Senses working over time #588

1 A rainy week in Takapau

Photo by ERIC ZHU on Unsplash

2 Watching: Zappa - d. Alex Winter (2020)

I bought this BlueRay DVD a while ago from JB Hi Fi and watched it while Jacky was away in New Plymouth this week - she would have hated it, so I've been waiting for my opportunity. It was okay, but how do you cover all the various Zappas in a two-hour documentary? Impossible, but this is fine as a taster to the weird and wacky Zappa universe.

3 Reading: The Virginian - Owen Wister

After the superb Three Days in June by Anne Tyler (she is a brilliant writer - I love her books), it's change-up time - with a western and a collection of essay (below).

4 Listening: Bongo Fury - Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart.

The 50th anniversary edition came as a 5 CD set. I love the original album and the set on Spotify (3 discs) has two complete concerts - the third comes with an unscheduled intermission for a bomb threat.

Some of it is great and some is terrible. The great though, like Pound For A Brown in 2 parts, is really great.

5 Reading: The Practice of the Wild - Gary Snyder

A collection of his essays originally printed in 1990.

Overtime: Harriet Beecher Stowe

Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.

Senses working overtime #587

1 First week in August - chilly morning arrivals at school!

The Iona College chapel at 7.00am this week

2 Reading: Three Days in June - Anne Tyler

3 Listening: Wozza - Wonders (on our Friday night road trip to NP)

4 Watching: Alone Season 13

It's a bit painful waiting a week for each new episode but the show is engrossing, so it's worth the pain.

5 Reading: Joan Didion

I loved this passage about Joan Baez from Slouching Towards Bethlehem.

Overtime: Anne Tyler  

Someday I'd like to be given credit for all the times I have not said something that I could have said.

Lead character Gail in Three Days in June.

Senses working overtime #586

1 R.I.P. Glen Hansard

Sadly, and suddenly, a great talent is gone. I liked reading this piece about him as well as rewatching Once and listening to his work again this week. That was comforting.

2 Watching: Once

Promo for the film is here.

3 Listening: The Swell Season, The Frames and solo albums

4 Reading: Mojo Magazine 390 

5 Listening: U2 - War

Always my go to at fraught times. And the Irish connection seems especially relevant at the moment.

Overtime: Taylor Swift

It's possible to climb to the top without stomping on other people.