The Sunday Digest: First Edition

Welcome. Stay a while.

Jan 02, 2022

Welcome to the first edition of The Sunday Digest, a historic occasion for everyone currently reading this while lying sideways on their couch.

Truthfully, this is an itch that I’ve wanted to scratch for a while. Part newsletter, part blog, part mood board, all creative outlet — this (mostly) weekly email strives to be any and all of that.

And being that there’s no episode of The Sunday Scaries Podcast this week on account of me taking some time off, this seemed like the perfect compromise.

Sit back, relax, and let’s enjoy our Sundays a little bit more together.

— Will

Sunday Read: The Divine Art of Uniform Dressing

by Andrea Whittle for W Magazine

In October of 2020, I did a segment about the value of establishing your own personal uniform. I’d like to say that I was largely influenced by quarantine; trading in my everyday threads for an all-black uniform that consisted (mostly) of Lululemon joggers and long sleeve black t-shirts.

But honestly, my “uniform” was probably more laziness than anything.

Last month, Andrea Whittle touched on this very topic for W Magazine. An excerpt —

People who invent uniforms for themselves tend to be of a creative, entrepreneurial, or highly efficient sort, lending the habit twin auras of power and eccentricity. Other famous examples include Albert Einstein, who spent the later years of his life in a tobacco-hued leather chore coat; Karl Lagerfeld, in his austere black and white; and Hillary Clinton, whose pantsuits have provoked both light ridicule and earnest admiration. In Silicon Valley, Steve Jobs’s iconic turtleneck has inspired a raft of imitators, among them the infamous Elizabeth Holmes, who adopted his signature garment as her own.

And while I’m not sure I want to constantly compare myself to anyone in the above paragraph, I will say that I haven’t wavered much in the last couple years from the all-black look. And with the holidays in the rearview, I’m definitely going to lean in a bit harder for slimming purposes.

Things I Saved This Week

Sunday Read: A Walk in Midwinter

by Grace Cook for Drake’s

Apparently in Scotland you can walk through anyone’s back yard as long as you’re just passing through. This was something I learned as I walked through someone’s backyard in Scotland on New Year’s Day of 2020.

That year, we were staying on a piece of land that was known for their scenic walking trails, something we tried to take advantage of despite the preposterous amount of rain we faced while there (not to mention the 6 hours of daylight).

Since then, however, I’ve done my best to take long walks on holidays to help clear my mind and reset a bit. I’d be lying if this piece didn’t hit home a bit on the nostalgia front.

To most people, Cumbria is a land of picturesque vistas, glassy lakes and off-grid idyll. Having grown up on its wild, western coast, however, my vantage point is somewhat different. Because while the Lake District is all of the things that drive hoards of tourists to flock there every summer, to me, Cumbria is gritty, often grey, and remote to the point of inconvenience. And that’s exactly what makes it so special at wintertime.

Read it in full here (but beware of buying something from Drake’s when you do).

The Sunday Haiku

Can you pass the ithe,

I theem to have burnt my tongue,

Ugh, I hate Thtarbucks.

Sunday Read: Larry David’s Notes for His Biographer

by Larry David for The New Yorker

Larry David is about as close to being Sunday personified as anyone I can think of. Grumpy for no particular reason, dressed down compared to everyone around him, making brash decisions based on impulse.

Whether it’s watching Larry on Curb or reading Cazzie’s book, the David family has had a major effect on me over the last few years.

Oh, and he occasionally writes for The New Yorker as well which a lot of people don’t realize.

People might be surprised to learn that I’m a speed reader. I took a course when I was a kid, and one would be hard pressed to name a book I haven’t read. Books are my constant companions. Like, last year, I went to Turks and Caicos over Christmas and read “The Count of Monte Cristo” on the way there and “Anna Karenina” on the way back. I’m glad I read them in that order. It might have ruined my vacation otherwise! So, you know, stuff like that.

Reading? Me? Well, not to brag but I did finish The Old Man & The Sea on vacation last week. 127 pages, no biggie.

First (And Only) Access: Sunday Scaries Dri-Fit Hat

For Substack subscribers only.

A product that was done in time for Christmas but a product I wanted to save for this very occasion. As a token of my appreciation for you signing up for emails from Sunday Scaries, I’d like to offer exclusive access to a hat that we limited to just 50 total — The Embroidered Logo Hat.

Because, you know, sometimes the guy at the coffee shop doesn’t need to see your bedhead.

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See you next Sunday.