Hey,

The last six months have pretty much been about two things:

Rebalancing after an anxiety resurgence + buying a house.

The former is an ongoing process, but the latter is officially done next week.

And what on earth is meant to come next?

The simple answer, I guess, is: the rest of life. That big old thing that’s felt a bit on hold so far in 2024. Except it’s not been. Not at all.

You might have seen it before, but there’s a screenshot of an excellent TikTok comment that does the internet rounds now and again.

One commenter complains about something taking three years to do. The OP replies: the time will pass anyway.

Wisdom in the unlikeliest of places, eh?

Life’s been going on for these six months. I’ve celebrated birthdays, welcomed friends’ babies, been to nice places, felt rotten, felt okay. I’ve gone on a few runs, I’ve done a lot of sitting and lying down. I’ve written a dozen newsletters. (Okay, 11.) I’ve listened to albums and read a dozen books. (Okay, maybe half a dozen.) I’ve watched the football season end, I’ve worked on projects for clients new and old. I’ve learned about working with lawyers! I’ve lived the fullness of human experience – just as I have every other six month period of my life and, I’d wager, as I will in the future.

Maybe what’s next is more of the same. Maybe it’ll feel different. Maybe better.

Slow down guide

Need a little help moving slower?

Ease your way out of Friday afternoon with this newsletter, a nice cup of something, and a little background music. Steal my setup if you aren't sure where to start.

After I press send, I’ll quaff the rest of this Remedy Kombucha can. I spent this afternoon watching my nephew’s sports day and got a desperate meal deal afterwards to quell my rumbling stomach. It’s decent. I think I’m kind of into kombucha. Not enough to DIY it, but it feels like a slightly better choice on a shelf of empty sugar. Give it a go if you’ve yet to try it.

And once this email hits your inbox, it’s highly likely I’ll be playing Palace’s Bleach again. These guys have grown on me a lot. They’ve featured here before, but their latest album Ultrasound has thoroughly charmed me. There’s something to the ascending, careful vocals that reminds me of super-early Coldplay. There’s a morose blues note to most songs. There’s always a bit of a crescendo, a crashing or arriving of feeling and power. Lovely, lovely work. Anyone for their Bristol gig in November?

we’ll reach for something better / we’ll gaze at stars for pleasure

Take it easy,