Congrats on the cartoon in The New Yorker! There's something about that joke that really speaks to me. I think my happy day is Dec 20. There's something about the end of the year just before it officially ends and the holidays that I really enjoy. The other 364 days out of the year can suck it.
As for people watching, hell yes! I love it! One of my favorite things to do. I especially love people watching at the airport. There's so much human drama and weirdness and there's the angst / stress of travel that puts it all in this amazing pressure cooker. A good people watching encounter, in my book, more than makes up for the hell of flying. I also pick restaurants that have crowded seating areas. I plop myself down, put in my ear buds for cover, but don't play anything on my phone so that I can eavesdrop. It's literally the best.
HAHAHa, thank you Michael! Even just reading "December 20th" makes me feel peaceful. What a lovely date that I wish were right now (lol).
I unsurprisingly also resonate with the sentiment of the cartoon (shocker).
It's truly just so hard to consistently remember that every passing moment is precious and something we'll likely look back on and wish we appreciated someday.
"Life is what happens when you're busy making plans" always comes to mind.
One of my biggest personal goals is to be more appreciative of the little moments in life. It's probably why I came up with the cartoon idea, because it's on my mind a lot! It takes a lot of work to rewire your brain this way, but hell if it's worth it.
And, hey!--I also put in ear buds with nothing playing in them for eavesdropping! Haha, a tried and true strategy. We are professionals here, clearly. I completely agree that airports are prime people watching territory. The franticness really brings out some fun expressions of "getting by".
People watching is an instinct for me and one of my favourite pastimes. I got it from my dad. We used to love to sit in Washington Square Park in NYC and people watch.
Is that creepy? No its at the core of someone who is curious and into humanity and the quirkiness and fabulousness if people.
Is glitter a color? no but it’s an adornment - best layered on top of colour
Do you have any new recurring Substack segment ideas you’d like to see me try out?
Let me get back to you on that- this is my first foray on substack. So far loving the newsletter.
I love this, Leah! Especially having gotten it from your dad, what a beautiful gift to pass down.
I used to have a notes app full of snippets of conversations I overheard people say on top of the sketches. I really just cannot get enough. It's such a powerful way to be present and is also such a cure to any feelings of misanthropy.
Thank you for helping me to not feel creepy, haha, people have mixed opinions, which I understand even though I know my intentions are good.
Congrats on the New Yorker cartoon! It is mighty cool to be able to buy coffee or pay a bill with your imagination for a while. I really like the art style of the cafe drawing.
He often drawings exaggerated perspectives when he sketches from cafes, sometimes he even goes full fisheye, which always looks incredible.
I personally refuse to be too regimented in my sketches because it takes away the joy for me, but sometimes I can play with the perspective in a casual way and it works out! I think that's what happened in the café drawing. :)
I love the idea of people watching. Basking in the thriving hum of humanity, seeing all the people—each the dynamic sum of a million dreams and moments, constantly evolving. Beauty!
But I feel quite self-conscious about blatantly people watching. Sometimes I'll forget myself and think that I'm nondescript and unlikely to be noticed, but then I remember that I'm a looming 6'6" — decidedly not inconspicuous. Maybe it's all in my head.
"each the dynamic sum of a million dreams and moments, constantly evolving."
Beautifully put, Matt! I love this!
I'm probably more inconspicuous as a smaller woman, but I've also developed strategies for not being conspicuous too.
Like I usually draw people who are consumed in a book, or their phone, or aren't directly facing me.
I also will draw numerous people at the same time so that I'm rarely staring at one person for too long.
For example I'll start to draw the hair/eyes of one person, then I start to draw the hunched posture of another person, then I start to draw a dog 5 feet away, then I go back to the first person and draw their face, then back to the dog, then a new person-- so all the drawings come together piece meal and that way no one ever feels ruthlessly stared at.
It's been fairly effective, but I also have definitely failed and had people glare or move and then I of course feel terrible. ( ꒦ິ〰 ꒦ິ )
LOVE ME the people watching! The sweet little snippets of conversations and commentary we catch... it's GOLD. Food for the imagination. My favourite is when there's music in my ears, or my car, or the cafe and someone is unaware of the music and yet they are perfectly timed and tuned to it. As if they were in a movie and this was the soundtrack to their lives -- hitting the beat with every step. Magic.
Thank you, Claire! I couldn't agree more! There is truly just something so precious about overhearing casual conversations. It's like tiny windows into entire universes that are existing outside of your own. It's a very connecting and beautiful experience.
I don't think I've ever applied a soundtrack, but that sounds next level lovely-- truly. I love pretending I'm in a tiny little movie. Like my own Amelie. XD
I've joked before that I'll give him a birthday card filled with glitter. We are very silly together, but this is a joke he is not inclined to laugh at. He's like, ".... please don't though..."
(I wouldn't don't worry. I mostly respect his glitterphobia.)
I saw your cartoon earlier on FB (before I read this post) and thought it was great and so true! If 'if only thens' could be real, THEN I'd be happy! 😁
I like the idea of glitter being an autumn color because autumn colors are my undying favorite color palette.
In this very moment every single article of clothing I'm wearing are shades of autumn leaves. I will never get enough! Also my outfit would be very much elevated if I had glitter nail polish, so I'm going to say yes. Glitter is an autumn color. XD
Congrats on the cartoon in The New Yorker! There's something about that joke that really speaks to me. I think my happy day is Dec 20. There's something about the end of the year just before it officially ends and the holidays that I really enjoy. The other 364 days out of the year can suck it.
As for people watching, hell yes! I love it! One of my favorite things to do. I especially love people watching at the airport. There's so much human drama and weirdness and there's the angst / stress of travel that puts it all in this amazing pressure cooker. A good people watching encounter, in my book, more than makes up for the hell of flying. I also pick restaurants that have crowded seating areas. I plop myself down, put in my ear buds for cover, but don't play anything on my phone so that I can eavesdrop. It's literally the best.
HAHAHa, thank you Michael! Even just reading "December 20th" makes me feel peaceful. What a lovely date that I wish were right now (lol).
I unsurprisingly also resonate with the sentiment of the cartoon (shocker).
It's truly just so hard to consistently remember that every passing moment is precious and something we'll likely look back on and wish we appreciated someday.
"Life is what happens when you're busy making plans" always comes to mind.
One of my biggest personal goals is to be more appreciative of the little moments in life. It's probably why I came up with the cartoon idea, because it's on my mind a lot! It takes a lot of work to rewire your brain this way, but hell if it's worth it.
And, hey!--I also put in ear buds with nothing playing in them for eavesdropping! Haha, a tried and true strategy. We are professionals here, clearly. I completely agree that airports are prime people watching territory. The franticness really brings out some fun expressions of "getting by".
Does anyone else love to people-watch?
People watching is an instinct for me and one of my favourite pastimes. I got it from my dad. We used to love to sit in Washington Square Park in NYC and people watch.
Is that creepy? No its at the core of someone who is curious and into humanity and the quirkiness and fabulousness if people.
Is glitter a color? no but it’s an adornment - best layered on top of colour
Do you have any new recurring Substack segment ideas you’d like to see me try out?
Let me get back to you on that- this is my first foray on substack. So far loving the newsletter.
I love this, Leah! Especially having gotten it from your dad, what a beautiful gift to pass down.
I used to have a notes app full of snippets of conversations I overheard people say on top of the sketches. I really just cannot get enough. It's such a powerful way to be present and is also such a cure to any feelings of misanthropy.
Thank you for helping me to not feel creepy, haha, people have mixed opinions, which I understand even though I know my intentions are good.
I learned a long time ago no matter what you can’t control people’s opinions so f*ck it 🤪
Preach, Leah! I could not agree with you more!
Congrats on the new New Yorker cartoon.
Thank you, Randy!!! :D
Congrats on the New Yorker cartoon! It is mighty cool to be able to buy coffee or pay a bill with your imagination for a while. I really like the art style of the cafe drawing.
Thank you, R.! That might be my favorite sketch in this post too. I was somewhat inspired by this artist I follow online named Paul Heaston.
(His IG: https://www.instagram.com/paulheaston/?hl=en)
He often drawings exaggerated perspectives when he sketches from cafes, sometimes he even goes full fisheye, which always looks incredible.
I personally refuse to be too regimented in my sketches because it takes away the joy for me, but sometimes I can play with the perspective in a casual way and it works out! I think that's what happened in the café drawing. :)
Nice! Heaston's stuff is pretty funky; many thanks for the introduction!
I love the idea of people watching. Basking in the thriving hum of humanity, seeing all the people—each the dynamic sum of a million dreams and moments, constantly evolving. Beauty!
But I feel quite self-conscious about blatantly people watching. Sometimes I'll forget myself and think that I'm nondescript and unlikely to be noticed, but then I remember that I'm a looming 6'6" — decidedly not inconspicuous. Maybe it's all in my head.
"each the dynamic sum of a million dreams and moments, constantly evolving."
Beautifully put, Matt! I love this!
I'm probably more inconspicuous as a smaller woman, but I've also developed strategies for not being conspicuous too.
Like I usually draw people who are consumed in a book, or their phone, or aren't directly facing me.
I also will draw numerous people at the same time so that I'm rarely staring at one person for too long.
For example I'll start to draw the hair/eyes of one person, then I start to draw the hunched posture of another person, then I start to draw a dog 5 feet away, then I go back to the first person and draw their face, then back to the dog, then a new person-- so all the drawings come together piece meal and that way no one ever feels ruthlessly stared at.
It's been fairly effective, but I also have definitely failed and had people glare or move and then I of course feel terrible. ( ꒦ິ〰 ꒦ິ )
"I draw butts" really should be in your bio somewhere.
Thank you I completely agree!!!
LOVE ME the people watching! The sweet little snippets of conversations and commentary we catch... it's GOLD. Food for the imagination. My favourite is when there's music in my ears, or my car, or the cafe and someone is unaware of the music and yet they are perfectly timed and tuned to it. As if they were in a movie and this was the soundtrack to their lives -- hitting the beat with every step. Magic.
Thank you, Claire! I couldn't agree more! There is truly just something so precious about overhearing casual conversations. It's like tiny windows into entire universes that are existing outside of your own. It's a very connecting and beautiful experience.
I don't think I've ever applied a soundtrack, but that sounds next level lovely-- truly. I love pretending I'm in a tiny little movie. Like my own Amelie. XD
Glitter is not a color. It's an abomination.
Scott comin' in hot with glitter attacks! (My husband fully agrees with you).
Your husband is a wise man and not just because he married you.
I've joked before that I'll give him a birthday card filled with glitter. We are very silly together, but this is a joke he is not inclined to laugh at. He's like, ".... please don't though..."
(I wouldn't don't worry. I mostly respect his glitterphobia.)
I love the "mostly" 😆.
I saw your cartoon earlier on FB (before I read this post) and thought it was great and so true! If 'if only thens' could be real, THEN I'd be happy! 😁
Thank you Mackie! I'm so glad that you enjoyed the cartoon.
I've been feeling very seen by how many people resonate with struggling to appreciate the moment. XD
It's a real battle to remember that right now can be special too. *still dreaming about the holiday season*
Is glitter more of an autumn color?
I like the idea of glitter being an autumn color because autumn colors are my undying favorite color palette.
In this very moment every single article of clothing I'm wearing are shades of autumn leaves. I will never get enough! Also my outfit would be very much elevated if I had glitter nail polish, so I'm going to say yes. Glitter is an autumn color. XD
i trust you didn't waste that outfit and went turkey hunting
BTW, fun newsletter! Thank you.
Thank you so much, John! <3 I appreciate that. :)