to buy decorations and then you also should make plans to see friends with some kind of kris kringle activity involved. It's mandatory at this stage to compliment the lights in town and if you’re feeling crazy you can even go on the ferris wheel.

Like if anyone in their teens/early 20s is whinging to me about not feeling Christmassy this year I’m not hearing it because if you can curate a vibe on your insta you can certainly curate a yuletide vibe in your MIND. 

Jazz music

Jazz weekend in Cork…wow I was inundated with jazz music (and gucci flip flops remixes). It’s honestly tricky finding somewhere WITHOUT trumpets and saxophones and the like. The LOTD group chat was unleashed on Cork and they agreed Dwyers is no bueno 👍and Annie Macs is sort of heaven on earth, my work here is done.

Glorified sheds with no heating 

It’s rough out here when you have an 8 hour shift standing in gale force winds….

Rain

Ireland stuns in -2 degree weather with levels of sunshine not seen since the last time Ireland was in World Cup playoff. Nation celebrates like Christmas came early by repeating “it's after getting Very cold” to everyone they meet. This could be mistaken for complaining but is actually ancient Celtic tradition of playing hard to get with the weather, in case the sun leaves again.