Sunday Scoop #27
#Being an Amateur #Blues Music #Scalp Health
Sunday Scoop is a weekly dose of creative inspiration, cultural discoveries, and personal reflections that are shaping my creative journey 💚
👋 Hiya!
With summer heat blazing and my partner getting sick, this week was mostly spent at home and indoors. Sometimes, the humidity and heat just drain your motivation—all you want to do is nothing. But looking back, there were still some things worth sharing.
1️⃣ Why being an amateur might be your creative superpower — Austin Kleon's wisdom
2️⃣ How blues music transcends time and pain — discovering Sinners soundtrack
3️⃣ Scalp health, sustainability, and saying goodbye to chemical burns — ARCO x Oway
✨ Quote That Stuck
Today it is the amateur — the enthusiast who pursues her work in the spirit of love (in French, the word means “lover”), regardless of the potential for fame, money or career — who often has the advantage over the professional. Because they have little to lose, amateurs are willing to try anything and share the results.
<Show Your Work!>
I've been working my way through Austin Kleon's books recently. Started with Steal Like an Artist, now on to Show Your Work! I'm drawn to writing that challenges how we see things or breaks down familiar ideas. Austin does both beautifully.
Growing up in a culture that celebrates overachievers and ties them to family honor, the hardest part about leaving that conventional path—stable corporate job, predictable success—was accepting that I'd be bad at things. So much of my self-worth came from external validation through perfectionism and high performance. Watching myself struggle with drawing, unable to create quick results, was genuinely painful. Looking back, that was probably the biggest mental block when I couldn't even open my sketchbook.
But accepting that I chose an industry where success isn't about immediate results and money, and listening to stories from various illustrators, artists and solopreneurs, I realized what I needed was to be an amateur again. Keep trying new things and let the bad art work its way out of my system. Whether you're learning to draw or building a business from scratch, it's all about playing the long game—experimenting, failing, iterating, and trusting that each attempt teaches you something valuable.
It's only recently that I've felt this calm acceptance, honestly. And as someone starting from the ground up again, with little to lose, I'm creating and sharing once more!
👂🏻 What Caught My Ears: Sinners Soundtrack and the Soul of Blues
Have you seen Sinners? It came out in April and is now streaming on HBO. I can't handle horror movies—scenes start replaying in my mind when I'm alone. Same with this film. I couldn't watch most of the second half when the vampires appeared, so I just listened. And I loved every minute of the music. Even with vampires... they sing!
🎵 Sinners Official Playlist on Spotify (link)
The movie is set in 1930s Mississippi, and blues music carries the story. It centers on one night at a juke joint that changes everyone's lives, including Sammie, a young, talented musician. His debut performance singing "I Lied to You" becomes this symbolic bridge connecting past and future generations—literally summoning spirits like vampire. There's something beautiful about that metaphor: music transcending time, uniting people across history and highlighting the enduring power of Black musical traditions.
The Mississippi Delta, where the story unfolds, is where blues emerged in the post-Civil War era, when Black communities faced harsh conditions and isolation. When I listen to blues music casually, I don't always feel the pain because it's often upbeat and lively. But blues is really about resilience and contains layers of emotion that go beyond sorrow.
My partner loved the whole movie, and I loved it until the vampires took over. But we both fell for the music. There's something about how music carries power across generations that never stops amazing me.
📍 Field Trip: ARCO x Oway — Wellness Meets Hair Care
Headspa treatments aren't mainstream in the US yet, but they're huge in South Korea. When I visited South Korea this year, I experienced two different headspa sessions and learned so much about scalp health. It's not just about hair growth. Scalp health connects to facial aging and even premature graying as well!
I have oily skin and scalp, so balancing sebum production was key. Honestly, seeing my scalp under the scalp scope was shocking. So much buildup around the roots, uneven hair density in spots I hadn't noticed.
Here's what I learned: scalp and facial muscles are connected. Tension in your scalp can pull down on your face, making lines and sagging more noticeable. Relieving scalp tension can contribute to a lifting effect. Poor scalp health can also contribute to premature graying, especially if it leads to inflammation or poor nutrient delivery.
Long story short,I wanted to find a place for my root touch-ups using more natural, organic products that would be gentler on my scalp. ARCO offered both hair coloring and headspa services, so I tried both. Gary, who runs the place, explained how you can achieve even lighter colors without harsh, toxic chemicals through OWAY's natural products—better for clients and for stylists who work with these products daily. The difference was immediate: I felt no burning sensation during coloring.
Oway (Organic Way) is an "agricosmetic" brand and all ingredients like medicinal plants, flowers, and aromatic shrubs are grown using biodynamic methods in the hills of Bologna, Italy (called Ortofficina). Plus, entirely plastic-free packaging.
This aligns with the kind of wellness I'm moving toward: getting closer to nature in what we eat and apply to our bodies, supporting local craftsmanship and sustainable practices. It's part of why I love supporting local farm produce too. With this grilling hot summer, let's make sure to take care of our scalps!
✨ Until Next Sunday...
What wellness practices are you trying to weave into your routine? I'd love to hear what's working (or not working) for you.
If this Sunday Scoop resonated with you, the best compliment would be to share it with one person who might enjoy this or restack it for others to discover 💚
You are welcome! I will share some play once on holidays 🌱
That painting is lovely! I am also playing with watercolor these days.