It’s
Coughing
Monday, May 25, 2026
2:02AM · New York, NY
I landed from Toronto a few hours ago and started anxiously tidying up this site again. I have a really bad cough right now, which is strange because I don’t usually end up with a cough when I get sick.
It’s been a month since I’ve moved back to New York. It almost feels like the first time I did this, 3 years ago. But things are slightly different. Thankfully, I feel a bit more comfortable, more self-assured. There are people here I can talk to, the remnants of a community. I’m somewhat familiar with the lay of the land, the hectic environments don’t faze me as much.
On the other hand, life seems to be moving much faster than the first time. I’m still figuring out if there’s new people I can reform community with. I miss people back in Toronto. It felt like I was just starting to get into a rhythm there and then I tore myself out of it. I’ve yet to construct a new one here. I keep telling myself I ought to, but maybe there’s no need to rush it.
This whole month has felt like “rushing” and so maybe the fortuitous combination of this cough and Memorial Day tomorrow will force me to slow down. Maybe I’ll finally get around to reading. I’m remembering I wrote something about slowing down 2 years ago, it seems I haven’t learned my lesson.
I’m hoping I look back on this in 2 years having learned that lesson a bit more. I’m also hoping I’ll be back in Toronto by that time. Hopefully I won’t be coughing then. Hopefully Drake will have dropped another decent album by then.
A nice trail somewhere in Markham