This week I started my new job. I had such a nice routine from the last year or so, especially my mornings. Now each of those perfectly-crafted hours are oddly-shaped chunks that don’t fit where they used to. The novelty of a commute will wear off eventually but I like the chance to read more on the train, and to take mid-day breaks walking around new Manhattan blocks.
Family comes into town for our wedding soon, so the schedule is going to feel topsy-turvy for a little longer yet. (✿◠‿◠)
Art
A highlight of the week was seeing the Edges of Ailey exhibition at The Whitney, especially Romare Bearden’s ‘Bayou Fever’ collages.
Running
I didn’t run all my usual days, so I was extra-fresh for the 15 miles out to Shirley Chisholm State Park. A pleasant drizzly rain with a bunch of cute little soggy snails.
Books
The Peripheral, cont. Progress took a dip, but feels like things are picking up again.
Articles & Episodes & Twoots
“My attempts over the years to put on a show or a film as background noise always left me feeling demonically possessed by an enraged, guilty Catholic: only passively paying attention to what was happening on screen felt like a mortal sin. Somehow, Criterion24/7 unlocked something in me that finally, mercilessly, let me switch my brain off and get fed whatever was being served.”
“On the wall, there were monochrome photos of Petersen’s employees and their friends: well-dressed, tattooed, and helmetless, they rolled through groves of oak and eucalyptus, and pedalled along sun-dappled ridges. The photographs looked like an ad for California.”
Congress needs to invest in itself.
Movies
Inside Out 2. I enjoyed it about as much as when I watched the first one, but didn’t feel as adventurous. It’s a fun story with now-familiar mechanics. It did have more moments of cackling-with-recognition, and enjoyed a couple scenes with mixed animation styles. Nice trend lately – will we/do we already see this in live-action movies?
Music
Brooks & Dunn, Brand New Man. A trip down memory lane. Man, I was exhausted with the song when I was 9 years old, but… “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” kinda rips? “My Next Broken Heart” and “Neon Moon” has a great lean-back feel like “Islands in the Stream” mixed with Jimmy Buffett.
Nala Sinephro, Endlessness and Space 1.8 have cool blend of ambient, funk, chamber jazz, etc.. Thoughtful and spacious, best as a full-album ride.
Minoru Muraoka, Bamboo. Gave it a listen because Japanese flute + jazz combo feels like sure-fire success. A bit disappointed it was mostly covers. Might be some more good stuff out there.
TV
X-Files, s3e10 “731“. The Smoking Man is up to his old tricks! >:(
The Terror, s1e2–4. Really happy with this show. Claustrophobia in the great outdoors.
Kaos, s1e3. A rebound episode for me. The whole Minos scene is really nicely done.
Mark Larson 