Altoids, Seaport, and Getting Taller

Windowsill

Mints

I recently purchased a little metal container of Altoid mints. It’s perhaps more appropriate to say that I got someone else to buy them for me, but the end result is the same— I find myself consuming an unhealthy amount of breath mints. Whenever I’m bored, I pop the container open (it makes a nice clicking noise when I do so) and eat a mint. I’m not sure that “eat” is the right word, but you know what I mean.

This habit can only be bad for me— I have little doubt that Altoid mints are extremely synthetic and certainly dangerous for my long-term health— but I tell myself that it’ll only last a couple weeks, and then I’ll take another multi-year gap before I get someone to buy me a tin of mints again.

Kimchi

Risotto

I’ve made a couple risottos recently. Part of the process involved researching the traditional techniques and ingredients involved (watching relevant YouTube videos). The goal of doing this was to hopefully get some food science context for why one has to cook it the particular way it’s always been done. Devastatingly, however, I found that there is no explanation for the practice of slowly adding the stock to the risotto, and therefore stirring constantly while it cooks. In fact, I found several sources that claim that adding all the stock at once, and then not stirring at all is the best approach, because it’s so low-maintenance but yields an equally good risotto.

I choose to ignore this information. To me, the constant stirring is a key part of the process. Feeling like your arm’s about to fall off just makes the final product taste even better.

The Dream Team

The City

I somewhat infamously hate Seaport, a specific neighborhood in Boston. It’s a microcosm of everything about the city that bothers me. Massive, overgrown apartment complexes made of reflective glass are only interrupted by bars and restaurants— all massively overpriced— and it seems like nothing in the area existed before 2015.

I’d say the one point of interest in Seaport is the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA). Not because of the art— I find myself sort of confused by a lot of it— but because it’s such a fun building, and because you can go underneath the nearby pier and poke the water. One time I found a backpack full of drugs and a Bible floating down there— truly a core memory for me.

Sunflowers

Manchester City

Erling Haaland was one of my favorite football players, before his move to Manchester City. Now, of course, he seems insufferable and his goalscoring exploits make me ill. City has a unique ability to make even the most likable of footballers into villains. I think perhaps it’s because it feels like every time I watch them play they seem to win despite themselves. I know that they’re an excellent team, with an excellent manager, and yet I always find myself thinking that every goal they score is purely luck.

I know, of course, that this makes sense. If you put lots of pressure on the opposing defense, you will score plenty of “lucky” goals by forcing them into mistakes. But usually this kind of thing is balanced by some goals that are just well worked, against which the defense had no chance. Like how in basketball, some shots just go in, no matter what— all you can do is shake the other guy’s hand when he makes it.

There are a couple exceptions to this Man City rule: the first is Kevin De Bruyne, who is— in my experience— by far City’s most consistent (and probably best) performer. Every game he plays at least three mind-blowing passes that no one else can, and never takes part in the negative, possession-based game that the rest of the squad sometimes does. The second exception is İlkay Gündoğan— he just always seems to make a goal out of nothing, and I’ve always liked him as a player. Finally, even Manchester City couldn’t make Riyadh Mahrez boring. He is truly one of the smoothest dribblers to ever play in the Premier League.

Ultimately, I think I just resent City’s dominance of the league— I’d love it if literally anyone else won this year (here’s to hoping Arsenal keeps up their current form).

Cambridge

Growing Pains

While packing for the upcoming school semester, I discovered that most of the pants I wore last year are too short for me, even though they fit me just a couple months ago. I assumed that after high school I was basically done getting taller— I seem to remember being told that you stop growing at 18— but apparently if one starts growing late, they might keep growing into their early 20s. Whatever the reason, getting taller is annoying. Even the trousers I can still wear are obviously shorter than they were before. It’s a double edged sword, I guess, because being taller is cool, but growing out of my clothes is immensely irritating.

Boston

Misc.

Stuff I’d recommend:

• Something to Believe, by Weyes Blood. A great song— I can’t believe I discovered it so late

• Connie Converse. Her story is really unique. I think one of the most interesting parts is that it’s probably impossible to recreate what she did now, with cell phones and surveillance.

• Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (2011). Perhaps not the fastest-moving film, but a pretty easy watch nonetheless due to its excellent cinematography and some very well-written dialogue.

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