i bought a dumbphone lol
The nights are getting longer and I’ve had a stressful week, so some of my demons have come out to play.
I met up with some old friends yesterday. One of them told me, “This is the most normal you’ve ever looked.” It’s true — these days, I have long black hair, wear unassuming outfits, and I’m probably tongue-tied and tired. A standard Asian woman working a standard Asian-woman job living a standard and small life. Don’t feel exceptional, don’t take up space, always shrink away instead of leaning in. A forgettable side character in the stories of stronger personalities and more interesting lives; here to help when you need it, and not a bother when you don’t. An NPC in my own life.
At the root of this all, of course, is ego — the insecurity of being unremarkable. But let’s box that up for another day.
Desperate for a quick-fix quirky schtick, I bought a flip phone.
Okay, it doesn’t actually flip, but this was the least-offensive, most-reliably-reviewed feature phone I could find in the throes of my angst. I wanted so badly to find a phone that flips, for the drama of it all, but will settle for a slab reminiscent of my Motorola Slvr from the days of yore:
Yes, I can play Snake on it. Tune in next week for the setup.
P.S. Please send any resources/suggestions/potential experiments for living with a dumbphone.
Some links:
That buzzy New Yorker profile of Jeremy Strong, who plays Kendall Roy in Succession. It’s a goldmine of bonkers details tailor-made for Twitter dunks — He wanted to get actually tear-gassed for a movie scene! He lived in Michelle Williams’ house rent-free for three years! He didn’t realize Succession is a comedy! Tag yourself, I’m the metaphorical “bear in the woods” that he wants to encounter by filming scenes unrehearsed.
The 5th Year of Billie Eilish's “Same Interview” with Vanity Fair. I only discovered this series yesterday (late to the game, I know), and promptly binge-watched all four years’ worth of interviews in one sitting. I’m a big fan of anything that explores time and growth, and Billie is the perfect subject — dynamic, raw, and self-aware. I love how this year, she calls out her previous selves for lying and self-denial.