A Weekend Away, Sketchbook Tour and Fuck the Dentist
Picnic Journal #24
Hello Everyone with a capital ‘E’ to emphasise your importance to me. I hope you had a better week than you expected. Nothing better than a surprisingly good week. Would you like to read about my week(s) to feel even better (or worse, no guarantee)? Let’s get into it. Here’s all the stuff that’s happening. Actually, this newsletter has been in my drafts for 3 weeks so it’s a letter of happenings from the past.
What I read this week
A Shortcut for Feeling Just a Little Happier
This article was interesting, like, in a sad way. I really enjoy reading Arthur C. Brooks’ articles on The Atlantic almost as much as I enjoy the fact that he has a middle initial in his name. How cool is that? Should I start calling myself Johanna P. Journal? I think so. Anyway, here’s an excerpt that I enjoyed. (PS. Just realised that excerpt is such a strange word (maybe I need to sleep)).
Back pain is normal, but a different sort of hurt is even more typical in my life, and probably yours as well: mental suffering. I don’t mean clinical depression or anxiety, which require professional intervention, but rather the routine, chronic grind of conflict, dissatisfaction, and sadness, which often constitute a dull ache in the background of our days. Many philosophers have considered this discomfort to be our natural state.
Arthur C. Brooks
Korean Books
I started a 10-week Korean course at a university here in Seoul so I’ve mostly been reading (pretending to read) Korean textbooks. I’ve inhaled so much grammar and knowledge that I think I might need to just keep going and never give up. It’s going to be hard but I’m hoping that the pain I’m already feeling on Day 2 will graduate into a mild ache so that my future self will one day thank me for it.
Rapid Fire Things I have Been Watching in September
Heartbreak High on Netflix (Love)
Love is Blind After the Altar (Awful)
Partner Track on Netflix (Awful but loved it and I am eagerly awaiting another season)
Dream Home Makeover Season 3 on Netflix (My favourite interior show on the planet and have been drooling over my iPad all season)
Workin’ Moms Season 6 on Netflix (If you haven’t watched this show omg it’s so good Catherine Reitman is such an underrated comedian)
Narco Saints on Netflix (Amazing, recommend obviously dah)
That’s all I can think of right now but I’m sure there is a lot of garbage I forgot to mention. For the first time in a long time, there are actually things I want to watch on Netflix!
Fuck the Dentist
Just going to interrupt this newsletter with this fun little sentiment. That’s all I wanted to say. I really hate the dentist. The sterile waiting rooms. The poky instruments (not to be confused with Poke Bowls, they are YUM). I hate them all. Is it just me or are dentists super judgemental? Like, don’t ask me if I “floss” when you know for a FACT that I don’t. We love a cheap dentist fee though, thank you, Korean Health Insurance.
Sketchbook Tour
I filmed a thing! I like it, I hope you do too! If not, I don’t really mind because I actually made it for myself (no offence).
Happy (Belated Chuseok)
We recently (at the beginning of September) celebrated Chuseok by going to Yeosu to be with family. This amazing cafe we went to actually looks like we went on a tropical holiday but we were just in the Korean countryside!
Lotte World during the Chuseok Holiday
We thought we were cheating the system by going to Lotte World on the actual day of Chuseok, thinking there would be zero people. We were wrong. It was full of people. Every person in South Korea had the same idea. We still had a great time and I firmly believe that you are never too old to do whatever the heck you want. I walked around all day with giraffe ears on my head and it felt completely natural and I’m now looking for any excuse to wear them again.
Thanks for reading, have a great Sunday, and peace out.
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