All Kinds Of Commas is a weekly newsletter about the pursuit of a creative life and all the commas that get us there. My name is Eric Ryan Anderson and I’ve spent the last twenty years exploring the world with a camera and all kinds of good people. This is a space to share some of those stories and look to the future together.

CURRENTLY,

My streak of fortunate writing locations continues as I watch the snow falling over the Colorado Rockies. We’re here with the family for a quick visit, and this morning enjoyed a snowy hike up Mayflower Gulch Trail, near Frisco.

LAST WEEKEND,

I was standing at the back of a gallery in the Lower East Side, marveling at a packed room of people talking, laughing, looking at art and just… being together. It reminded me of the decade I spent in that city, going to shows like this, running around with friends, watching sunrise from someone’s rooftop.

And I briefly lamented the fact that for many folks, this is not a regular feeling anymore. In case you haven’t seen the articles, we are experiencing an epidemic of loneliness in our country (and the world at large). And it’s not just men like me getting older and a little antisocial – like Paul Rudd sitting alone with his books.

Among adult men, in-person socialization has dropped 30% since 2003. For teens, in-person socialization has dropped a staggering 45%. In his compelling piece for the Atlantic last year, Derek Thompson called this the decline of hanging out. Others have called it a crisis of social fitness and Carolyn Bruckmann calls it a “friendship recession” in her article published by the Harvard Kennedy School last year.

Whatever you call it, we’re spending more time alone with our devices, pets and televisions — and less time outside of the home, gathering, socializing and even drinking. And the consequences of this show up not just emotionally, but physiologically, as increased loneliness has clear links to increased risk of heart disease, dementia, and depression. There’s a great series on Netflix about Blue Zones, an idea championed by Dan Buettner, who says “in the world’s longest-living communities, the constants aren’t kale or CrossFit — they’re purpose, daily movement, and strong social ties.”

A FEW YEARS AGO,

When the idea for Sunnyside Projects began coming to life, the idea was to focus on making tangible pieces of art and bringing people together to enjoy them.

I loved the notion of third places and tracked down a copy of the wonderful book “The Great Good Place” by Ray Oldenburg. According to Oldenburg, among others, these third places are informal gathering spots that are not the first place (home) or second place (work). Third places are neutral grounds — pubs, coffee shops, diners, bingo halls and dog parks – where people can connect, relax and build community. Productivity and consumption are not the priority… Conversation is.

These are places you regularly attend, alongside a familiar cast of other likeminded (or not) humans, and Oldenburg goes so far as to say that these places are “the heart of a community’s social vitality and the grassroots of democracy.” These places have been a vital piece of social development, strengthening community and personal wellbeing for centuries and, as evidenced by the stats above, we’re showing up to them less and less.

One of Oldenburg’s most important ideas is the “non-agenda.” Church groups have their place just like sporting events or VFW meetings. But the beauty of a good third place is the idea of simply hanging out without agenda. Purpose is not a prerequisite… Only presence. Late nights solving the world’s problems at a pub, un-structured conversations at a cozy coffeeshop or endless afternoons lounging in Central Park.

When I started Sunnyside Projects, the goal was to make tangible pieces of art — books, prints, zines — that could bring people together again. To bridge the digital and the physical — and, in our own small way, create a version of a third place.

*An updated edition of Oldenburg’s book was published in 2023 and I highly recommend giving it a read if you’re interested in the social dynamics here.

BACK TO LAST WEEKEND,

Standing there, taking in that room full of people third-placing it together, I couldn’t help but think that maybe we’re still on the right track. People want to hang out. People want a reason to leave the house. People need other people and uncomfortable encounters and rambling conversations. The stats are bleak, but anecdotally, I see people who actually do want to engage in real life.

This stuff is vital if we want to move toward a more optimistic version of the future. We can succumb to the bad news machine in the palm of our hands, which convinces us that the world sucks and everyone hates each other and we’re so different from our neighbors near and far… Or we can get uncomfortable, go find a third space and start hanging out again. It’s not easy. We’re busy and stressed and exhausted, but we have to push past these frictions and rebuild that “social fitness” together.

We did it last weekend and it was really fun. Scattered throughout this post are pretty bad photos from our less-than-ideal disposable cameras. But maybe there’s some metaphor there about being present, enjoying the company of friends and not having the perfect content to share afterwards.

Thanks to everyone who came out last weekend. I want to share the projects that these guys all put together for this event, but am going to save that for another post. Watch the Sunnyside Projects website for some updates and ability to snag a copy of the new books next week. And in the meantime, give Andrew, Eric and Lucas a look.

THIS WEEKEND,

We’re back in Nashville and hosting a book club at the studio, alongside the Photo Society at Middle Tennessee State. Grab a photo book or two and come work on that “social fitness” with us. This Sunday afternoon (10/19) between 2 - 4 pm.

Email the studio and let us know if you can make it!

INTERESTINGLY,

A few things worth checking out this week.

1. Southern Festival of Books A handful of photography buddies from the greater Nashville area have put together a photo table at the Southern Festival of books. And Laura Hutson Hunter is leading a panel discussion on photo books with Rachel Boillot, Sofia Krysiak, Jack Latham, Vesna Pavlovic, Kristine Potter, Tamara Reynolds and Christine Rogers. Festival is all weekend and panel chat is 5p on Saturday. See you there.

2. Casey Neistat on Sora Have you seen the latest AI video offering from OpenAI? Who better to make a video about Sora than the original vlogging king, Casey Neistat. To say we’re entering new territory with this stuff is an understatement. I have no idea where we’re going but this space is fascinating to watch.

3. Jay Myself Whilst walking the Bowery last week, was reminded of this documentary on photographer Jay Maisel and his 30,000 square foot home/studio in NYC. Stephen Wilkes, an accomplished photographer in his own right, made this film about his mentor Maisel, and the life he built in this infamous building.

4. Will Ferrell on Failing Quick snippet I was served on Instagram this week… A clip of Will Ferrell talking about his foray into acting and some priceless advice from his father… As originally seen on Sam Jones’ podcast/show.

5. Keld Helmer-Petersen - 122 Farvefotografier Another Instagram post that a friend sent me this week… A selection of spreads from this legendary book of color photographs, made decades before Eggleston and Shore would bring color photography into the foray of the modern art world.

UP NEXT,

Colorado, Nashville & Vermont… Trying to soak up these fall vibes and build on those third places as much as possible. Come join ours this weekend if you’re in Nashville.

Seriously, thank you for reading ALL KINDS OF COMMAS! Subscribe for free to get new posts and support the work. I can’t promise where this is going… Only that I’ll keep pursuing a creative life and sharing ideas that spark that journey. Share with friends! And never hesitate to let me know what you’d like to see/hear more of here.