There's still a month left of summer

Offline Recess is a newsletter that invites you to pause from digital distractions and rediscover the joy of finding inspiration on your own terms, away from the algorithm.

Everyone is claiming that summer is over but (checks calendar) we still have one month left! I decided to enjoy the rest of summer by taking the next five Fridays off so I’m writing this newsletter outside on a Friday!

In case you missed it, my last email announced my newest newsletter: Huge Fan! I publish bi-weekly and I’ve been able to write all about how people make money from fandom and the reasons fans stick around (spoiler alert: it’s not about spending money).

The way the two concepts and goals cross over is fascinating to me! I’ve really enjoyed writing about things that aren’t centered around my own story or experiences. I’ve enjoyed hours and hours of interviewing, meeting new people, and figuring out a my approach to the writing. I’ve interviewed fans of romantasy, Anthony Bourdain, pro wrestling, book clubs, and more. This Friday I’m publishing a piece about Swifties! You can subscribe here.

This newsletter is now monthly (not weekly). Last month I alluded to shutting it down but I’ll probably continue to send a monthly email out! Why not? I’ll have more to share with more time passing between each send.

What am I a huge fan of?

Since I’ve been discussing other peoples’ deep fandoms, the same few topics have come up:

• “I don’t think I’m a huge fan of ____ because someone else I know is a bigger fan than me.”

• “I hesitate to express my fandom out of fear (of being teased, of made fun of, encountering toxicity, etc)"

• “Is it a fandom or is it a hobby?”

These sentiments and questions resonate a lot with me! I started to analyze my own life and I have a few examples of fandoms I’ve been a part of and how that fandom expressed itself in my life:

1. Coldplay: I fell in love with the band my freshman year of highschool (2001). The senior prom used one of their songs as the theme and I was enthralled. I’ve been to over 10 concerts (I never cheated on my significant other at any of them), had my photo taken my Chris Martin, and snagged one of Will’s drumsticks after a concert. While I don’t listen to many of their albums past Viva La Vida, I will always be a huge fan.

2. Celine Dion: I recorded a documentary that was on tv and made my friends watch it. I owned her CDs as a kid. I saw her perform with my sister and dad in Vegas!

3. Pee-wee Herman: Very foundational to my childhood. I can’t tell you how many hours I’ve spent watching. I loved how silly he was and I knew I always wanted to be that silly no matter how old I was.

4. Scottie Pippen: As a kid growing up in Illinois, the Chicago Bulls were extremely impactful. I was a huge fan of Scottie Pippen because my best friend was! I joined his fan club by mail and decided that my favorite number was 34 (because my BFF who was the biggest fan claimed 33).

5. Cole Escola: I am currently a huge fan of Cole. Everything they do is genius and hilarious. I spent over $700 to see them perform in their Broadway play, Oh Mary!, in New York City. I’ve seen every interview and video they are a part of. I’m currently wearing this hat. I cried when they won a Tony.

6. Who Weekly the podcast: I go to live shows, I buy all the merch, I upgrade my Patreon as much as I can (all because I want to support Bobby and Lindsey, the hosts). I’ve called into the show twice. I talk about it often. I know all the inside jokes and sign offs. It’s my favorite.

With the shifts and rise of the internet, of course people feel insecure about being a fan. Now it’s so easy to stumble across an account or a person who seems to express their fandom loudly and with more proof. That actually doesn’t matter. You’re a huge fan because something pulls you to stay or because you change your behavior or because you want to talk about it or because you invest the time and attention. And that has nothing to do with anyone else!

Currently

• Reading: The Overstory + four other non-fiction books

• Watching: Bachelor in Paradise (brain rot) because I love GOR

• Listening: Tyler, The Creator’s new album

• Wearing: Vintage tees, this skort (half off!), and these shoes on repeat

• Eating: 2% Daisy cottage cheese which I declared, on IG, the best cottage cheese. Ice cream (the softer the better). And baked potatoes.

• Drinking: Strawberry Creme seltzer from Polar and this NA amaro.

P.S. You’ve enjoyed this newsletter over the years, you can help contribute to the cost of publishing. I don’t have any intention of putting up a paywall but you can Venmo me @alliepal or send a tip via Paypal (this account is under my maiden name Jocson because Paypal makes it nearly impossible to change your name). Thank you to all who tip me!