Senses working overtime #520

1 Experiencing: The second week in California

Jade, Chris and Asher joined us for the second week and we have had lashings of ripper adventures at places like Universal Studios and Disneyland. We have certainly seen some sights - including Jesus and Spiderman teaming up to (I think) entertain tourists on Hollywood Boulevard.

2 Universal Studios and Disneyland

Farewell to Universal Studios

Y'all come back now ya hear!

Hello from the happiest place on Earth!

3 Browsing: Record shops

I've been cruising into record stores along the way. Amoeba Music (on Hollywood Boulevard) is the star turn but the ambience in this store in San Luis Obispo was superb.

4 Dining: Saddle Ranch Chop House on Sunset Boulevard

A great experience, even if we couldn't persuade Chris to ride the mechanical bull. We did indulge in toasted marshmallow and chocolate sandwiches though.

5 Dining: Mel's Drive-in diner in Santa Monica

Framed poster in Mel's.

If it's good enough for Lana Del Rey, it's good enough for me!

Overtime: Watching and listening: Whales and seals at Big Sur

I looooove the Big Sur coastline so much. This shot includes two whales frolicking around with some noisy seals providing the soundtrack on the shoreline. The slaps by the whales echoed all around us.

Senses working overtime #519

1 Experiencing: The first week in California

Fisherman's Wharf SF. Jacky loves fish, right?

I thought I'd provide 5 images, plus an overtime, from our first week in California. We went north then south (San Francisco > Santa Rosa > Mill Valley > Capitola).

2 Driverless taxi

Embarcadero, San Francisco

We had no idea what this was until we looked inside and there wasn't anyone sitting in the front seats! Freaky, but normal in places like San Francisco, I guess.

3 Nibblin' on sponge cake/Watchin' the sun bake/All of those tourists covered with oil

It's in Capitola

Jimmy Buffett was right. Margaritaville is anywhere you want it to be!

4 Viewing: American supermarkets

No Weetbix, but I did find a wide variety of
Snapples - Kiwi Strawberry is a fav!

I love looking around food markets and especially the cereal aisles.

5 Walking: Armstrong Woods

We always do a lot of walking on vacations. The redwood forests in California are beautiful. This one had obviously lived through some wildfires - the charring went a long way up the trunks.

Overtime:

Garcia by Grace.

Visiting the San Francisco branch of the Hard Rock Cafe (for food and pictures of the displays) is another labour of love.

Senses working overtime #518

1 Study break has arrived! 

Looking forward to some well deserved indulgences in California. Donuts - here I come!

2 Listening: California Road Trip playlist

Getting in the mood via this nicely curated playlist.

3 Gobsmacked viewing: Declan Rice

I could watch those free kicks over and over - things of beauty!

4 Listening: Return To Ommadawn - Mike Oldfield

5 Listening: WTWMC - Aussie Battlers

And, we're done!

Overtime: Danny Kaye

Life is a great big canvas and you should throw all the paint on it you can.

Senses working overtime #517

1 Second to last week of term feeling

Photo by Vlad Tchompalov on Unsplash

2 Reading: The Sea, The Sea - Iris Murdoch

3 Watching: Jack Irish (Netflix)

We're currently watching season 2 (of 3).

4 Reading: Courage is Calling - Ryan Holiday

5 Listening: WTWMC - Aussie Battlers

One week to go for this list.

Overtime: James Clear

"Although losing is never fun, there is a certain satisfaction that can be found on the other side of losing — but only when you give your all. To lose with half effort offers no pleasure in the moment and no peace in the long run. But if your ambitions were full and your attempt was genuine, after the sting of losing wears off you'll be left with something resembling contentment. The reward is not always in winning, but in striving."

Senses working overtime #516

1 Week 9 of Term 1

Photo by Pawel Czerwinski on Unsplash

Some of my students have caught on to the fact that I use weblogs a lot, so this first one is for them. I wonder if they get the subtext and my hope for them in week 10 and 11?

2 Watching: Adolescence

Colleagues at work recommended this UK crime drama to me and it turns out it's also wildly successful on Netflix. It's really good - we watched two episodes last night and, having worked and advised in quite a few UK schools, I can attest to its accuracy. Plus, I've been lied to plenty in my career. It's a real test to 'seek first to understand' in some situations.

3 Reading: Desire - Haruki Murikami

Some of his short stories in a short anthology - good value for $10 from Time Out in Mt Eden.

4 Reading: Lost In Translation - Suzanne Ferriss

This one came from Unity Books. I love the film, and Suzanne's film essay is terrific at exposing the complexities in its production and meaning.

5 Listening: Wozza's Autumnal moods

Overtime: 

Banker and archaeologist John Lubbock on the value of downtime:

"Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time."

(Courtesy James Clear)

Senses working overtime #515

1 Essential item of the week:

 

Yes, I had a head cold all week and two days off work. Bleugh.

2 Autumn

Is there any better signal for Autumn's approach than a head cold? 

Here's a post from 2015 celebrating Autumn to get you in the mood.

Me and Bazie, 2015

The post doesn't have the clip of Dylan and Cash doing Girl From The North Country but you can listen to it here as you read the post.

3 Reading: Penelope Fitzgerald - Offshore

4 Listening: Michael Nesmith - The Prison

Pretty much a perfect record. It's beautiful and certainly suited my mood this week.

5 Watching: 1883 and 1923

Especially loved 1883, both are prequels to Yellowstone.

This article on the Dutton family tree is excellent, too.

Overtime: 

Learn what is to be taken seriously and laugh at the rest.

Hermann Hesse

Senses working overtime #514

1 The feeling this week: Autumn is coming

Photo by Altınay Dinç on Unsplash

2 Compiling: WTWMC - Aussie Battlers

30 of 90 songs selected - check how we're doing.

3 Listening: Desert Island Discs - Ian Wright

Arsenal legend! I'm a big fan of the BBC's Desert Island Disc series. Wrighty's choices are interesting and he tells great stories.

4 Blogging: Goo Goo G'Joob

Stats for the last six months of my music blog have been insane with 34, 600 views in that time. I'm not sure why - I still do what I've always done - my own idiosyncratic views on the music in my collection. Weird.

5 Reading: Fifty box office bombs worth watching

Overtime: 

Malcolm McLaren’s headstone reads, “Better a spectacular failure, than a benign success.”