Being a Regular

Xochitl Gonzalez got me with the dek: “Yes, New York is an exciting place, but it’s routine that weaves you into the city.”

I loved the idea of being woven into a city. You’re not just skating the surface; you’re part of the fabric. You could make an equally good case for trying new things, but as a creature of habit, I liked reading this article and having my behaviour celebrated.

Josh is an explorer. I am a stayer. He compromises by deeply exploring new things on our regular restaurant menu or trying new products in our regularly shopped-in stores. I compromise by straying from the known every once in a while (though the places found generally just become a new regular space).

The first place that works well becomes my place, even knowing there may be a better place out there. It’s because all other choices are pretty much a lateral move because I’m only going to pause and become a regular if I have a good experience, which means all other experiences are likely to be different by equal experiences. Is it possible that there is an even better choice out there? Sure. But it’s also possible that there is an even worse choice out there, and I would rather be happy in a consistently good space than ride the ups and downs of unknown spaces.

I loved this point from the article:

“From restaurants to, yes, even manicures, these transactions are now less about patronage and relationships than they are about participating in trends and getting a good pic for the’ gram.”

It does come down to patronage and relationships. I want to count on the places I love, and in turn, I want them to count on me. I will be the customer who keeps showing up, who remembers the small changes over the years, the stories we’ve told each other, or the information exchanged in passing. We’re in this together.