Scratchpad
A reimagining of what The Notepad is and some updates
I promise that the days of this Substack being more than me explaining away an extended hiatus are coming, but I felt like an explanation was necessary for the shift in what I want The Notepad to be.
My dilemma
I’ve certainly had ideas about what to post here, but it’s been a lot harder than I’ve expected to actually put those thoughts to paper and execute them. It’s been like the opposite of a writer’s block where there’s almost too many ideas percolating in my brain that leave me bouncing between them. Part of what I loved so much about Twitter (firmly pre-Elon) was how instant the gratification cycle was: I could have a thought and post it on the internet within seconds depending on how fast my fingers could type. There was absolutely no friction, which made bouncing between ideas really easy but often lacked the depth of being able to contextualize a situation or the pause to fully flesh an idea out.
The Notepad is going to turn into that middle ground: a place where I process the world around me (sometimes diving into current events and other times escaping entirely with thoughts on culture, travel, or my latest batch of photos). The one thing I miss since finishing school is writing (fitting for a journalism major) and the discussions that came from being surrounded by people from every walk of life. You might not always agree with me, but I hope that this can be a safe space for conversations about the world around us that don’t end in name calling.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t bring money into it, because the journalism industry is basically imploding in real time unless you’re already at the peak of your career. It’s also basically impossible to live on a starting salary in DC or New York. The recurring trend in response has been everyone launching a Substack and charging a subscription for their writing/reporting/bad jokes. Though I don’t plan on putting this newsletter behind any kind of paywall, any donations/purchasing of my photography prints or wallpapers would be greatly appreciated.
I’m going to loosely aim to be in your inbox or feed (I don’t know what Substack calls its reader feature tbh) Sunday mornings ET though that may slip or there could be an extra edition when the need arises.
Some general updates before I go…
I’ve got wheels! I’m finally fully able to drive Christabelle (my 2024 Kia Soul) and the last few weeks have legitimately just been me on the road. I’ll always be a proponent for transit but I’d be lying if I didn’t find driving incredibly relaxing with a good playlist.
I’ve been fully in my concert era between seeing Maude Latour open for Fletcher and the Sweat tour here in Atlanta. Both were insane and just reaffirm my love for live music.
My Mom surprised me with a Kodak SureShot film camera that I’m just waiting on film to ship for before I take it out for a shoot. I’m super excited to dive into this new world and have an alternative to my main Sony rig.
I’ll be in DC and New York at the end of the month and am looking for recommendations in either city if you have them.
Until next time,
Andrew