Sunset lips sip dusk,
skin drifts under salt water,
buffet groans,
another pudding round.
Week Away
I went away last week. 5 nights in Gran Canaria. We went to a huge hotel, ate loads of buffet food and sat by the pool. AND we watched a lot of sunsets from the bar…
As ever, it was wonderful to spend time with the GF, away from the day to day domestic and work routines.
I spent most of the time on the sun loungers trying to close out some books I’ve had on the go on my Kindle.
But also the bonus was to be away from the Internet. I came home and zeroed my RSS reader with zero guilt. I want to achieve full attention sovereignty this year – thats *the goal*.
Also, 5 trips to the hydrospa have resulted in me coming home with a really bad shoulder. Something released under my shoulder blade, neck, and upper back on my left side and it’s been sore since we got back on Thursday night.
I don’t really have all that much to report!
On The Blog
Nothing happened on the blog this week obviously, but I did make this GIF today!
Quarterly zine; my gift to you ✉️
Photo 365
The Ministry Of My Own Labour
One of the things I’ve realised coming back from holiday, when combined with certain projects that are still hanging over from last year is about ‘what do I want to do’. I have a really busy year ahead, and the things that I want to do are not aligned with the current media ecology or social sphere at all.
I have had a little of the fear about it. The way my creative is going to change, and how i’m going to change what i’m doing. But I realise that it’s now or never. The fact that social media is collapsing means I should just do whatever I want to do, there’s never been a better time.
Terminal Access
I really recommend this video essay: Sentimental Software & the Death of Music. Mat Dryhusrt posted it on Twitter and it gets into some really core issues. I gave the guy a follow on YT.
Dipping the Stacks
How My Trip to Quit Sugar Quickly Became a Journey Into Hell
The second I began scrutinizing the bakery cases with intent to buy, the day commenced reshaping itself. Here was the soft-edged time I was used to, with fresh good news around every bend.
We Don’t Need to Let Bad Things Happen With The Ease at Which They’re Currently Happening.
Because it happens in America, and we are still living in a world of American cultural centricity, we, the rest of the world, are forced to act like it matters.
Creativity guru Julia Cameron on writing for guidance – The Creative Independent
I said, “Dear God, please guide me. Give me faith and optimism. Give me everything I need to make me alert and make me lively. Give me grace and eloquence, give me humor, and let me like Hurley.”
Content Soup: everything is starting to look and sound the same
Bird, plane or Superman mattered to the puny humans being crushed by General Zod; YouTuber, streamer or podcaster doesn’t matter to most punters. If the soup is nourishing, they will drink/eat it (depending on your preference of soup-consumption verb). But the landscape is becoming flat. Not only are these shows tonally and structurally similar, they are conforming to an ever more homogenous aesthetic.
Hollywood Reboots and Nostalgia
The trend of reboots and revivals shows no sign of slowing down. In October 2023, the Frasier revival hit the screen, bringing back Kelsey Grammer’s iconic character for a new audience. Similarly, The Crow reboot, starring Bill Skarsgård, debuted in August 2024, aiming to reintroduce the dark, cult-classic character to younger generations. Even Little House on the Prairie is getting a fresh take, with Netflix reportedly working on a new series.
Reading
I’m still reading Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication by Oren Jay Sofer.
I finished 3 books whilst I was on holiday:
- The Road Ahead by Bill Gates
- Dangerous Games: What the Moral Panic over Role-Playing Games Says about Play, Religion, and Imagined Worlds by Joseph Laycock
- Fangirls: Scenes from Modern Music Culture by Hannah Ewens
All three of these books were/are fantastic (for different reasons)
Music
Cole Pulice – After the Rain
One of my favourite musicians Cole Pulice has a new single out. The debut from an upcoming album which i’m absolutely hype about. I challenge you to listen to this and not have it conjure the feeling of ‘After The Rain’
Remember Kids:
For me, trees have always been the most penetrating preachers. I revere them when they live in tribes and families, in forests and groves. And even more I revere them when they stand alone. They are like lonely persons. Not like hermits who have stolen away out of some weakness, but like great, solitary men
Herman Hesse, Bäume: Betrachtungen und Gedichte
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