Daily Slow Chat

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[u/tereyaglikedi]

Yesterday I read someone was complaining that they went to Starbucks and it didn't have enough fall/Halloween flair. It is not even September yet... though it does feel like it here.

Some of you know I write and post fiction online. I had written a long detective story during the pandemic, which a new reader has started to read and write comments about. I love reading them of course, but I don't remember which chapter is which 😅 so I decided to have a quick refresher just so that I know what they're talking about.

And boy, did I go hard on the political commentary. I remember at that time a colleague of mine read it and said I am not bold enough with the political commentary, but I don't get how that can be the case, because rereading it a few years later, it seems like my writing lacked any kind of subtlety. I am now writing the second volume and while I don't think I can not include political commentary (having beef with the society is the main reason I write, which I guess is similar to many other writers), it is at least something to be aware of. If I read it as a stranger, I might have rolled my eyes. Then again, all readers are different... it's difficult.

I really don't like reading my own stuff, but maybe it's necessary. I can plot mysteries like a champion, though, I'll give myself that.

People with creative occupations, how much time do you spend doubting yourself?

[u/holytriplem → u/tereyaglikedi]

someone was complaining that they went to Starbucks and it didn't have enough fall/Halloween flair

Imagine caring this much about the corporate branding of a shit coffee chain.

[u/orangebikini → u/tereyaglikedi]

I really don't like reading my own stuff, but maybe it's necessary.

I think it's necessary to go through your own stuff. While you're making it, after you've made it, a month after you made it, a year after, five years after. Every once in a while. You get a grasp of what you did well and what not so well, it's necessary for improvement.

People with creative occupations, how much time do you spend doubting yourself?

Half and half.

[u/Masseyrati80]

Some of the previous years have involved a smooth and easy transition back to working after my summer vacation.

For some reason, this year was different. All the little things that cause friction and problems in my work seemed to irritate me in a massive way. It's taken three weeks to get over the fact these are things I just have to deal with, every day.

[u/tereyaglikedi → u/Masseyrati80]

It happens to the best of us, I think. Healthy coping strategies are needed. 

[u/utsuriga → u/Masseyrati80]

This is part of the reason why I stopped doing long vacations. It's easier to transition back into everyday life if I take a day or two or three off instead of two weeks.

(But also I don't really travel or have any particular reasons to take one or two weeks off, anyway.)

[u/orangebikini]

I spent the weekend in Helsinki inner city, and now I'm at my father's cottage in a municipality with 2000 inhabitants and less than 4 people per square kilometre. It's quite the contrast.

During the weekend I visited Hvitträsk, which is in the capital region. It was the atelier, workspace and home of Eliel Saarinen and two other architects. Eliel Saarinen was a national romantic era architect, father of Eero Saarinen, who you may not know by name, but for example the St. Louis Arch and the TWA Hotel at JFK airport are his works. Eliel Saarinen's buildings are mostly in Finland, most notable being the Helsinki Central Station.

Hvitträsk was so glorious. Lakeside in super idyllic countryside about 40 minutes from downtown Helsinki. The building is bona fide Finnish national romantic art nouveau, lots of organic textures and the whole thing feels like it has grown up from the ground. It was like the exact antithesis to functionalism and the international style (excluding perhaps some of Alvar Aalto's buildings), the interior was almost maze like with no clear floors. Just random ass small staircases going up or down a little bit. This means many of the windows on the exterior are at different heights, which looks kinda goofy, but it's part of the natural organic style.

Wonderful place. If any of you find yourself in Helsinki ever, make sure to make the trip to Hvitträsk.

[u/holytriplem → u/orangebikini]

Wonderful place. If any of you find yourself in Helsinki ever, make sure to make the trip to Hvitträsk

Thank you for the suggestion! I'll be in Helsinki in about two weeks for a conference (though I don't think I'll have a lot of free time)

[u/orangebikini → u/holytriplem]

I think you need three hours minimum for travel time and the actual visit to Hvitträsk from inner city Helsinki. I'm assuming you'll be staying near the convention centre.

If you want I can tell you all the shady spots to score amphetamine from in Helsinki though.

[u/tereyaglikedi]

Maybe because I've been watching some older TwoSet videos, or looking through the Elbphilharmonie program, I have been listening to a ton of violin music lately. And one violinist that isn't talked about as much as others, though in my eyes he is just one of the great masters, is Gidon Kremer. It is rare to see someone so well-rounded as a musician who plays Bach and Schnittke alike and amazingly (usually I have my favorite interpreters for different music periods, but Gidon Kremer would be all time favorite ever). Especially for contemporary composers such as Peteris Vasks, Arvo Pärt, Sofia Gubaidulina (who I started listening to thanks to orangebikini), he is just unmatched. But I love his Bach recordings, too, and I usually don't like "old school" Bach, but he is just different, I don't know.

Contemporary music isn't for everyone, but if you are looking for a little optimism, I really recommend Flowering Jasmine.

[u/clouds-on-a-blue-sky]

Recommend me your favourite European books. I'd appreciate it if they are translated in English or Romanian so I could actually read them 😭. I personally loved catch the rabbit by Lana Bastasic, the Neapolitan tetralogy by Ferrante, Steppenwolf by Hesse, night in Lisbon by Remarque - these are just a few. But yeah please give me your recommendations.

[u/tereyaglikedi → u/clouds-on-a-blue-sky]

What exactly are you looking for? Books by European authors but nor necessarily about Europe (like Stanislav Lem), books by European authors and taking place in Europe (Like Thomas Mann etc) or books about Europe but not necessarily written by European authors (like the Da Vinci Code)?

[u/clouds-on-a-blue-sky → u/tereyaglikedi]

Hm i Guess I'm looking for books written by European authors that take place in Europe

[u/tereyaglikedi → u/clouds-on-a-blue-sky]

You can try Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro. I enjoyed it a lot. There's also a movie which is excellent, but the book is better.

[u/utsuriga → u/clouds-on-a-blue-sky]

Any particular genres or topics? I mean, y'know, European literature is... well, there's a lot of it.

Anyway, if you enjoyed Hesse's Steppenwolf, you might want to give Damien and/or Narcissus and Goldmund a go.

[u/atomoffluorine]

I'm glad the temperature has dropped enough, it's no longer an oven outside here. I decided to take a few walks around some parks and noticed that the less visible areas seem much more littering.

[u/EvilPyro01]

https://youtu.be/0oNX_BHgi3c?si=4TsrPkNXKuKqmJGV This showed up in my recommended on YouTube.