Emily Coogan on noticing

This month in Après Diaries, we're getting into the thoughts Emily usually keeps close.

She's mastered the art of finding the right words for every moment, turning everyday thoughts into stories worth reading. Truthfully, no words of ours could say it better than hers, so we'll let her take it from here.

Sit down and join us.

 

 

 

What are your nicknames?

I'm rarely called Emily, it actually stresses me out a little when I am.

My friends call me Em, Coogs or EmilyCoogan (specifically one word, five syllables).

My extended family calls me Emmy. My mum and sister call me Embalina.

My dad calls me Oz, sometimes Kahuna, both short for Ozzy Kahuna. This one is my favourite.

How would your family describe you?

My brother wrote me a haiku:

Careful but yolo
Anxiety but swagger
That's how Emby be

My older sister said "smart, observant, quick" (she was mean at first and I really had to coax this out of her). 

My mum made me tear up in the park:

How would your friends describe you?

Alecia said "the love of my life” (she’s my soulmate).

Cosi said “considered, curious, under the radar, introspective, precise”.

My second-favourite ex boyfriend said "magnetic, perceptively insightful, fairy", which is quite nice.

I almost didn’t include what Astrid said because it made me want to retreat from view:

“How do you describe one of the best people you’ve ever been fortunate enough to meet and become friends with? Impossible.

I would describe Emily as hardworking, resilient, loyal, intelligent, compassionate, incredibly funny, caring, beautiful, chic, stylish, an amazing writer, creative, an amazing friend, adventurous, warm, unique, reliable, kind, generous, determined, a lover girl (hehe), thoughtful… and I could go on and on. And I would, if it weren’t for the fact that Emily hates to be perceived. 

I remember the first time I met Emily. I had moved all the way from Denmark to Australia without ever meeting or FaceTiming with Meg or Marta from Après. I didn’t even know Emily existed until Meg told me that another girl my age had started the week before me. It turned out to be the best surprise of my life because I met the best friend I didn’t know I was desperately missing.

Emily saved my life in Sydney in more ways than one. From when I was kind of homeless (forgive me, I’m dramatic) to the smaller things, like telling me which yoghurt was the best, giving me a ‘moviecation,’ being there when I was homesick, or giving me a lift to work.

The best way to describe Emily is simply this: everybody needs an Emily in their life.”

 

 

 

 

 

What are you scared of?

I’ve never left a book in a street library but I’ve taken many and I’m scared of that karma catching up to me

I'm also quite scared of waves. I really love the beach but it’s exhausting battling for your place in the ocean when you're probably the most helpless creature in there

And adult twins

 

 

 

 

What are you excited by?

Homegrown produce. I think we are too casual about being able to grow things at our will with nothing but seeds and soil

Dolphins

Looking through windows in posh suburbs (not a perv, just nosy)

The idea of being bilingual one day. I'm not doing a lot to get there but the idea is exhilarating

And pickles. Great until you're in one

 

 

 

 

Do you believe in astrology? What's your star sign?

I do, very much so. I'm a pisces sun, libra moon and taurus rising

I feel very innately sensitive and wishy washy on good days - that’s the water/air combo

I'm also very shy and a true introvert, but I've been told that I hide it well - that's the taurus facade

 

Death row meal?

Steak frites every day of the week

I'm not fussy about any aspect of the meal, and I will kiss you if you serve it to me

 

Dietaries?

I'm gluten intolerant but it's not that medically serious, more of a part-time thing

I think ducks are technically intolerant to bread too, they just like it a lot
That's a bit of me

 

 

 

 

Sexiest traits somebody can possess?

Curiosity. Yum, delicious.

 

 

 

Do you have any pets?

My son is a beta fish called Shimmer. Never saw myself as a fish person but he is very loved.

 

How do you measure success?

With difficulty! My favourite pastime is holding myself to standards that no one alive could meet.

Generally, if something I do or feel will make either eight year old me or 80 year old me proud, then it's a win.

 

If you started a cult, what beliefs would you enforce?

Meal times are redundant: I'm sick of thinking it's too early in the day for chocolate and too late in the day for a full English.

Never buy belts, books or bags new: there are enough secondhand finds out there cooler than anything. The same goes for knitwear, jackets and jeans, but maybe I’d be lenient with them.

I also don’t believe in folding clothes to put them in drawers and I’m tired of pretending that’s a bad thing. I always roll my socks, though.

 

 

 

What's your favourite album?

Favourite Worst Nightmare by Arctic Monkeys and/or Born To Die by Lana del Rey 

I never graduated from the year 2012

 

 

 

What’s your most toxic workplace trait?

I feel physically amorphous a lot of the time and can't sit in a chair
Shoes are also optional, so sorry

What are your favourite sounds?

The street outside a bustling pub on a sunny weekend

Light rain on a non-leaky tent when you don’t have to leave

Secondhand live music

The FaceTime ringtone

 

 

If you could invent an official love language, what would it be?

Sharing music is as intimate as it gets
Premarital or otherwise
If you've ever received a playlist or song rec from me, you are probably loved

 

 

What's your favourite condiment?

Worcestershire sauce
I don't know what is in that stuff but it's exactly my palette
Good with eggs

 

 

 

 

What specific things made you happy as a child?

I loved surveys and handwritten notes
I'm exactly the same now and secretly love filling in government forms

Cats

Fancy cheese

I also loved receiving letters - if you wrote me a card between the years 2005 and 2026, I still have it
No one has ever accused me of being unsentimental

 

 

The sound of Em's world: