Took a few hours last Sunday evening for a couple hours of reading – phone off, devices stashed away… and a break for cookies. An ideal evening. And a different version of that this morning: a bus ride across town, a trio of lattes, and a sunny stroll back home. New rituals to make the time go slower.
Books
Shards of Honor. Setting this one aside for the moment. Lots of things happening but not building up enough.
In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin by Erik Larson (no relation). So far, so good. I remember reading The Devil in the White City when it came out, and being annoyed with his constant teasers and hints to close out each chapter. Still has that tic here, but it’s not bothering me as much.
Articles & Episodes & Twoots
“When the whole [TikTok] feed is taken together, it’s almost digital vaudeville: a song, a short sketch, a physical feat, slapstick, animal acts and satire, one after another, in a personalized variety show on your phone.”
“The Delaware Aqueduct, 85 miles end to end, is the longest tunnel in the world“.
Movies
Scream (1996). Third or fourth time I’ve seen it? This time around I especially appreciated how scenes were blocked out, and the emphasis on how we feed on TV sensationalism.
I Saw the TV Glow. Moves in its own time, at its own pace.
Music
Elysian Spring, Glass Flowers. I like the gentle bossa nova opener “Blue Sands” into hard swing of “Richards Whistle“
Ibibio Sound Machine, Doko Mien. “Wanna Come Down” puts the hard funk in your face, and “I Will Run” is a more electro-dreamy morsel with a bit of gospel flavor.
Moses Yoofee Trio, OCEAN. I love a crispy, up-front sound in the drumkit. The title track is great with the bass noodling over a piano pedal tone at the opener, and I love the way “RICHMOND” builds and pivots halfway through.
Brandon Coleman, Resistance. Heavily vocodered pop/roller disco in the vein of Daft Punk, etc.. See “Live for Today“.
TV
The Terror, s1e6. The worst carnival ever, and sunrise has never been so deflating.
Mark Larson 