Do I really need to make an effort?
disconnect 023/237
[25 May 2025]
-----------------------
This episode is special. It’s episode number 23.
And, it’s also the one-year anniversary of my LP Out Of Office (available on bandcamp and your streaming platform of choice). To celebrate, I’ve released the music video for Slow Dance, the last track on the album.
I filmed the video on the final day of my stay in Toronto — during my last night walk through the neighbourhood of York, just a few streets away from my apartment. I used to go on night walks there after watching NBA playoff games, every night I didn’t hop on the subway to explore the financial district and the PATH, and film for 40 Nights in Toronto.
The aesthetic of York is a sharp contrast to the tall, shiny, futuristic skyscrapers of downtown Toronto. It is full of small brick and wooden houses, some so tiny they resemble Schrebergarten shacks. No two houses look alike. Front yards range from perfectly trimmed to wildly overgrown. Narrow streets barely leave enough space for two Dodge RAMs to pass each other.
Still, I felt drawn to exploring this neighborhood as much as I was attracted by the downtown architecture.
Fast forward to now: I’ve started going on night walks again, in Berlin, with the intention to film. And even though I’ve come to enjoy these walks, it was a struggle at first. Unlike Toronto, it took effort to find places I felt naturally drawn to—places that matched my aesthetic vision. That effort led to a recurring thought: I need to leave Berlin again. Maybe not now, but in the not-too-distant future.
The thought became loud right after I returned from my recent trip to London. The moment I stepped out of BER, I felt it: this simply isn’t me. That subtle gut feeling I’ve had for years is now crystal clear. Berlin doesn’t reflect my artistic vision. But I’ve learned to live with it. More than that, I’ve started to embrace it. Berlin sharpens my senses.
In London, I didn’t shoot anything. Even though I passed by hundreds of visually appealing places—buildings, subway corridors, staircases. In Berlin, it’s been the opposite. I go on walks with my camcorder every week. In the beginning, I actively searched for inspiration, which often felt like forcing it. But then I changed my approach: no more searching, just walking.
Last week, I took a night walk in Steglitz without a particular destination in mind. After four minutes, I passed through the tunnel at S+U Rathaus Steglitz and entered another world.
I stayed there for over half an hour. The station was almost empty. Every 10 minutes, a train would arrive, releasing a stream of people through the vast corridors — and then the stillness returned. I discovered one interesting scene after the next. No effort.
It felt so good I even thought about dedicating my next project entirely to night walks in Steglitz. After all, it will be called Why don’t you start to fall in love with where you are right now? But that thought will have to wait. Right now, my focus is on the exhibition and audiovisual listening session for the release of 40 Nights in Toronto.
I’ve already picked out exotic sodas for one of the installations. I’ve been gathering notes from the past year, and preparing them for you to explore at the exhibition. All while being back in office, in a part-time job that gives me exactly the time and space I need to create art. Just as I hoped it would when I made the decision to return from Canada.
I fiercely rejected the idea of working in an office for over a year. But now, I’m living a life I enjoy to the fullest. Because I dedicate every available moment to my art. Sometimes directly: making music, filming, writing, building installations. Sometimes indirectly: planning my weeks, reading books and watching films that feed into my vision, taking care of my body, prioritizing sleep, eating well. Even choosing a job that minimizes travel and maximizes quiet time. I’m still doing all the things I did while I was Out Of Office — just with a day job. With less time, I’m more focused.
We don’t need to make an effort to succeed in life. Living successfully is about living effortlessly.
Can you think of a time when everything got easier the moment you stopped trying so hard?
Why do you even make an effort?
Enjoy your day or night!
glg Soda
PS: Everything for the 40 Nights in Toronto exhibition and audiovisual listening session on June 14 is starting to fall into place.
The exhibition opens at 7PM. You’ll be able to explore works from the production process, two interactive installations, sip cold exotic sodas and rooibos iced tea, snack on almonds, listen to music, and hang out in the cozy studio [my former studio] or spacious courtyard of the beautiful Gerichtshöfe [Gerichtstr. 23, 13347 Wedding].
The audiovisual listening session begins at 9PM.
To keep the atmosphere intimate, I’m offering 23 guaranteed seats. If you’re subscribed to The Soda Club, you can reserve one by replying to this email.
I encourage you to come alone. If you come with others, keep in mind: if it gets too crowded, we’ll improvise seating on the floor, carpets, pillows, stools… but we’ll keep it calm and spacious. There may not be room for everyone.
I'm excited to welcome you into this space. One last thing: here’s the video for Slow Dance.
Do I really need to make an effort?
disconnect 023/237
[25 May 2025]
-----------------------
This episode is special. It’s episode number 23.
And, it’s also the one-year anniversary of my LP Out Of Office (available on bandcamp and your streaming platform of choice). To celebrate, I’ve released the music video for Slow Dance, the last track on the album.
I filmed the video on the final day of my stay in Toronto — during my last night walk through the neighbourhood of York, just a few streets away from my apartment. I used to go on night walks there after watching NBA playoff games, every night I didn’t hop on the subway to explore the financial district and the PATH, and film for 40 Nights in Toronto.
The aesthetic of York is a sharp contrast to the tall, shiny, futuristic skyscrapers of downtown Toronto. It is full of small brick and wooden houses, some so tiny they resemble Schrebergarten shacks. No two houses look alike. Front yards range from perfectly trimmed to wildly overgrown. Narrow streets barely leave enough space for two Dodge RAMs to pass each other.
Still, I felt drawn to exploring this neighborhood as much as I was attracted by the downtown architecture.
Fast forward to now: I’ve started going on night walks again, in Berlin, with the intention to film. And even though I’ve come to enjoy these walks, it was a struggle at first. Unlike Toronto, it took effort to find places I felt naturally drawn to—places that matched my aesthetic vision. That effort led to a recurring thought: I need to leave Berlin again. Maybe not now, but in the not-too-distant future.
The thought became loud right after I returned from my recent trip to London. The moment I stepped out of BER, I felt it: this simply isn’t me. That subtle gut feeling I’ve had for years is now crystal clear. Berlin doesn’t reflect my artistic vision. But I’ve learned to live with it. More than that, I’ve started to embrace it. Berlin sharpens my senses.
In London, I didn’t shoot anything. Even though I passed by hundreds of visually appealing places—buildings, subway corridors, staircases. In Berlin, it’s been the opposite. I go on walks with my camcorder every week. In the beginning, I actively searched for inspiration, which often felt like forcing it. But then I changed my approach: no more searching, just walking.
Last week, I took a night walk in Steglitz without a particular destination in mind. After four minutes, I passed through the tunnel at S+U Rathaus Steglitz and entered another world.
I stayed there for over half an hour. The station was almost empty. Every 10 minutes, a train would arrive, releasing a stream of people through the vast corridors — and then the stillness returned. I discovered one interesting scene after the next. No effort.
It felt so good I even thought about dedicating my next project entirely to night walks in Steglitz. After all, it will be called Why don’t you start to fall in love with where you are right now? But that thought will have to wait. Right now, my focus is on the exhibition and audiovisual listening session for the release of 40 Nights in Toronto.
I’ve already picked out exotic sodas for one of the installations. I’ve been gathering notes from the past year, and preparing them for you to explore at the exhibition. All while being back in office, in a part-time job that gives me exactly the time and space I need to create art. Just as I hoped it would when I made the decision to return from Canada.
I fiercely rejected the idea of working in an office for over a year. But now, I’m living a life I enjoy to the fullest. Because I dedicate every available moment to my art. Sometimes directly: making music, filming, writing, building installations. Sometimes indirectly: planning my weeks, reading books and watching films that feed into my vision, taking care of my body, prioritizing sleep, eating well. Even choosing a job that minimizes travel and maximizes quiet time. I’m still doing all the things I did while I was Out Of Office — just with a day job. With less time, I’m more focused.
We don’t need to make an effort to succeed in life. Living successfully is about living effortlessly.
Can you think of a time when everything got easier the moment you stopped trying so hard?
Why do you even make an effort?
Enjoy your day or night!
glg Soda
PS: Everything for the 40 Nights in Toronto exhibition and audiovisual listening session on June 14 is starting to fall into place.
The exhibition opens at 7PM. You’ll be able to explore works from the production process, two interactive installations, sip cold exotic sodas and rooibos iced tea, snack on almonds, listen to music, and hang out in the cozy studio [my former studio] or spacious courtyard of the beautiful Gerichtshöfe [Gerichtstr. 23, 13347 Wedding].
The audiovisual listening session begins at 9PM.
To keep the atmosphere intimate, I’m offering 23 guaranteed seats. If you’re subscribed to The Soda Club, you can reserve one by replying to this email.
I encourage you to come alone. If you come with others, keep in mind: if it gets too crowded, we’ll improvise seating on the floor, carpets, pillows, stools… but we’ll keep it calm and spacious. There may not be room for everyone.
I'm excited to welcome you into this space. One last thing: here’s the video for Slow Dance.