#115: talking to strangers, stickers & getting through the vape ban
sent from grace's iphone with love
grace:
Grace, 26, 5ft 9.
Likes: Long walks on the beach, femmes, the indomitable human spirit.
Dislikes: People who don’t keep left, peach jubels (sorry Joss), society's expectations of me.
Dearest reader,
Not to presume, but I think you take yourself a little too seriously. Stop that!!
I’d like to challenge you to bring a bit more whimsy and earnestness into your life- starting with these 6 recommendations.
perfect princess
this is the online bit:
★ Send missives to thy companions like folk of yore ★
It’s hard to describe the joy I felt receiving this message. What was set out to be a bog standard post-work pub trip turned into something exciting, distinguished- even mystical? What foul beasts (deadlines) had my friend slain that day? What distress calls (hinge matches) from fair princesses had she received? I would soon find out.
To help kickstart you on your old-timey speak journey, I will share a little tidbit overheard in the line for Lentekabinet last year that I believe really captures the spirit of this recommendation. The people behind me were discussing spontaneous partying, and one of them told the other that he gauges his friends’ interest in going out by messaging them saying; “What’s your TRL?” TRL of course, standing for Tomfoolery Readiness Level.
Fare thee well x
I am a longstanding sufferer of terrible sleep. A combination of an overactive brain, latent anxiety and sensitivity to light/sound/heat/cold etc. means I have tried just about every recommended sleep aid around to no avail. I’d made peace with the fact that I would be a bad sleeper for life until I discovered him.
Him being Alec from Technology Connections on YouTube, of course. Alec has somehow found the perfect sweet spot of being kind of interesting, kind of boring. With videos up to an hour long like “Your dishwasher is better than you think”, “Why do hurricane lanterns look like that?”, and “Why Americans don’t use electric kettles”- you can imagine why my sleep has begun to improve. I’m also kinda learning while I’m at it? Can you say you know how a refrigerator works? Exactly why portable air conditioners are so bad? You can’t? Well now you know where to go to find out.
★ Stickers, not emojis ★
I’m going to largely let the pictures do the talking for this one. Why use an emoji when a sticker of your friend does the job even better?
this is the irl bit
☆ Cancel your gym membership - Just Dance!! ☆
For those of you that are Sydney-based hotties, you likely know the wonders of One Playground. A very affordable gym membership that gives you access to everything from aerial yoga to circus fitness to the holy grail of gym classes for people who love small plates: reformer pilates. When I moved to London, you can imagine my complete shock and horror that the absolute cheapest class I could find was £30 for a measly 45 minutes. Sorry but, fuck you Big Pilates. Unfortunately for me, due to this I have now lapsed into an exercise-free lifestyle (unless you count 30,000 steps at Venue MOT on a Saturday night, which I do) and I’ve been looking for a cheap way to get my gains up (not running, shut up about running). And I’ve found it. It might sound a little too good to be true- a measly £1 pound for 3 sessions, music and a calories burned calculator provided?
Get yourself down to Rowans and I promise a 100% customer satisfaction rate.
☆ What to do in the face of the UK’s disposable vape ban ☆
Now one thing about me that makes me better than you, is that I don’t smoke. No cigs, no vapes. I’m already a smokeshow, so why would I need them? But I’ve recently discovered a kind of smoking that’s not even a little bit moreish, and actually adds to my aura. It all happened in Paris, after a very decadent meal and 3 bottles of wine. I’d just bought a floor-length hooded fur coat (faux of course!) and I had a feeling that there was something, some accessory that would complete my evolution into discount Brigitte Bardot. Enter: The Cigar.
☆ Talk to strangers ☆
Anyone who lives in London knows it’s an absolute hotbed of freaks. I use that term with LOTS of affection. I have met all sorts of fascinating people here- some whose company I’d enjoy a second time, and some I hope to never encounter again. But I’ve found every interaction valuable in some way. The man who swung off a pub chandelier and told me his wife was evil. The other man who told me I was ‘totally and absolutely fucked’ because I’d received the Covid vaccine. Both helped me to affirm some already strongly-held beliefs. . The lady on the 141 who was on her way to meet her ex-wife whilst her hubby was at home looking after the kids, taught me you can be gay and messy at ANY age. And Pablo, the lovely Portuguese gentleman who (attempted) to help my housemates and I transport a couch through Clissold Park, after a self-professed 3 joints and bottle of red wine, gave me the warmest welcome to the city you could ask for. So go on- get out there and talk to a stranger, you never know what you might have to offer each other.
Kisses x