I’m Kenya Williams, and if you’re here, you probably care about sound in some way. Maybe you’re curious about soundscapes. Maybe you’re an urban planner trying to figure out how acoustic environments fit into your work. Maybe you just really love listening to stuff and want to nerd out about it with someone who gets it.

There’s this coffee shop I used to love. Emphasis on used to.

It was chaotic and loud and kind of grimy in that perfect Portland way. People actually talked to each other. Local musicians would set up in the corner unannounced. The espresso machine was ancient and screamed like a banshee.

So I have this embarrassing habit where I pay $4.99 a month for a rain sounds app.

Let me repeat that: I literally pay money every month to listen to fake rain on my phone while actual free rain is happening outside my window approximately 200 days a year because I live in Portland.