Sunday Sundry Thoughts, Pt. 2
A miscellany of reflections, compiled together.
Hi everyone!
Welcome, welcome. It’s delightfully pleasant in Central Florida, so let’s get to it!
Sundry Thought #1: Where The Weather Suits My Clothes
I made this point briefly last week, but I have underestimated the sheer joy of inhabiting a place where — to quote Harry Nilsson’s gorgeous cover of Fred Neil’s song “Everybody’s Talking” — “the weather suits my clothes.”
(It’s too good a song not to share. I love Nilsson’s deadpan, overall uninterested lip sync.)
For whatever reason — probably childhood habit, growing up mostly in Florida — I feel most comfortable barefoot, in a tank top and shorts. Anything more than that is protective and necessary when it’s cold, but feels clunky. Like I’m shellacked in layers of non-breathable fabrics (which is pretty accurate). It genuinely changes my mood when I can wear my preferred outfit and not freeze.
Sundry Thought #2: Overcoming Friction
Since my first night here, I started my walking habit. Since the second night here, meditation. Then, three days in, I hit the gym for the first time. Those routines that eluded me in western North Carolina are back, just like that.
Why?
I think it’s because there’s decidedly less friction here. In Leicester, I’ve got two cats that demand my time as soon as I get up, preventing meditation. In Leicester, the walking’s hilly. In Leicester, I’m covered in more clothing (at least until summer).
When you need to restart routines after months away, you need a well-oiled path. Florida has helped with that by creating a minimalist life that has stripped away even the silliest of obstacles, like a steep driveway to walk down.
Sundry Thought #3: The Leg-Up of an Audiobook
I don’t like audiobooks. Nothing against them as a format; after all, many people first heard the works of earlier writers read aloud by a parent or sibling as they gathered around the fire at night.
But it’s not how I prefer to read.
Until it came to starting Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
Since I restarted my daily walks, I’ve listened to many episodes of one of my favorite podcasts, the BBC’s “In Our Time.” It features host Melvin Bragg interviewing three experts on a given topic in history, science, literature, politics, art….you name the category, it’s probably been covered in some way. (Melvin can be a bit pushy at times, though I’m realizing he’s mellowed and improved over the years. It’s really the experts
I’m getting back to work on “the scoop,” which requires reading works like Uncle Tom’s Cabin. I started with the “In Our Time” episode on the book, but then just started listening to the audiobook as I was tackling a jigsaw puzzle (another favorite activity at Dad’s).
I still don’t love listening to audiobooks. It’s not always easy for my mind to keep up, and I’m not a skimmer — I like to absorb every word when reading.
I’ve listened to the first five or six chapters. I’m not convinced that I need to imbibe more for my “scoop” research purposes, but I did download a free copy on my Kindle if I change my mind. I’ll probably switch to the visual in that case.
I’m glad I gave the audiobook format a try. It’s still not for me, but I appreciate its use in this case.
Sundry Thought #4: All I Spend Money on is K-pop…and ALDI?
I don’t have a lot of discretionary spending. What I do spend, however, can add up. That’s especially true when it comes to K-pop. I’m going to see SHINee’s leader and main vocalist ONEW in D.C. in late April, and I bought tickets this week for ATEEZ, who’s going on another tour this summer.
Tours cost a lot. There’s the ticket, travel, and then of course the gear. These days, my styling is almost completely determined by my K-pop tour hoodies, tees, and tube tops.
I mean, the tank top I wore today is one I bought in the early 2000s. The shorts, purchased by my mother at Sam’s Club at least 10, 15 years ago. And, as I’ve mentioned before, some of my t-shirts date from elementary school.
But this week, I also went on a tiny splurge…at ALDI.
I love ALDI’s Aisle of Shame so much that I’ve written about it for Gastro Obscura. If you’re unfamiliar, ALDI is short for “Albrecht Diskont,” the name initially given to the discount grocery store started by the Albrecht family in 1946. It thrives on minimalism. Smaller store. Fewer products. And, in the middle, a couple of aisles with rotating products that are “here today, gone tomorrow.” As in, when they’re gone, they may not appear again for another year — or ever.
These products have nothing to do with food, and many of them are genuine deals. From lawn furniture to pet beds, knife sets to bathmats, they’re usually good quality and very discount.
And then there’s the ALDI drip, decorated with ALDI branding in its orange, yellow, and blue colors. That’s where I went wild, and I’m now the proud owner of a tee-shirt, a sweater, and a squishy soft high-necked pullover.
It’s cheap and silly, whereas my K-pop gear is expensive and silly.
So, in short, my style is quirky meets “I don’t give a shit.”
After all, I gave up underwear for the pandemic.
But there’s one other aspect of K-pop that has influenced my fashion sense — the hairstyles. I got bangs for the first time, something I’d wanted for years, because watching enough idols with cute bangs convinced me I could try it with my
And, just before I came down here to Florida, I colored my hair a mix of teal, purple, and pink. It’s washed away more than I hoped, and we started “subtle,” but I LOVE it. I hope to do it again soon.
So, as much as I hate selfies, here’s one of me with my latest ALDI drip. I’m dipping my head so that you can see the colors at the top better. It’s pretty subtle, especially in that lighting. But it really is something that best stands out in person, so you’ll just have to come see me if you want the full monty.
Since I can’t think of a better note to end on than ALDI and K-pop, we’ll leave it at that.
What’s a sundry thought in your head this week?
Hurricane Helene & Wildfires: Ways to Support Recovery
Love Asheville From Afar. This one-stop shop features Asheville businesses that desperately need money to survive the slow winter season. From coffee and food to art of all shapes, to simple donations, you can get a range of thoughtful gifts for just about anyone in your life.
Asheville Goods. Another site where you can buy themed boxes featuring a bunch of local shops — or customize your own!
Help Catye Gowan Feed People with Dietary Needs! This chef has been out there on her own since the storm began cooking food designed for people with severe dietary issues like Celiac and dietary preferences like veganism. She’s a force for good, and every dollar helps!
Help the House of Black Cat Magic Save Black Cats! Our second cat, Mini Keeper-Moo, came from Binx’s Home for Black Cats, one of only a handful of black cat-specific rescues in the country. They opened up a gorgeous black cat lounge and magic shop last May, but since Hurricane Helene they’re struggling like every other business. They’ve only received $15,000 micro-grants since the storm to save their business — not a cent more. Please help them help black cats!
BeLoved Asheville. These folks are the best in the world — the ultimate model of mutual aid and greeting the world with love. Check out what they’ve been doing, and donate, here.
The Deep End of Hope in the Wake of Hurricane Helene: 40 Days and Nights of Survival and Transformation. A Ground Zero view of the storm’s devastation — and a community’s resilience — from a trauma chaplain who lived it.
L.A. Wildfires: Opportunities to Help
World Central Kitchen. They were unbelievable for us here after Helene. I don’t know the grassroots organizations running in LA right now — LA readers, feel free to share so I can include them! — but I can vouch for the amazing-ness of World Central Kitchen. A hot meal means everything in such difficult moments. I’ll add more links as I hear about places doing great work.
Support Karen and Ingin’s Recovery from the Eaton Fire. I was asked to share this GoFundMe for a journalist of color. If you can, check it out and give.
This Week’s Dose of K-Pop: NMIXX(엔믹스), “占 (TANK)”
One of the reasons I enjoy K-pop is that it tends to toss 17 genres together in one song. Or, as one of my favorite music critics Alexis Petridis once wrote about BLACKPINK’s The Album:
Its songs are unrelenting three-minute bombardments of hooks: barely a second passes where you’re not in the presence of a melody you struggle to erase from your brain, a snappy throwaway aside anyone else would build an entire chorus around.
Give the pick ‘n mix nature of this week’s post, here’s one of my favorite songs from NMIXX. This girl group should be dominating their 4th generation competition. It has some of the best singers and dancers in the business. But they haven’t been given great songs.
Some of this is precisely because of their pick n’ mix songs, which can sound so fragmented as to be confusing. But I truly love “Tank,” with its ridiculous yet catchy chorus of “I'm so freaky (like a tank, I'ma).”
My “freaky” may be more “I like K-pop and ALDI drip,” but there you go. Like a tank, I’ma.
Love y’all,
Sara