Senses working overtime #416

1 The magic of Tower Records

2 Best movies of the 21st century so far

3 Clutter advice

4 Office annoyances

Photo by Redd F on Unsplash

5  Naughty Nuns, Flatulent Monks, and Other Surprises of Sacred Medieval Manuscripts

Overtime: Inside the impossible world of football referees

Senses working overtime #415

1 Wildflowers in California

2 Walking in the woods

Author and naturalist Henry David Thoreau on the value of walking in the woods:

"I come out to these solitudes, where the problem of existence is simplified. I get away a mile or two from the town into the stillness and solitude of nature, with rocks, trees, weeds, snow about me. I enter some glade in the woods, perchance, where a few weeds and dry leaves alone lift themselves above the surface of the snow, and it is as if I had come to an open window. I see out and around myself.

3 The end of the music business

4 Dominion vs Fox News

This was a fascinating story this week.

5 Taylor Swift!

Not only does she do 44-song sets, but Taylor Swift also does her due diligence.

According to a lawyer handling a lawsuit against celebrities who promoted FTX, Swift was the only superstar approached who asked FTX, “Can you tell me that these are not unregistered securities?” Swift apparently didn’t get the answer she was looking for, because she turned down the $100 million endorsement deal she was offered and avoided the legal mess others like Larry David, Shaq, and Tom Brady now find themselves in.

Karma really is her boyfriend.

Overtime: RIP Ahmad Jamal 92

Senses working overtime #414

1 Jacky Purdy

This week we are celebrating her latest birthday so here are some of my favourite JFP images from recent times

2 Tips on taking pictures with your phone

3 Elliot Smith's teenage band

4 Listening: Bill Evan's Sunday at The Village Vanguard

5 Reading: Ginger Baker's Hellraiser

Along with continuing to read Martin Chuzzlewit, I am cruising through Ginger's autobiography. I could do without all of the drug paraphenalia but when he talks about the music he's onto a winner.

Overtime: 

“To gain your own voice,
forget about having it heard.
Become a saint of
your own province
and your own consciousness.”

– Allen Ginsberg

Senses working overtime #413

1 Listening: Susan Cowsill

Loving both of her solo albums and Nanny's Song in particular.

2 Reading: Martin Chuzzlewit

3 Listening: Prince - Sign O' The Times

4 Watching: The Recruit (on Netflix)

5 Reading: Excellent article on Dark Side Of The Moon.

Overtime: 

A quote I’m pondering: “I don’t know what’s worse: to not know what you are and be happy, or to become what you’ve always wanted to be, and feel alone.” ― Daniel Keyes

Senses working overtime #412

1 Reading: Nick Hornby - Dickens and Prince

2 Listening: Reb Fountain - Iris

3 Viewing: Formula One - Drive to Survive (2022 season)

4 Reading: Mojo Nov 2022

5 Listening to my latest purchase: John Mayall Bouquet of Blues

Overtime: Ambition and entitlement - James Clear

"Ambition is when you expect yourself to close the gap between what you have and what you want.

Entitlement is when you expect others to close the gap between what you have and what you want."

Senses working overtime #411

1 Empire Of Light

Jacky and I enjoyed seeing this in Waipukarau's Civic Theatre during the week. Review to appear on Wozza's Place (spoiler alert - an 8/10 effort for me).

2 Mel Parsons

Listened to her Slow Burn album a bunch this week.

3 The Night Agent

We finished Alone during the week and started on this Netflix show. I'd agree with IMBD's 7.4 rating - it's pretty good - enough for us to keep watching it.

4 Birnam Wood

Eleanor Catton

Yes - picked up the pace a bit this week having finished my PD course. 

5 The Front Lawn and Silver Mt. Zion

This week's entries on Destination Records. Chalk and cheese.

Overtime: 50 horrible albums according to Rolling Stone.

Senses working overtime #410

1 Alone Season 9

We've started Season 9 of this gritty visceral show this week.

2 Birnam Wood update

I haven't had too much time to get into the book this week - loads happening - like Graduation Day, but you can read my first impressions here.

3 Lindsey Buckingham

I've had this one on repeat all week.

4 Friedrich Nietzsche on how art can help you grow as a person

5 The Wisdom of Søren Kierkegaard: Life Lessons And Principles From His Greatest Work

Overtime: A question worth asking:

‘Is this dead time or alive time?’ I like to carry this stoic question with me through my day. It breaks me out of the unhealthy mindset of choosing between busyness and boredom, and helps me think about whether I’m actually spending my time well. 

Thomas Oppong