Over forty years on Earth and I’m still learning how to manage ebb and flow of a week. One day I went to bed grumpy and sad and tired. The next day I woke up feeling fine, normal, as if nothing had happened. Another day I woke up energized and silly and ready to take on the world, like I’d somehow caffeinated myself in my sleep. Where do these moods come from? The mystery of body chemistry.
Regardless of what follows, a sunny Sunday morning walk + yoga + waffles + nature documentary is a great way to start your week.
Art
A ceramic Tlapacoya kneeling figurine. A pocket chess set from Marcel Duchamp. A Mumuye monkey mask made of wood, raffia, and fiber.
Running
My winter running project: running every street in PLG/East Flatbush, and then every street in Park Slope. I’m running a 15k in Central Park in a couple weeks.
Articles & Episodes & Twoots
“Americans just really like thinking of themselves as “working class”, no matter how much money they earn or what degrees they have hanging on their wall.” This attitude seems like a blend of “aw shucks” humble popularism and a sort of stolen valor. Seems like bad karma.
How to have a superstar career outside a superstar city. Love this: “Great work is never the default path so don’t waste your time worrying about what you’re missing out on.”
“Being driven mad online is avoidable.” And some reminders about how to stay sane.
“We must build routines that are not just filled, but fulfilled.”
“An ode and exhortation to the 70% of New Yorkers in the broad middle of city politics. This moment is yours if you will claim it.” See also: You Don’t Have to Feel Bad About Politics.
Books
Native Nations, continued, and Termination Shock – soon to DNF? This one is taking forever to get anywhere…
Movies
A Laundry Day. A short film from Johanna Makabi. Like a poem that lands the punch in the final words.
The Batman (2022). Didn’t enjoy it as much as the first time, but it holds up pretty well. I still like the moodiness, and the steady drip drip of the detective story, but it felt a bit more flabby on this watch, and a little preachy? Cool to see how precise and sharp Zoë Kravitz’ acting can be.
Gosford Park. Absolutely loved it. Gossipy upstairs/downstairs intrigue and murder mystery, constantly mocking Americans, Hollywood, buffoon cops, catty elites. Kristin Scott Thomas is a natural at snobbery. Love how it takes huge cast and makes it feel natural. You assemble the collage as you go along.
Music
More Max Richter…
- In a Landscape. Lots of flowy, melancholy cello. It’s nice.
- The Leftovers: Season 1 OST. I need to get back to watching the show.
Devonté Hynes, Master Gardener OST. Love the closing song, “Space and Time“, which led me to…
Mereba:
- Room for Loving.
- the “Counterfeit” single
- The Jungle Is The Only Way Out. “Stay Tru” made me think of Chloe x Halle’s “Do It“.
Also in rotation:
- Mary J. Blige, Gratitude. “Need You More”, Jadakiss’ voice is so good. “I Got Plans” has a nice throw-back feel.
- Pure Desmond, Audrey. Clean west coast jazz.
- Adam Ben Ezra, “Can’t Stop Running“. Really nice upright bass + percussion number.
- Cubiclor, Hardly a Day, Hardly a Night. Trancy dancy EDM stuff – “Melodies” is great.
- An excellent playlist: Dance in the Ruins: Nov 2024 mix. I’ll be giving a few of these albums a proper listen later on.
TV
The X-Files, s3e19 “Hell Money“. Most depressing episode yet? Rare episode where there’s little in the way of supernatural events. It stays focused on beliefs, and the more generic human evil of preying on the vulnerable. I’d never heard of hell money before.
Cross, s1e1. I’ve only seen Morgan Freeman play Alex Cross. I like Aldis Hodge’s version so far. Curious how they’ll use D.C. to tell the story.
Night on Earth, s1e1. TIL there are mice that hunt scorpions.
Words of Wisdom
“Some metaphor: projects require soil to grow in, sunlight to grow toward. Your soil is not your sunlight. You need both, but they are not the same.”
Mark Larson 