Crickets chirping
Hey friends, I’m speaking to you after a sapping week that felt like a prolonged rainy night- Work, 3am football and stressing over university applications. Alas, it is all but over so hurrah to that! Today we chew over conversations, the weather and mindfulness. Now would be the perfect time to grab your thinking brollies should you need them!
Stella Brown is a seamless mix of dreamy ethereal pop with alternative RnB, and this live session with a harpist just hits all the right spots. Aryeh documents his experiences and self-discoveries through his song writing, bringing out the confessional undertones with his floaty voice. Perhaps I’m striving to achieve just that through my writing 🙂 Have at it!
Painted in a coat of decadent guitar riffs, “Stella Brown” finds a sense of homegrown candidness through the vehicle of simplicity. At its heart, the song isn’t terribly complex, but it resonates with a level of authenticity that countless artists, labels, etc. try to manufacture to no avail. It takes a special song and an even more special artist to find the balance of sound that allows for such, but quite clearly, with “Stella Brown,” Aryeh hit the nail on the head. It’s emotional, it’s honest, and it’s the kind of song that means more than the sum of its parts.
– Seamus Fay, Lyrical Lemonade
I went for a run this morning and a thought presented itself to me: What if runners/ joggers took heed of traffic signs..like how I slowed down upon seeing this one. Though I guess we probably couldn’t travel at 50 clicks an hour, or can we? Do give me your opinions, I would appreciate your take on this.
It’s always been a habit of mine to greet whoever I see along the street, neighbours or not. Today was no different- addressing neighbours honestly makes for a fulfilling morning! The other day, the chirpy janitor at a condominium near mine commented that I looked well-built and asked if I worked out often. I was rushing but still I removed my Airpods and talked to him briefly about my routine and life in general. It may come as second nature to me but when people greet me back with a genuine earnest, ahh it truly warms the cockles of my heart. Simple joys in life no?
Let’s talk about making conversations. Quick chit-chats, coffee catchups with your pals and midnight laughs with your loved ones are most certainly the best gifts in life.
On a morning drive couple of days back, I was commenting about the fine weather to my sister and the tête-à-tête quickly turned into one about conversation starters and engaging with new friends/ strangers. It was quite intriguing because I would literally begin a conversation with and talk at length about the weather, but I only learned then that many actually don’t speak of it. I mean seriously, I would love for someone to enlighten me daily about the day’s cloud cover and humidity levels. It’s truly fascinating information.
“Weather’s great for a run out eh?” is something I would totally say to me pals because honestly, the weather plays such a big part in my life, and in everyone else’s I’m inclined to believe. If only I stayed in a seasonal country…Imagine chatting about snow coverage and wind chills with your mates over a hot cuppa, that’s the thing of dreams really.
This brings me to an article I read about a psychological trick that evokes interesting conversations using the Cunningham’s Law. In essence, it’s about engaging somebody in a stimulating conversation by implanting erroneous facts in the questions/ statements you pose to that individual. More often than not, people would then go on to correct you and that ought to be the spark that kicks off your dialogue. Hmm maybe I should try it on my mates tonight..
Even Sherlock Holmes in The Great Game says, “people do not like telling you things; they love to contradict you”. Therefore if you want smart answers, do not ask a question. Instead, give a wrong answer or ask a question in such a way that it already contains the wrong information.
This works due to the fact that the people in a room cannot all be alike or in full agreement with one another. When we have to drag small talk out, we tend to suffer from ‘conversation fatigue’ because so little is coming out of it. Maximum input, minimum output.
A meaningful or creative conversation must move us forward, allowing us to shift from simply thinking and conversing into the act of doing. Be it traversing the dividing lines of international conflict, the rising trend of veganism or issues more personal in nature, we should always try to dig deep and derive something out of seemingly superficial chats. This is not to say we shouldn’t have talk about Korean Dramas or the new pretty lady round the block. We can’t be so deep in thought every single second of the day now can we.
So the next time you find yourself in an awkward situation where you’re sat face to face with somebody and are both apprehensive to get the ball rolling, make use of this human disposition to elicit a more meaningful discussion during your confab. Just don’t make a fool of yourself please…Perhaps test it on yourself first with a soliloquy? How I miss you Shakespeare.
The world is moving at a blistering pace. News media promotes friction and faction. Political and democratic dialogue seem almost lost on us, each day hitting a new low, something like my investments...
We are being driven inwards, communicating only through the contraptions in our palms and ears, and the global pandemic isn’t exactly helping either. There’s the loss of the human touch being demonstrated in the brutal rhetoric that exists in social media conversation in this day and age. The growing crevice is evident from every angle.
Engrossing in rich daily korero with the people around you should not only be a slice of your flavourful life but also a staple driving our society forwards.
Last Monday, I was on a 40 minute bus ride to meet an old friend and my, it was lovely. Just watching the world go by you is quite liberating really. Just you and your thoughts. Like an artist or a composer, I love penning down interesting things I pick up in my day to day life/ conversations. “Where do you draw your inspirations from?”, one of my friends queried. “Everyday life,” I replied, chuckling. I just find it so incredible that each of us are 1 in 7.9 billion people existing across 510.1 million km² of our beautiful planet Earth.
Me time is a concept that is so beautiful in many aspects. It’s a moment where you’re the most vulnerable, yet most in touch with your own feelings. It opens up so many portals, allowing you to delve into the inner depths of your mind or pour your overflowing thoughts into a thinkpiece. Me time is about mindfulness, and also about full disclosure. Oddly enough, in the uneventfulness of lockdown, I felt the most connected to myself. I’m sure many of you resonate strongly with that, what with all the crossword puzzle sessions!
But of course, once my friend and I met, I went from gear one to four.
I’ve got a marvellous idea: To take the bus to nowhere with no destination in mind, just you, your partner and a pair of earpieces. Bliss.
Ironic I know, first I talk to you about conversations, then now quiet time and contemplation. Such is life, a fluid and abstract dichotomy of interactivity and self-reflection.
Let’s wrap up with some great dad jokes.
Aht Aht Aht.
Isn’t it just so spellbinding that making conversations and having personal time can make for such a good conversation piece?! Ciao folks, see you this time next week!
Alexander SR Pang
ALEXANDER SR PANG 