» HADOUKEN « it's all your fault
Gun to head? For every three Parisian hotels or Airbnbs in which I stay, I probably experience a shower malfunction in two of them. The enemy is vast and diverse--bare antique tubs with too-long hand-held-hose-heads, walk-in showers with quarter-glass enclosures, tub-shower combos with half-glass enclosures--but the result is the same: more often then not, I find myself calling the concierge asking for a wet vac.
"Excusez-moi, mais avez-vous un aspirateur...pour...d'eau...?"
It happened to me again just two days ago.
Of course, I can blame this inconvenience (read: infuriating event) on many things: from outmoded interiors to a vast conspiracy against American travelers (we with our palatial ceramic bathroom fixtures!). Not only would that solve nothing, it would guarantee that I continue to flood bathrooms from Saint Germain des Prés to the Marais for the rest of eternity.
There's a crazy, tenuous connection to agency here that I think is worth discussing. For 2020, I've pledged to take more responsibility for my actions (even ones resulting from my subconscious) and appreciate the fact that I have agency over most everything that results therefrom. Meaning, I'm trying to not blame others for the bad that enters my life and to not bend over backwards looking the guardian angel that delivered me the good.
Notice also that I wrote "calling out" above and declined to "explore" agency further. In past newsletters, I would've went on for 1000 words on the topic. Instead, I'll just deposit you at the starting line (hint: it's Wikipedia). New for 2020: less words, more feeling. What do you think?
So, next time a piece of creative fails to win over the crowd, look inward for the reason. It's easy to say "they just didn't get it." Maybe you didn't! Brand's not selling so hot this season? Maybe there's something you can do to tighten it up and make it more appealing for the next go-round. Sure, there are forces at play outside of your power, but why focus on them if there's nothing you can do to alter their collective course? You know what you can do? That's right! Be better.
That being said, I'm never staying in this hotel again. How's that for agency?
If you scrolled this far, past the GIF, here are some bonus musings!
Despite what you may have read on Twitter, the New Guards' acquisition of Opening Ceremony is a bold-yet-brilliant move, and I suspect it will pay great dividends.
Milan's catwalk offerings were surprisingly strong -- I wish I didn't bypass the city this season, to be honest. Led by Marni's creative (and at times, rough) whimsy, Fendi's elegance, Neil Barrett's evolution and Prada's simple-yet-extensive offering, the Milanese old guard is keeping up with the likes of Luke and Lucie Meier's Jil Sander, Sunnei's quirky post-modernism and Telfar's celebrated inclusivity.
Vox, and more specifically its "The Goods" section, is fast becoming a wasteland of nonsense and poorly written adapted press releases. Just this week, they claimed Rothy's an "It Shoe" (lol!) and wrote the dumbest, most reductive article on private equity in the history of journalism. Woof.
We shouldn't fear Russian bots; no, we should fear Russian trap music.