How to Slow Down – The New York Times
A few years ago I signed up for a drawing class just for fun. I hadn’t had any art classes since elementary school, when I had shown little talent in my preferred medium, construction paper and Elmer’s glue. My adventure in further education was similarly unpretentious. But while I didn’t leave the course with a portfolio of beautifully realized portraits, I did learn that drawing is not an activity reserved for artists who are good at it. It can be a way of observing and understanding the world.
Field sketchers know this well. Pairing illustrations with written commentary, art with science, Field Sketch is used by researchers and artists to document nature, “from waterways to winged creatures, mosses to mountain peaks,” writes Jenna Schnuer in The Times. In a time when we’re never more than a swipe away from a powerful camera, Field Sketch seems radically homemade. The practice “forces you to slow down, take things in, just look.”
That can be difficult. Rushing from sight to sight on vacation, pausing and just looking without taking a picture can feel almost unnatural. Don’t mind sketching—who has time to sketch when our dinner reservation is at 6:15 sharp?
Recently, I was walking the Brooklyn Heights Promenade at sunset, Manhattan glowing against an orange sky, and I watched a number of tourists take the same photo. I challenged myself to observe without documenting, to have an experience and my memory to be the only evidence that I was there. I reasoned with myself: “The memory will fade, I should capture the scene!” I negotiated: “I will capture the tourists and the sunset, a comment on how every body else photographed while standing apart from them!” I tried to stand still and just notice.
Memories fade, that’s true. Is it that bad? Do we need a photo to make the experience count?
In her book How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy, artist Jenny Odell writes, “To do nothing is to hold still so you can see what’s there.” That’s the promise of field sketching. It’s the promise of mindfulness and tech-free Saturdays and morning pages. It means recording things without giving anything out (at least not to your fans and followers).
Writer Nicholas Cannariato described the benefits of watchful silence in an article on birding that I refer to frequently. “When I look at common birds in my neighborhood, there is a refreshing diversity in their sameness, a constant challenge to spot what seems too normal to even notice after so many observations,” he wrote. Birdwatching, he concludes, is about “capturing the most in the least amount of time.” It’s good life advice, isn’t it? Slower. Watch. Try to absorb as much as possible in the time we have.
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THE WEEK IN CULTURE
CULTURAL CALENDAR
🍿 “Smile” (Friday): Suddenly I’m very happy. The fall chill is finally setting in here on the east coast and October is just around the corner. Time to take off those sweaters and watch as many horror movies as possible. Maybe we should all start with this debut feature film about how scary it is to smile really big. What is it. (If you’re looking for older horror picks, the absolutely essential Criterion Channel streams a wide selection Horror classics from the 80s.)
📚 Stay True (Tuesday): Hua Hsu has long been one of the New Yorker’s major critics and writes mostly about music. In this memoir, he reflects on his youth growing up as a child of Taiwanese immigrants, his obsession with pop culture and, most movingly, his college best friend who was killed in a random robbery. (To get a feel for Hsu’s voice, listen to this episode of “Popcast,” The Times’ music podcast, in which he talked about what it means to be a collector.)
Spicy corn cakes
It’s the last call for fresh corn as the season draws to a close, and the piles of formerly light green, husked corn cobs now look a little withered at the tops. Buy them while you can, cut off the pits and whip up these delicious, crunchy Vallery Lomas Corn Pancakes. They’re loaded with spring onions, cayenne, and cheddar cheese, hearty and perfect for a light dinner or hearty brunch. (Cover them with a dollop of yogurt or some fried eggs.) Leftovers keep well, and these donuts are good both hot and room temperature. If you don’t get around to making them now, follow the recipe; They’re almost as well made with frozen corn.
A selection of New York Times recipes is available to all readers. Please note a cooking subscription for full access.
REAL ESTATE
What you get for $1.1 million: An 1861 house in New Hope, Pennsylvania; a Craftsman bungalow in Portland, Oregon; and a converted 1794 schoolhouse in Greensburg, Ky.
The hunt: Two first time buyers wanted good light and a dog park – and a front door facing north or east. Which home did you choose?
sponge moths: These invasive insects can decimate your garden. Here’s what to do when you see them.
LIFE
Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees, MLB: Aaron Judge stands on the threshold of history. He has 60 home runs so far this season, matching Babe Ruth’s mark in 1927 and just behind Roger Maris’ 61. Some refer to the record he’s chasing as the Yankees record or the American League record. But Judge is also chasing the non-steroid record, as any player with more than 61 home runs in a season has been linked to using performance-enhancing drugs. Regardless of whether you think those numbers are legit, Judge’s year has been notable: In addition to hitting home runs, he could also win the Triple Crown. Sunday at 7 p.m. Eastern, ESPN.
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