Every day, WordPress emails me one writing prompt. Today’s writing prompt is…

10 Things I Like

I wrote these things as they came to my head. They’re in no particular order, and this is by no means an exhaustive list.

1. Rain and Cold Weather

As the UK’s brief yet feisty summer comes to an end, many citizens prepare to be shrouded by the familiar long nights and grey clouds. I, however, eagerly anticipate this time of year.

I’ve realised that it’s easier and more comfortable to warm myself after a cold day than cool myself during a hot one. I enjoy the cosy vibes of entering a heated building, drinking a hot beverage, and snuggling into some soft, loose-fitting clothes. Taking a cold shower or chugging a cold drink after the sun has beat my skin raw feels like a war I’m constantly losing.

There’s a simple bliss inhaling the wisps of steam from a cup of coffee, watching the rain pattering down the window. Speaking of which…

2. Instant Coffee

Look! The writer loves caffeine. How original. I would not, however, call myself a coffee addict. I strictly limit myself to two coffees a day, if that. I am well-accustomed to the side-effects of ‘over-caffeination’ which leave me jittery, unfocused, and unmotivated.

I prefer instant coffee. My favourite brand (which I shall not divulge in fear that the masses will pick up on my hint and lay the shelves bare) has a honey-like texture meaning no added sugar is required. Besides, I have a personal vendetta against Costa Coffee; their medium coffees are so juiced-up, I am surprised no one has died.

3. A Good Pair of Wired Headphones

With every desire available at the tips of your fingers, you would think finding good-quality wired headphones would be a piece of cake. Think again.

My phone is equipped with an AUX port (thank you, Samsung), which I much prefer to the tiny, exorbitantly priced, wireless headphones. These buds also need a built-in microphone so I can continue broadcasting with my good friend Patrick on our Stationhead radio show: PatDav and Will: Movies and Chill.

But from Amazon to the small high-street phone shop, every pair of headphones I buy come with one key problem: a broken microphone, poor sound quality, flimsy wiring, or only one ear working. I know those perfect wired headphones are out there, so I’ll keep searching.

4. Heinz Tomato Soup

I could put a lot of food items on this list, but I’ve just ate this and it wonderfully satiated my appetite. I don’t really like whole tomatoes, but the soup variety is extremely satisfying, especially with a grilled cheese to dunk and dip. I have to be wary of over-satisfaction, however, as this red elixir can easily make me feel very bloated for the rest of the day.

5. Edinburgh by Honey Nothings

I don’t usually have a favourite song. I usually get invested with one so much so that constant repeats ruin it for me. Again, I am a victim of over-satisfaction!

Yet this song I found last year has coasted wonderfully on a level of mellow, satisfactory enjoyment. Other songs that flit this line are Radar Detector by Darwin Deez and SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK by Joji.

I still don’t get why the song is called Edinburgh, or the meaning behind it, but it’s a great indie ballad for anyone interested in the genre.

6. 2015 Magic Busses

The years I spent studying at the University of Manchester were the best of my life, and I look back on them fondly in this twilight time where I’m in between jobs and the middle of a global pandemic.

But rather than reminiscing on the life-long friends I made, hilarious moments on nights out, or insightful lessons gleaned from classes, I want to thank the 2015 Magic busses.

Manchester’s Oxford Road is one of the busiest UK bus lanes, dominated by Stagecoach’s Magic Bus service. In the enchanting year of 2015, these busses cost a mere £1 one way through the student village, the Curry Mile, both UoM and ManMet campuses, and finally the city centre.

Unfortunately, the price has significantly increased, but my heart swells thinking about the brave beasts that roam the streets of Manchester no more and the brave souls who put up with extremely loud, drunk students at 2am.

7. That One Part Five Minutes Into This GMT Video Where the Music Effortlessly Fades From Halo 3: ODST’s Soundtrack to the Legend of Zelda’s Soundtrack and It’s So Marvellously Executed and It Makes You Appreciate the Level of Editing Mark Brown Puts Into His Videos

Appreciate the little things. [Start at 5:03]

7. Long coats

At school, I wore these long, thick overcoats. Not only did they keep me warm, I thought they looked incredibly cool. I dreamt of the day I could buy one in leather or with an oversized hood.

Thankfully, I have grown some sort of fashion sense.

To be honest, I have friends who pull off the long-coat better than me, including my old physics teacher. Such unfairness keeps me up some nights.

8. Trees

Trees are pretty awesome. They provide shade for us (see point 1) and have stood majestically for generations. Their slow growth from tiny seedlings to looming towers amazes me. I’ve recently tried growing bonsai trees from seed and they are the most temperamental little buggers I’ve ever had the displeasure of working with.

Bonsai trees won’t grow indoors. They don’t want your TLC. If you nurture them inside, they grow impressively tall in the first couple of days, before the stem breaks under the weight. You must leave them outside, at the mercy of the elements, so they may grow stout and hardy.

Trees are mental, when you think about them. They’re homes for all manner of wildlife, actively clean our atmosphere, and have even been linked with better mental health for people in urban areas. I remind myself constantly that living in a green place is a privilege.

9. Notebooks

Recently, I have followed the advice of Austin Kleon in his book Steal Like An Artist and set up a work desk for analogue work. It has increased my productivity, and it gives me a reason to use the mountain of notebooks I’ve collected over many birthdays, Christmases, and souvenir shop trips.

One is for everyday ideas; another for recipes; a beautiful golden-tinged book for a play I’m workshopping; a weekly bullet journal; and a rough book that became my worksheet for all the Zoom lockdown quizzes I participated in.

I used to be the kid who couldn’t write five legible sentences without cramping his wrist. Now, I can happily write double the sentences before any sort of pain appears, and my handwriting is definitely… well… acceptable.

10. People

2020 is the year that people have infuriated me the most. When I open social media, my news apps, or the dreaded YouTube comment section, I bristle with rising angst and anger at the sheer ineptitude and perceived hatred of people’s opinions. I want to reach through the screen, take people by the shoulders, and shake them until all the silly falls out.

But then I’ll see one act of pure human kindness, one moment of selflessness or blissful happiness, and all that frustration ebbs away.

People aren’t solely their opinions. Sure, it can provide in a window into what makes up their personality, but those people are sons and daughters, students and teachers. I have the somewhat optimistic belief that deep down, given the chance, people want the world to be a better place. That may found outrageously sentimental and ignorant, but I’d rather view life through those lenses.

“I don’t want to be part of a world where being kind is a weakness.”

– Keanu Reeves

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