I'm so with you on this. Over the past year, I think, my cravings for slow analogue living have grown. I acquired my first record player as an adult. I got a DVD player and swoon over the thought of getting a VCR again. I'd love to add an analogue camera to the mix, especially after reading these stirring words. I need more slowness... It feels medicinal and necessary.
I love it, Phoenix! First record player… amazing! Yes, I’m also looking into more ways to live more analogue. I’ve been researching analogue cameras as these were disposable ones, and I want to buy a good one to always keep in my bag. Thank you so much for reading and taking the time to comment 🖤
writing letters helps my balance. The process along with patience is what I enjoy. Plus, I usually place a photo inside the envelope for the person I am sending to. Win win!!
As we get older I feel it becomes acceptable to practice instant gratification after all we've had a half a lifetime of delayed gratification... Maybe it should be accepted as being alright or perhaps put an age on it like we do for 'retirement'. I vote for 50...
I like your thinking, Carl haha but 50 is still so young. I think at 50 you can still delay things a bit more. Maybe after 70, it is okay to go the instant route 🤣 What do you think? Thank you for taking the time to read and comment! 🖤
Well if you look at the average age for life i don't think 70 is any where near long enough...I 'll give you 5 years ...55 for practicing instant gratification it is 🙌...
What a wonderful piece of writing. You really made me stop and think this morning. As our lives become faster and we have more content delivered to us we seem to have this innate need to consume it faster and faster too. As though we will literally never be satisfied. There's a certain sense of power in exercising our choice over that, in stepping back, putting the screens away and taking back some of our own agency in how we see the world.
Thank you for sharing, Paolo! I love your blog. I am always on the hunt for a good dish to cook. I love food so much! Are you planning on moving your food blog to Substack too?
Hola , Lo Primero , Me Gustan Tus Fotografías Analógicas. Y Sobre Tú Pregunta Sobre Como Mantener Un Mayor Equilibrio En La Vida: 1- Un Hecho Fortuito , Una Decisión No Premiditada O Una Simple Casualidad , Pueden Cambiar Nuestras Vidas. Orgullosos Creemos Que Lo Controlamos Todo , Pero ........ ¿ Realmente Lo Hacemos Con Lo Que Pensamos O Decidimos ?. 2- Al Orgullo Que Caracteriza Nuestra Especie , Siempre Le Queda Pensar Del Todo , Que Aunque No Puede Controlar Del Todo Lo De Fuera , Sí Controla " Lo De Dentro ". 3- Si Analizamos Nuestro Devenir , Nos Damos Cuenta De Que Parecemos Mecidos Por El Viento. 4- Yo Quiero Una Ventana Abierta Al Caos , Aunque Al Principio No Sea Muy Grande , Una Ventana A La Que No Sólo Asome Nuestra Pasiva Fustracion. Quiero Usar Los Codos. Los Dientes Y Mí Corazón , Para Abrir Un Agujero En Éste Sistema De Vida Que Todos Llevamos En Éste Momento. Un Saludo Y Buena Escucha.
Muchas gracias por leer, comentar y enviar la música. Me encantó leer tu reflexivo comentario. Mucho sobre qué reflexionar. Estoy leyendo un libro de mi amigo sobre mediación y esta mañana hubo una cita que me encantó y va bien con lo que has escrito: Cuanto más te das cuenta, más te das cuenta de que no hay nada que darte cuenta 🖤
Tuğba, your piece is such a refreshing reminder to slow down and enjoy the moment! I love how you capture the magic of not knowing how your photos will turn out 💖
I find that journaling helps me stay balanced. Writing down my thoughts and experiences each day brings a sense of calm and clarity. Recently, I’ve also gotten into gardening. Tending to my plants and watching them grow teaches me patience and the joy of nurturing something over time. Both practices remind me to slow down and appreciate the small, beautiful moments in life. 🌿📝
Thank you so much, Mohika! I've been off the grid for the past few days, staying in a tiny house in a remote natural area.
I feel the same way about journaling. I do it nearly every morning - one page if I'm busy, otherwise three pages - to get all my thoughts onto paper. It's so wonderful that you have a garden. I live in Berlin, and it isn't easy to find a place with a garden here unless I move out of the city. Where in the world are you living? Do you also grow vegetables?
Omg nooo way! I’ve been to Gurgaon several times. I used to work for Nokia and our office was in Gurgaon. I stayed in the Trident Hotel. WOOOW Mohika. What an experience.
This is beautiful! I definitely want to try it, I have never considered me a good photographer, but what’s the point on that? With art and creativity it’s all about having fun!
And yes, flower pressing has given me similar insights. It keeps me grounded and connected to my surroundings, I pay close attention to the plants changes throughout the season and I am always amazed by how intricate, unique and beautiful each plant is. The results take time and it’s never as expected, which is my favourite part 🤍
I highly recommend flower pressing to find beauty in unexpected places and moments and to embrace slow, intentional living!
Thanks, Rox! I've been living off the grid in a tiny house/Airbnb for the past few days, so I'm just catching up on all the comments. I never considered myself a great photographer, but what makes a good photographer? I'm not doing any commercial photography, and imperfections add to the beauty of art.
This is the first time I've heard of flower pressing. As a teenager, I pressed flowers in books to keep them as memories. I'm interested in learning more about it. I love the idea of preserving things from nature. What do you do after you press the flowers? Do you keep them in an album? Thank you for the inspiration 🖤
Yes! Books are very often use to press flowers. There is also a wooden flower press with straps to add more pressure.
I use them as bookmarks, add them to my drawing journal, or pair them with photos in portraits. I am thinking about creating an album and identify them 🌸 it sparks my creativity 💫
Sooo much truth and beauty in your words! The realization that the surprise and pleasure of slowly evolving things is bigger and more beautiful then the one that comes with speed. Love it!
Thank you, my love 🥰 It made me so happy to see you in the comments. I’m glad you enjoyed reading it and that it resonated with you. I love you so much!
“I’m tired of predictability and instant gratification. What I really crave is the excitement of surprise and the thrill of not knowing the outcome!” I said to my friend.
My favorite camera is a Holga. You only get 12 exposures and you have to be slow and deliberate. I love it! I only wish developing was less expensive, but I treasure the images so much!
Thank you so much, Manuela! I'm just catching up with all the comments. I was off the grid for the past few days. I've never heard of Holga, but I will google it. I love that you get even fewer shots. Yes, it was expensive, but I don't see them as just images; they're little art pieces to me. I think I will make a little zine with the photos. What do you usually do with the printed images?
This is great. So agree. Everything is about faster and efficient. Great... to a degree. But it's making a world of constant noise, no surprises, no rest, just go... go.. go. Then we wonder why kids mental health rates are so high
Why so many adults are dissatisfied
And everyone is being lured into phone addiction by amazingly clever neuroscientists who program the apps. Or is just me?
I love this! I had an analogue camera as a child. I would explore and take pictures of everything. I remember having double exposed a roll or two… they were the funniest things. Unexpected delight:)
Thank you, Lisa! I'm just catching up on all the comments. I was off the grid for a couple of days. Yes, I had one as a child, too! Don't you wish you still had this camera now? Looking at second-hand analogue camera prices, I wish I had kept mine 🥲
I am currently reading Jenny Odell's "Saving Time" which deals with similar topics – the productivity myth, the deeply engrained "time is money" ethos, Western protestant work ethic, and how white privilege enables a shallow idea of 'slowness' and 'wellness' on platforms like Instagram.
She is also trying to explore ideas of experiencing time differently, more in line with our pre-capitalist ancestors. I'm not all the way through yet, but I'm heavily recommending that book.
Wow, I already love the book based on your description. I will buy it straight away. I also recently purchased "Slow Productivity" by Cal Newport a couple of weeks ago, but I haven't gotten around to reading it yet. I like how he has been very critical of technology over the years, not in an outdated way, but in a supercritical way, questioning whether the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. Have you read it? Anyway, I will prioritise the book you suggested first 😁 thank you for taking the time to read and comment, Stephan. Happy Sunday 🖤
While I have read a few Cal Newport books, among them "Deep Work" and "Digital Minimalism", which both have inspired me deeply, I haven't yet gotten around to reading "Slow Productivity". Thanks for the reminder though – will put that on my "to read" list. Have a nice, slow Sunday as well!
Thank you! I did have a very slow Sunday 🖤 I stayed in a tiny house in Ihlow, and it was so nice to get out of the city. It is lovely that you can switch between the city and nature with your living situation. Ihlow is so cute. I highly recommend it. They have this concept called offence Höfe https://biohof-ihlow.de/Offene-Hoefe-Ihlow/
I'm so with you on this. Over the past year, I think, my cravings for slow analogue living have grown. I acquired my first record player as an adult. I got a DVD player and swoon over the thought of getting a VCR again. I'd love to add an analogue camera to the mix, especially after reading these stirring words. I need more slowness... It feels medicinal and necessary.
I love it, Phoenix! First record player… amazing! Yes, I’m also looking into more ways to live more analogue. I’ve been researching analogue cameras as these were disposable ones, and I want to buy a good one to always keep in my bag. Thank you so much for reading and taking the time to comment 🖤
writing letters helps my balance. The process along with patience is what I enjoy. Plus, I usually place a photo inside the envelope for the person I am sending to. Win win!!
I love this! I also just wrote a piece about savouring and social media: https://neurodivergentnotes.substack.com/p/savour
Thank you so much, Jessica! I will have a read. Have a great start to the week 🖤
As we get older I feel it becomes acceptable to practice instant gratification after all we've had a half a lifetime of delayed gratification... Maybe it should be accepted as being alright or perhaps put an age on it like we do for 'retirement'. I vote for 50...
I like your thinking, Carl haha but 50 is still so young. I think at 50 you can still delay things a bit more. Maybe after 70, it is okay to go the instant route 🤣 What do you think? Thank you for taking the time to read and comment! 🖤
Well if you look at the average age for life i don't think 70 is any where near long enough...I 'll give you 5 years ...55 for practicing instant gratification it is 🙌...
🤣🖤
What a wonderful piece of writing. You really made me stop and think this morning. As our lives become faster and we have more content delivered to us we seem to have this innate need to consume it faster and faster too. As though we will literally never be satisfied. There's a certain sense of power in exercising our choice over that, in stepping back, putting the screens away and taking back some of our own agency in how we see the world.
Writing keeps me sane. Oh I make a lot in the kitchen too! Https://www.makepurethyheart.com
Thank you for sharing, Paolo! I love your blog. I am always on the hunt for a good dish to cook. I love food so much! Are you planning on moving your food blog to Substack too?
Hola , Lo Primero , Me Gustan Tus Fotografías Analógicas. Y Sobre Tú Pregunta Sobre Como Mantener Un Mayor Equilibrio En La Vida: 1- Un Hecho Fortuito , Una Decisión No Premiditada O Una Simple Casualidad , Pueden Cambiar Nuestras Vidas. Orgullosos Creemos Que Lo Controlamos Todo , Pero ........ ¿ Realmente Lo Hacemos Con Lo Que Pensamos O Decidimos ?. 2- Al Orgullo Que Caracteriza Nuestra Especie , Siempre Le Queda Pensar Del Todo , Que Aunque No Puede Controlar Del Todo Lo De Fuera , Sí Controla " Lo De Dentro ". 3- Si Analizamos Nuestro Devenir , Nos Damos Cuenta De Que Parecemos Mecidos Por El Viento. 4- Yo Quiero Una Ventana Abierta Al Caos , Aunque Al Principio No Sea Muy Grande , Una Ventana A La Que No Sólo Asome Nuestra Pasiva Fustracion. Quiero Usar Los Codos. Los Dientes Y Mí Corazón , Para Abrir Un Agujero En Éste Sistema De Vida Que Todos Llevamos En Éste Momento. Un Saludo Y Buena Escucha.
Muchas gracias por leer, comentar y enviar la música. Me encantó leer tu reflexivo comentario. Mucho sobre qué reflexionar. Estoy leyendo un libro de mi amigo sobre mediación y esta mañana hubo una cita que me encantó y va bien con lo que has escrito: Cuanto más te das cuenta, más te das cuenta de que no hay nada que darte cuenta 🖤
Tuğba, your piece is such a refreshing reminder to slow down and enjoy the moment! I love how you capture the magic of not knowing how your photos will turn out 💖
I find that journaling helps me stay balanced. Writing down my thoughts and experiences each day brings a sense of calm and clarity. Recently, I’ve also gotten into gardening. Tending to my plants and watching them grow teaches me patience and the joy of nurturing something over time. Both practices remind me to slow down and appreciate the small, beautiful moments in life. 🌿📝
Thank you so much, Mohika! I've been off the grid for the past few days, staying in a tiny house in a remote natural area.
I feel the same way about journaling. I do it nearly every morning - one page if I'm busy, otherwise three pages - to get all my thoughts onto paper. It's so wonderful that you have a garden. I live in Berlin, and it isn't easy to find a place with a garden here unless I move out of the city. Where in the world are you living? Do you also grow vegetables?
I live in Gurgaon, India!
Living off-grid sounds epic, we all need it from time to time! I so hope it was relaxing for youu.
I stay with my grandparents and we’re all pretty fond of growing herbs and flowers but never attempted veggies!
Omg nooo way! I’ve been to Gurgaon several times. I used to work for Nokia and our office was in Gurgaon. I stayed in the Trident Hotel. WOOOW Mohika. What an experience.
This is beautiful! I definitely want to try it, I have never considered me a good photographer, but what’s the point on that? With art and creativity it’s all about having fun!
And yes, flower pressing has given me similar insights. It keeps me grounded and connected to my surroundings, I pay close attention to the plants changes throughout the season and I am always amazed by how intricate, unique and beautiful each plant is. The results take time and it’s never as expected, which is my favourite part 🤍
I highly recommend flower pressing to find beauty in unexpected places and moments and to embrace slow, intentional living!
Thanks, Rox! I've been living off the grid in a tiny house/Airbnb for the past few days, so I'm just catching up on all the comments. I never considered myself a great photographer, but what makes a good photographer? I'm not doing any commercial photography, and imperfections add to the beauty of art.
This is the first time I've heard of flower pressing. As a teenager, I pressed flowers in books to keep them as memories. I'm interested in learning more about it. I love the idea of preserving things from nature. What do you do after you press the flowers? Do you keep them in an album? Thank you for the inspiration 🖤
That’s totally right, that’s why is art 🤍
Yes! Books are very often use to press flowers. There is also a wooden flower press with straps to add more pressure.
I use them as bookmarks, add them to my drawing journal, or pair them with photos in portraits. I am thinking about creating an album and identify them 🌸 it sparks my creativity 💫
Sooo much truth and beauty in your words! The realization that the surprise and pleasure of slowly evolving things is bigger and more beautiful then the one that comes with speed. Love it!
Thank you, my love 🥰 It made me so happy to see you in the comments. I’m glad you enjoyed reading it and that it resonated with you. I love you so much!
💗💗
Have a good day, Richa 🖤
“I’m tired of predictability and instant gratification. What I really crave is the excitement of surprise and the thrill of not knowing the outcome!” I said to my friend.
My favorite camera is a Holga. You only get 12 exposures and you have to be slow and deliberate. I love it! I only wish developing was less expensive, but I treasure the images so much!
Thank you so much, Manuela! I'm just catching up with all the comments. I was off the grid for the past few days. I've never heard of Holga, but I will google it. I love that you get even fewer shots. Yes, it was expensive, but I don't see them as just images; they're little art pieces to me. I think I will make a little zine with the photos. What do you usually do with the printed images?
This is great. So agree. Everything is about faster and efficient. Great... to a degree. But it's making a world of constant noise, no surprises, no rest, just go... go.. go. Then we wonder why kids mental health rates are so high
Why so many adults are dissatisfied
And everyone is being lured into phone addiction by amazingly clever neuroscientists who program the apps. Or is just me?
Thank you! I'm only catching up with the comments. I was off the grid for a couple of days.
Agree! I will read this book now: https://jonathanhaidt.com/anxious-generation/. It's so scary even just to read the summary. Have you read it already?
Nope please review if you do
I love this! I had an analogue camera as a child. I would explore and take pictures of everything. I remember having double exposed a roll or two… they were the funniest things. Unexpected delight:)
Thank you, Lisa! I'm just catching up on all the comments. I was off the grid for a couple of days. Yes, I had one as a child, too! Don't you wish you still had this camera now? Looking at second-hand analogue camera prices, I wish I had kept mine 🥲
❤️❤️
🖤🖤🖤
Beautiful photos, and thoughtful piece as always.
I am currently reading Jenny Odell's "Saving Time" which deals with similar topics – the productivity myth, the deeply engrained "time is money" ethos, Western protestant work ethic, and how white privilege enables a shallow idea of 'slowness' and 'wellness' on platforms like Instagram.
She is also trying to explore ideas of experiencing time differently, more in line with our pre-capitalist ancestors. I'm not all the way through yet, but I'm heavily recommending that book.
It’s a wonderful book! I have read the 2 books by Jenny Odell and it totally changed my take on Time. Highly recommend 🫶🏼
Wow, I already love the book based on your description. I will buy it straight away. I also recently purchased "Slow Productivity" by Cal Newport a couple of weeks ago, but I haven't gotten around to reading it yet. I like how he has been very critical of technology over the years, not in an outdated way, but in a supercritical way, questioning whether the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. Have you read it? Anyway, I will prioritise the book you suggested first 😁 thank you for taking the time to read and comment, Stephan. Happy Sunday 🖤
While I have read a few Cal Newport books, among them "Deep Work" and "Digital Minimalism", which both have inspired me deeply, I haven't yet gotten around to reading "Slow Productivity". Thanks for the reminder though – will put that on my "to read" list. Have a nice, slow Sunday as well!
Thank you! I did have a very slow Sunday 🖤 I stayed in a tiny house in Ihlow, and it was so nice to get out of the city. It is lovely that you can switch between the city and nature with your living situation. Ihlow is so cute. I highly recommend it. They have this concept called offence Höfe https://biohof-ihlow.de/Offene-Hoefe-Ihlow/