In this essay, Brian Buchanan moves between video games, public transit, and life on Staten Island’s South Shore to explore how movement shapes memory, identity, and belonging. From digital “fast travel” to the lived rituals of the Staten Island Railway, it blends cultural commentary, local history, and personal reflection to consider what we gain, what we lose, and who we become when the journey gets easier, but the distance still matters.

In this essay, Brian Buchanan examines Staten Island’s interconnected arts scene through the lens of his own uneasy relationship with participation. What begins as guilt over leaving shows early becomes an exploration of community, connection, and how local art and culture can teach us that showing up for others just might be the most radical art form of all.

In this personal essay, Brian Buchanan reflects on creativity, community, and the strange ache of FOMO. Set against the backdrop of a collaborative music project, the piece explores what it means to witness something beautiful from a distance—and how that tension can fuel both envy and inspiration.