hello there,

If there’s one thing we’ve learnt from creative people over the years, it’s that doing nothing is vital. Checking your mind in for a whole lot of bugger all helps clear the brain fog. As artist Ulrike Lea Moormann puts it on page 80, “You have to just sit and look and let time go by.” It’s something the frankie team attempted to put into practice over the summer break. While on an ocean-side walk, we stopped at a viewing point atop a cliff. Our local guide pointed out natural landmarks and shared her memories of the area. Eventually, her stories trailed off. She looked out towards the waves crashing ashore, at the threatening clouds overhead. Our group did the same, silently taking in the scenery as we awaited her next move. Minutes passed. No one spoke. We shifted uncomfortably, unsure whether we were going to move on to the next point of interest. More silence. Then, out of nowhere, a dolphin leapt from a wave in a perfect arc. Another followed. Then another. We looked on in awe as they snapped up fish circling beneath the water. Sometimes sitting and looking and letting time go by can feel boring in a world full of distractions. But at the risk of sounding a bit hippy-dippy, that’s kind of the point. Doing zilch makes way for the most surprising things to surface (like a literal dolphin). While making your way through this issue, you might like to pause and go for a stroll to gaze at the clouds. We won’t mind. You might even notice something unexpected when you return to the page.