Senses working overtime #528

1 Winter solstice this week

Photo by Nico Drath on Unsplash

2 Watched: Star Wars: The Acolyte 

I loved this Star Wars offshoot on Disney +. It pulls together many seminal themes from Star Wars. Looking forward to Season 2.

3 Reading: Anne Tyler's breathing lessons

4 Watching: Alone - Season 10

We saw a promo for season 12 and then realised we hadn't yet seen season 10 or 11 (TV One on demand). The show gets great when it's a few weeks down and there are only 5 people left.

5 Listening: Pink Floyd - Piper at the Gates of Dawn

I've reached the Pink Floyd collection in my preparations for Goo Goo G'Joob posts. What a remarkable album Piper at the Gates of Dawn is. It still sounds like it was beamed down from a distant planet (which I guess Syd was orbiting at the time).

Only time for one track? Try their first song on their first album - Astronomy Domine.

Overtime: 

“The mind is everything in survival. If you don’t have the will to survive, no skill in the world will save you.”

A contestant on Alone.

Senses working overtime #527

1 Happy times in Denver revisited

2 Reading: Star Wars and Philosophy Strikes Back: This Is The Way - Eberl and Decker

3 Listening: Pelican albums

I have had loads of marking to do lately, and Pelican is a constant companion. I was listening to them for an upcoming post on Goo Goo G'Joob as well. Favourite album would be What We All Come To Need.

4 Watching: Dance Moms

My colleague Angel recommended this show and we've been binge watching Abby Lee, the dancers and their moms ever since. There are eight seasons!!! We have a long way to go, but Season One hooked us in.

5 Reading: The Hotel Avocado - Bob Mortimer

Overtime: Rest in peace Brian Wilson

I loved this message from Bruce Springsteen:

“Brian Wilson was the most musically inventive voice in all of pop, with an otherworldly ear for harmony. He was also the visionary leader of America’s greatest band, the Beach Boys. If there’d been no Beach Boys, there would have been no ‘Racing In The Street.’ Listen to ‘Summer’s Gone’ from the Beach Boys’ last album That’s Why God Made the Radio and weep. Farewell, Maestro. Nothing but love and a lovely lasting debt from all of us over here on E Street.”

Senses working overtime #526

1 Fun fun fun in Denver

'Our' table.

2 Listening: Pearl Jam live albums

I've listened to a load of their live albums this week for a future Goo Goo G'Joob post. They are remarkably consistent. If you want just one to try I'd recommend New York 2003 

If you just want one song (the double albums are expansive - over 30 songs) - this version of Go from Boston 2000 is incredible.

3 Reading: Human Voices - Penelope Fitzgerald

4 Watched: Sirens on Netflix

A dark comedy - weird and crazy. Had me hooked.

5 Reading: Mojo Magazine March 2025 (#376)

Overtime: 

Musician Nick Cave on cynicism and hopefulness:

"Cynicism is not a neutral position — and although it asks almost nothing of us, it is highly infectious and unbelievably destructive. In my view, it is the most common and easy of evils. I know this because much of my early life was spent holding the world and the people in it in contempt. It was a position both seductive and indulgent...

Unlike cynicism, hopefulness is hard-earned, makes demands upon us, and can often feel like the most indefensible and lonely place on Earth. Hopefulness is not a neutral position either. It is adversarial. It is the warrior emotion that can lay waste to cynicism. Each redemptive or loving act, as small as you like... keeps the devil down in the hole. It says the world and its inhabitants have value and are worth defending. It says the world is worth believing in. In time, we come to find that it is so."

(Courtesy James Clear)

Senses working overtime #525

1 The feeling this week

Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash

Jacky was unwell and even needed some brief hospitalisation, so this was a testing week. Everything took on a slightly surreal tinge.

2 Reading: Iron John - Robert Bly

Iron John is caged

I took Iron John with me to Palmerston North hospital and it was pretty fitting. Sitting in a sort of daze reading the Iron John fairytale and Robert Bly's reading of the story was somehow spot on for the circumstances.

3 Listening: Van Dyke Parks - Discover America

4 Watching: A Man On The Inside (Netflix)

I needed something gentle and undemanding to watch this week. Jacky didn't like it, but I found it soothing.

5 Listening: Pearl Jam - Vs

I also needed something loud and anthemic. I love this album!

Overtime: 

If you're not sure where you're going, you'll probably end up somewhere else.

Peter Laurence

Senses working overtime #524

1 Frosty feeling this week:

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

2 Reading: Iron John (A Book About Men) - Robert Bly

Re-reading this about 35 years after I read it for the first time. I found a copy while shopping with Chris and Asher in Denver. It was in a secondhand tool shop of all places.

In the meantime I lost my own father (2009) and have watched my children (including two sons) grow up and out into the world. 

All along the way I've continued to teach, currently I'm in an all boys' school again, so reading Iron John again is fascinating on whole other levels. More in Wozza's Place and Baggy Trousers in due course.

3 Listening: Ozric Tentacles - Strangeitude

4 Watching: Shutter Island

Watching this as part of my Year 13 class programme. What is sane? What is insane? What is real? What is not real? What is normal? What is abnormal? Who do you trust? Who don't you trust?

5 Reading: Penelope Fitzgerald - Human Voices

Overtime: Jeanette Winterson (author)

I have noticed that doing the sensible thing is only a good idea when the decision is quite small. For the life-changing things, you must risk it.

Senses working overtime #523

1 Autumn at Maple Grove

Seasons seem to be speeding up. Feels like, just the other day, I was doing a post on autumn.

Above picture was the view from my music room when I got home from school last night.

2 Reading: Earth To Moon - Moon Unit Zappa

3 Watching: Andor (Season 2)

I'll need to rewatch this season - I was a little lost in the early episodes but it has steadily got better and better. The attention to detail is superb (even if the AI generated sets look a little obvious at times).

4 Reading: Lost Pueblo - Zane Grey

5 Listening: Jean-Luc Ponty - Imaginary Voyage

Overtime: James Clear

"Worrying about the future is like watching a leaf fall and trying to predict where it will land. Stop trying to guess where the wind will blow and get to work."

Senses working overtime #522

1 The Kalicki-Purdy wedding (May 2, 2025)

These two wonderful people took centre stage and dominated the last few weeks. No official photos as yet, so this week's Jewels For The Thirsty includes some approved for publication un-official snaps.

2 Supporting Cast: Rachel and Jade; best man and beer boys

3 The G-K's almost stole the show: Poppy and Asher

4 Family:  

5 Rehearsals on Asher's birthday (May 1)

Overtime: Couples of yester-year were honoured

Senses working overtime #521

1 Experiencing: Denver

Highlights so far (or scheduled before the wedding) include a BBQ at Samantha and Andrew's place; babysitting Asher and Poppy; walk around the botanical garden; visiting the mind-blowing Bass Pro Outdoor store; a ball game at Coors Field (the NZ and New York presence inspired the Rockies to a win); Asher's birthday trip to the zoo; purchases at Wax Trax Records; Union Station and a variety of eateries and coffee outlets. The photos will come from the funnest wedding of all time - once I get home.

2 Bass Pro Shop

3 Squirrels

Park in Arapahoe Stret

4 Coffee

5 Culinary delights: IHOP

Overtime: Botanical gardens