May 2025
On doing things, bb crafts, and other good things.
Image above: more tiny pastel color studies, still my favorite thing to do. Apparently these Pentel pastels are shitty but I think they’ve got great colors. Bonus points if you can guess the kid’s TV show these are studies of!
On Doing Things (Again)
I’ve been trying to put my finger on what exactly it is about the latest season of Nathan Fielder’s show “The Rehearsal” (and really all of his work) that feels so inspiring to me. The journeys he takes us on are always unexpected and hilarious, but during this most recent season I found myself not only constantly laughing and cringing but also feeling energized and hopeful. On Sunday night, as I watched the comedian fly a commercial airplane full of people just to test a theory about cockpit communication, it finally hit me: he really just DOES things. In a world where generative AI can answer any question instantly and people watch sped up videos of others participating in hobbies rather than doing them themselves, it’s rare to see someone take the long route, working through hardships and making organic discoveries along the way.
As Nathan sits in the cockpit of a 737 airplane about to take off, it’s clear that his co-pilot has something on his mind. Finally he shares that he’s thinking about the fact that Nathan is a comedian/producer but is also about to fly a plane filled with people and he’s “just never heard of someone doing that before.” Not only does Nathan do things, but the things he does are new and unexpected, driven by curiosity about the world around him and seemingly unaffected by societal expectations and stressors that keep many of us on stable, predictable paths. In the show, all of the outlandish things Nathan does are orchestrated to come off as shocking, funny, and over the top— but shouldn’t life be more like that? Shouldn’t we all strive to take big risks and try new things rather than sticking to the same expected and safe tracks?
Our brains are constantly seeking order— when we have structure and routine, we are happier and more productive. Our brains also naturally resist change and are constantly trying to “keep us safe” by sticking with the same habits and patterns that our upbringing and society have taught us to follow. It makes sense, then, that most of us seek out stable careers and continue to make safe, predictable choices that are proven and familiar. As we all know, though, if you keep doing the same thing, you’ll keep getting the same results. As Nathan shows us, approaching the world with curiosity, openness, and bravery can throw us into new situations and produce unexpected outcomes— while also causing plenty of confusion and surprise for onlookers. Maybe part of the reason I’m so inspired by Nathan’s work is because I relate to the feeling of changing course and having awkward and disappointing conversations with family and peers when they ask what I’ve been doing with my life and I have to explain why I quit my high paying job simply because I was interested in exploring something new.
Years ago, when I was working on my resume and portfolio to apply for a job, I received the feedback that my presentation of myself was “too unfocused.” In order to present myself as a strong candidate for the job, my image needed to be very clear and it was recommended that I remove anything that did not “directly relate” to the job I was pursuing. I followed the advice and my updated resume did lead to successful job offers, but the fact that I needed to remove meaningful experiences in order to appear successful to a potential employer left such a bad taste in my mouth. Could potential employers not see the value of a diverse skillset and set of interests? As I watched Nathan struggle to evoke the reactions he was hoping for from a courtroom of actors while rehearsing his presentation due at least in part to the tension between his public image as a comedian and the seriousness of the information he was sharing about flight safety, I couldn’t help but relate. Nathan never did end up nailing that presentation and instead chose to take a different route to getting his message out there that felt more natural to him, which made me wonder: does progress really need to be linear and easy to present on a single sheet of paper? If I can connect the dots of my life, does it matter if other’s aren’t able to?
In reflecting back on the last time I talked about doing things, I noticed I treated the act of “doing” very analytically and equated it with productivity. These days, I’m a lot less focused on productivity and more focused on creativity. While I’m still constantly rediscovering that I should do things rather than just think about doing them, it’s for a different reason. Only through doing things and putting them out into the world can you experience the magic of other’s reactions and the feedback/inspiration/other good things that can come along with that. Even putting something out into the world and having it flop horribly is a great source of information for future work (as evidenced by Nathan’s winding series of pivots as he attempts to get his theory of pilot-copilot communication out into the world). In Andy J. Pizza’s 500th episode of Creative Pep Talk he recommends treating each new project like an experiment and continually putting things out there to see what sticks. As a person with endless ideas floating around in my notebooks and head, I often forget that others can’t see them; it’s refreshing to be reminded of the way that ideas transform once you put them out into the world and get to see how others receive and interact with them, even if that reception doesn’t match initial expectations.
Sure, Nathan may not have solved our current flight safety crisis, but he got us all thinking and talking about the topic in new ways, just like good art should. Imagine if he had simply typed into ChatGPT “What are the problems with current air travel safety and how can we solve them?” Not only would we all have missed out on a very entertaining TV series, but we wouldn’t have any new or creative solutions either. As the extremely cliche saying goes, “ It’s about the journey, not the destination.” The next time you think about asking AI to answer, create, or connect something for you, ask yourself: what would happen if I explored this on my own? Yes, it might take longer and no, it might not be efficient, and honestly, you might not even “solve” your original problem, but you’ll definitely end up somewhere much more interesting.
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Some Little Pictures:
(from top left to bottom right)
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Image above: spring! also have you had a UFO/ET encounter please tell me if you have
May Playlist: Actual Music
Finally: some actual songs! These are not spring themed, but are just some things I’ve heard lately and liked. As always I’m still here open to your music recs!
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Image above: a tiny baby bucket hat. Blessed to have so many babies in my life aka excuses to make tiny things!
Recent Work: Knitting & Sewing
Lots of sweet new bbs coming into the world means lots of excuses for crafty projects so I thought I’d share a few of my favorite patterns as of late here:
Pictured above is this absolutely adorable sun hat— I added these straps, and the pattern also includes an option to add ears (😭). Pattern also includes adult sizes!
My absolute favorite hat to knit for bbs is the Wikstein Animal Bonnet. I’ve done many different sizes, materials, and ears and it’s always turned out so cute!
For a lighter summer option I’ve been trying out this cute little bonnet in cotton yarn. Still working on getting the gauge just right as it calls for more of a wool but it still looks cute.
I recently discovered Dear Billy kid patterns and want to make everything for my friends’ kids! So far I’ve only made the “Hello Sailor” lounge set but I have my eyes on these great biker shorts that remind me so much of my childhood. Also interested in making this lil’ cult follower uniform— some of these are a little “toddlers and tiaras” but idk guys they are really cute!!
I found this super cute japanese kids pattern book on Etsy and they have tutorials for all the patterns on YouTube! I’m obsessed with this bag— I made some for friends but honestly may keep one for myself lol.
I often work at a low table when cutting my fabric so made this DIY zafu to make things a bit more comfy and so my feet stop falling asleep. Essential!
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Some Other Good Things
I’m working on an essay about the hyper-capitalistic nature of generative AI and am trying to actively challenge my negative outlook on the topic by having conversations with or hearing “testimonials” from other creatives who actually support the relentless takeover of generative AI and/or find it truly helpful. PLEASE reach out to me if you think you can change my mind (or even just have something small and positive to say) about this topic! I want to be wrong.
Related to the above: this group Commons has been creating some really great info-graphics about the environmental impact of AI. Really wild to me that people aren’t talking about this/responding to this more.
Apparently cringe is dead and I am very here for it!!
Obviously I’ve been on Instagram too much this month but on the plus side I’ve been honing my algorithm and have been seeing some really cool stuff, like this girl making awesome handmade animations for her reels instead of using typical filters and effects. Love to see it!! Bring back slow!!
Figured I’d round us out and stick to the theme with another great Instagram video: this one features an artist making an absolutely gorgeous glasses case. Wow.
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Thanks for reading – see you next month!
make trouble for yourself in the direction you'd like to go!
Loved this! I'm a big fan of Nathan, and the S2 finale blew me away. You captured exactly why—beautifully said 🖤