This week, the team described a renewed joy sparked by the spring sunshine. Some watched horror films at neighborhood cinemas, others kept watching Canadian geese flying overhead, and some found happiness in art and literary pieces encountered in New York.
Molly Odintz attended the Austin Psych Fest to see indie rock and shoegaze artists gathering in her hometown. The event became one of her best moments of the week.
Watching Horror Films in Theaters Rekindled Its Magic
Drew Broussard stepped away from digital habits and chose to watch horror movies in the cinema with friends. He said the experience was just as fun in adulthood as it was in middle school.
Broussard expressed that the shared fear, laughing together, and being in the same theater gave him a strong sense of enjoyment. Recent films they watched included Exit 8, Hokum, and Psycho.
He also mentioned watching the classic film with his writer friend Leah Rowan as a celebration of her new book, Marion.
Geese in the Sky and Sounds Passing Over the Neighborhood
Jonny Diamond described how Canadian geese fly very low over their home during this time of year. The noise the birds make as they head north toward the Hudson River became a striking urban moment for him.
Diamond said the sound of the geese’s wing flaps and honks could be heard even from the backyard. This sight holds special meaning for his family because his mother loved Canadian geese and once rescued a goose from a frozen pond when she was young.
For this reason, they made it a tradition to tell their children "there goes your grandmother" when the geese pass by. However, this joke still greatly surprises their nearly three-year-old child.
The 82-0 Game and the Quest for the Perfect Team
Calvin Kasulke said he got hooked on the web game 82-0, fitting the spirit of the New York Knicks. The goal of the game is to build an unbeatable NBA team by selecting players from different teams and eras.
Kasulke explained he succeeded twice; once creating a very enjoyable team to watch, and another with a team that had a rather negative energy. For him, the game is a fun way to revisit some players.
Artworks Emerging in New York and a Film Recommendation
Brittany Allen wrote that this week she encountered two art objects that reconnected her with her love for New York. One of them was Ann Rower’s book If You’re a Girl.
First published in 1990 as a collection of short stories, the book stands out as a vivid autofiction depicting life in the lower city. The new edition includes stories Rower wrote later in life, turning the book into a broad narrative that holds together the life of a big city.
Allen said she loved how Rower’s writings place old and new days side by side. She noted that sections with late-awakening feelings, appearances by Richard Hell and the Wooster Group, intense grief, and diary-like tones stood out in the book.
The week’s final recommendation was a film: John Berry’s 1974 movie Claudine. Starring James Earl Jones and Diahann Carroll, the film tells the story of a couple struggling to make ends meet in Harlem during Abraham Beame’s era.
Allen highlighted the film’s sharp and witty writing about the economic hardships of working people. The music by Curtis Mayfield and Gladys Knight added the final touch that brought the film into the spring day mood.
The week emphasized the lightness that spring brings alongside the challenges of city life. The team said goodbye to the weekend with analog enthusiasm, friendly ghosts, and the joy of shared moments.
