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Especially late at night, but it works during the day too. I think because you’re not on the move but you’re also not at a destination or at home. It’s kind of like the ultimate in-between state. There’s something very romantic about it to me, and I like other “in-between” settings for the same reason, like airports and rest stops. I think it’s because your thoughts appear more naked to you when you don’t have something familiar around you to latch on to. And you also aren’t in a position to take any kind of action at the present moment, so it’s easier to confront your thoughts. There’s a book called Non-Places: An Introduction to Super-Modernity by Marc Augé that kinda speaks on this. So I’ll recommend that too.
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A close relative of sitting in the shower (something I also love), sitting in the car while parked is neither about the journey nor the destination, but you being contained. The world may be your oyster, but sometimes you want to stay in your shell, OK??
P.S. if you want the deluxe version of this experience, have a little bevvie to sip while you sit with the car turned off for, say, a minimum of fifteen minutes after getting home. Sacred.
Sep 19, 2024
Ignorant to the distracting whereabouts of those within the immediate vicinity of my car, spending time in my driver's seat after completing a task (whether it be a day at work or even a short errand) has been revelational to my inner peace
Ironically, stepping out in public spaces often unsettles me. But place me in my car in the busiest parking lot full of judgemental people and I'll still find peace of mind, even though I'm entirely visible to the public. Why???
Maybe something about being in my car makes me feel normal. That could be it... what a nice feeling that is!!! This is ruined when I make eye contact with someone outside. They're just a friendly person, going to the park, or heading into their apartment, right? Right!!! Until they come back, and they see you still in your car. How humiliating. I like to think that this is a rare occurence. I try not to intentionally make eye contact too often though so I could be totally wrong
I like to sit in my car while it's off, eat a snack, enjoy a scroll, or call a friend. When I either get too hot or too cold I know it's time to move on with my day. This is why fall and spring are the best seasons. Temperatures are more accomodating for my decompress-in-car time
I'm writing this in the parking lot of one of my favorite local thrift stores. So far, I'm unhumiliated and feeling optimistic about my day!! I hope you are experiencing similar feelings today!!!
Mar 14, 2025
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I’m in my spot outside my house, I got my little coffee, I got the ambient sounds of my neighborhood—it’s Me-Time, babey.
Apr 4, 2024
Top Recs from @curtis
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If your band name doesn’t have a The in it, I don’t even know what to tell you.
Aug 17, 2023
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This kind of goes hand in hand with the last one. Brian Eno made Oblique Strategies with Peter Schmidt in the 70s. It’s a deck of cards where each card has a vague phrase or aphorism on it, intended to be used while trying to make a decision creatively. But now it’s online and in an app so I use them any chance I get. Not just in creative situations. Pretty much any decision. I usually draw three.
Aug 17, 2023
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Randonautica is an app that generates a “quantumly random” point on a map which you go to. You’re supposed to set an intention, however vague you want, while it generates the point and see what you discover with regards to that intention on the way to the point and then at the point itself. Then you can set another point from the first point and keep this process going as long as you want. I guess it was a thing on TikTok for a while but I swear it isn’t corny. I did it by myself out of curiosity and had a really crazy experience that’s too complicated to explain. No one I told seemed phased by it until I forced my friends to do it when we were in London and we had an equally crazy experience. I know it’s annoying that I’m not giving details but trust me, it’s too complicated to explain. But we found something so related to our intention that kinda freaked out. I love the idea of playing with reality, becoming hyper-aware of your environment, and seeing what’s around you in a different light. Even beyond the eerie metaphysical element, it’s a really interesting way to explore your environment.
Aug 17, 2023