26 things I learned before I turned 26 <3

slog 9: open call and coney island travelogue

Juuuust kidding!! Can you imagine?

Sorry, not even a funny fake-out considering it’s almost a month past my birthday and you’re all probably hyperaware of that. Everyone has been saying, “what shape will the slog take now that Sydney is in her mid- to late-20s? What hard-earned wisdom will she graciously dispense?” Well, the answer to that is up to YOU. This is a formal request for questions. I would really love to write an advice column slog so please send me your questions via comment, email, text, voicemail, face to face. I think you can just respond to this email if that is easiest. If you want to stay anonymous, figure something else out idk. This isn’t Formspring. It can be a real quandary or a fake problem or a knock knock joke or a even question that is really more of a statement¹. Thank you and you’re welcome in advance.

In small talk news, I am loving this weekend’s rainy weather and feel finally ready for fall. Rainy day cappucino morning herbal tea afternoon leggings and slippers blanket baking cookies writing slog long hot unearned shower maybe a candle or two but probably not because what if I fall asleep and forget to blow it out! Cliches can’t ruin the beauty of the turn of the seasons which is soooooo beautiful if you ask me.²

The siren song to my summer was last weekend, when Sarah and Una visited New York :-) As I am wont to do with visitors I lobbied for a Coney Island and Brighton Beach day. Everyone else was a good sport so Sarah, Una, Fiona, and I went to the beach on a perfect sunny Sunday. We split a really gross Georgian pear soda and almost bought an eighty dollar bright red jacket that said “incomparable charm.” Sarah and Una were looking for hats, but couldn’t find anything quite right.

If you come across this beverage, I do not recommend it.

We also rode the Cyclone, which I have never done before but I’m trying to be less of a scaredy cat. It’s 97 years old, but I just kept telling myself and everyone else, “that’s a lot of safety data! and if you look up how many people have died on it, all four deaths were user error!” I’m a sucker for a landmark. However, I really did think that I was going to die during the ride. The Cyclone creaked a lot and I screamed a lot. It did make me think of that Eleanor Roosevelt quote that’s like “do something every day that scares you,” which I assume is supposed to be mostly about like, trying new things and being courageous in ways that matter, but imagine if you interpreted that as just a rollercoaster every single day? At what point would the fear completely wear off? I think for me, it really never would. The thrill would be gone, but the fear would stick around.

I didn’t get one of those pictures of us riding it, but I found this one on TripAdvisor and thought it was funny. Really good example of how some people can totally handle rollercoasters and some cannot. I am sure I looked exactly like the kid in the back.

I am obviously in the “cannot” camp.

We also met a singer on the boardwalk by Nathan’s. Sarah and Una were rolling cigarettes when she approached us and asked for a rolling paper. She gave it to a man who could’ve been her boyfriend, but seemed more like her son based on his total disinterest in her. He was wearing a big t shirt and big shorts and looked like he wanted to be anywhere else. The singer was wearing a turquoise tank top that said “good things come all in shapes and sizes” with bedazzled martini/wine/whiskey glasses. Her stage name is Pearly White, and she told us all about how she’s going to leave for Nashville for a month to show the bigwig record execs her songs and get her career off of the ground. Her music is not online, but she played us a snippet on her phone. The song was not great, but the lyrics were about sitting around with your friends, drinking and feeling good, so I can’t argue with that thematically. She told Una that her red hair is beautiful, but male redheads make her want to throw up. “The carpets matched the window shades.” I wish Pearly White the very best.

We also went go-karting, which was fun but did feel very unregulated. I would perhaps not recommend the cash-only go-karting spot just outside of Luna Park.

Fiona and Sarah on their way to the go-karting track.

I’m realizing that this slog contains two “would not” recommendations which is really negative…sorry. Sickly sweet pear soda and go-karting establishments where they don’t check your seatbelt both have their charms. In the interest of creative a positive environment for my readers, here are some things I definitely recommend:

1. Coney Island/Brighton Beach day overall (as described)

2. Riding the Cyclone (as described)

3. Uyghur food at Kashkar Cafe

4. Off-brand Zyrtec from Eisenberg Pharmacy on Brighton Beach Ave. A lot cheaper than other generic Zyrtec and really got the job done

5. Checking out the bulk section at Tashkent Supermarket

6. Seeing a really delicately beautiful young Russian man working at the cafe and dreaming of the ability to cast him in a modeling campaign or a short film (I swear not in a creepy way I swear I swear)

7. Hanging out and being silly with your friends :)

Please sound off in the comments about whatever you want <3 I miss you all sorry for being mia!! Looking forward to solving all of your problems.

Mwah

Sydney

1. Ben Lerner-heads know……..

2. I will NEVER be a California girl, sorry it JUST isn’t happening.