I don’t remember when I took Twitter off of my phone. A month ago, a month and change? It’s become more like a weekly treat on a Saturday or Sunday morning on the laptop. I feel like I’m missing out on a ton, but mostly don’t think about it. I feel less distracted, less twitchy, reading more, having fewer “where did the evening go?” moments. It’s a good change.
Art
Vessel in the Form of a Circular Pyramid from Colima, Mexico, c. 300 BCE–300 CE. Blue House (from Food Clothing Shelter portfolio), 1996, photogravure on paper by Laurie Simmons. Pueblo vase in sterling silver, 1893 by George Paulding Farnham. Brooklyn Summer Friday Night, 1954, oil on canvas by Diana Korzenik.
Books
Rainbows End, cont.. Favorite part so far is this idea of reviving people afflicted with Alzheimer’s, what they might experience as they return to full understanding of the world.
Running
A fun week of running – a Sunday long run visit to Marine Park and the salt marsh, another touring through Red Hook this morning. Running with new friends, a sunset run on Tuesday and an impromptu club run before work on Friday. It’s felt pleasantly erratic.
Articles & Episodes & Twoots
An appreciation of Revenge of the Sith. Do we make “downer epics” anymore?
Robert Daniels and Odie Henderson talk about Sinners.
Who’s most likely to change (or hyphenate) their name after marriage?
“The TikTokers documenting themselves wading into the sea, reading by the beach, drinking espresso, and riding Vespas for the sake of #eurocore are live-action role-playing Europeanness, in Europe. Which is, of course, what tourists have been doing for centuries.”
“People like to psych themselves up by talking about how there’s no point in winning elections if we’re not going to stand up for our core values, but the converse is equally if not more true — there’s no point in articulating a policy agenda that stands no chance of being enacted.”
Lamenting the kerning on Pope Francis’ tomb.
Music
Various, Sinners OST. Ginz Zilbalodis and Rihards Zalupe, Flow OST. Harald Grosskopf, Ümit Han, Magnetfeld. Darkside, Nothing.
Movies
Gone Girl. Fourth viewing (my notes on the previous three). It has such a mesmerizing pace. The media angle really struck me this time, the need to play to the cameras.
Ex Machina. Third viewing (the first two). Felt a little impatient this time, but I think I appreciate each of the individual performances more. Nuanced work.
Along with The Social Network last week, these made for a fun accidental trilogy on tech/media/misogyny.
TV
The X-Files, s4e15 “Kaddish“. Golem!
Reacher, s3e1–2. When I say this I mean it literally: I don’t know what’s going on.
Mark Larson 