Author: Mark

~ Mark

The problem with clichés is not that they contain false ideas, but rather that they are superficial articulations of very good ones. The sun is often on fire at sunset and the moon discreet, but if we keep saying this every time we encounter a sun or a moon, we will end up believing that this is the last rather than the first word to be said on the subject. Clichés are detrimental insofar as they inspire us to believe that they adequately describe a situation while merely grazing its surface. And if this matters, it is because the way we speak is ultimately linked to the way we feel, because how we describe the world must at some level reflect how we first experience it.

Alain de Botton. Wehr in the World: The problem with clichés.

Anthony Bourdain, unreserved – chicagotribune.com

~ Mark

An excellent interview in many respects. I like this bit:

How do you avoid cliche when you’ve already done so many shows?

We try to undermine whatever it was that worked last week. We deliberately set up difficult things to do. Using new lenses, constantly experimenting with new equipment to give it a more cinematic look — letterboxes, widescreen, gyros, cheap do-it-yourself kind of innovation. The editing styles. We think about movies that we loved that have been shot in this area that we might try to rip off. In the case in Rome, we’re going to do the whole thing in black and white, and in letterbox. Can we do really gorgeous food porn in black and white? It’s never been done.

Anthony Bourdain, unreserved – chicagotribune.com

~ Mark

Interview with Carol Kaye | WMLB 1690 | The Voice of The Arts.

Scott Glazer speaks with one of music’s most prolific bass players, Carol Kaye. Kaye has played on over 10,000 recordings in her career including her work with the Beach Boys, Frank Zappa and as Phil Spector’s go-to bass player. Scott and Carol talk about her history in recorded music, how it all started and how an accidental session with Sam Cooke changed her life forever.

Spinning class, the scarcity heuristic, and me

~ Mark

When I really feel like dogging it at spinning class, I engage in some self-talk that goes something like this: This is 45 minutes out of the entire day, and 45 minutes is all you get. In an hour you will be at your desk, where you’ll stay for most of your waking hours. You’ll be envious of the joggers outside in the middle of the day. It’s very unlikely that you’ll get more gym time once this 45-minute opportunity has ended, so treat it like gold.

Spinning class, the scarcity heuristic, and me

Sleeping (or Not) by the Wrong Clock – Opinionator Blog – NYTimes.com

~ Mark

An unbalanced circadian rhythm can be returned to equilibrium through the application of light to a sleeper’s retina near the end of a person’s “internal night.” Internal night? Yes — it may be night outside, but if your circadian clock is not prepared for sleep, internal night may not start until late and last well into morning. Biologically, it coincides with the secretion of melatonin by the brain’s pineal gland. It is difficult to know where your internal night lies if you artificially force sleep earlier, for example with sleeping pills. You can estimate internal night with a quick chronotype questionnaire that helps determine when light exposure will be most effective for syncing your circadian rhythm with external reality.

Seems like my natural bedtime is right around midnight. I do notice that I sleep better on days when I spend time outdoors, though maybe that’s tied up with better eating or moderate physical activity, too.

Sleeping (or Not) by the Wrong Clock – Opinionator Blog – NYTimes.com