Writer, runner, creative director
The reality is, almost no one uses their pinky toes as nature designed. We cramp them into narrow footwear and they shrivel into disuse. Yet, properly articulated toes are helpful for balance and strength building. Try and independently wiggle your pinky toe. It may not respond. That’s OK, you
Chris van Allsburg and elliptical writing. Rarely done with children’s literature anymore, contemporary authors feel the need to overexplain everything. Not so with The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. It’s the If On A Winter’s Night A Traveler of children’s books. This picture of a child skimming
Nicely designed stamps for the Isle of Man. Manx Folk Traditions, by Jay Cover, of Nous Vous. As a native from Isle of Man, the artist brings attention to the local phrase — Traa dy Liooar. Literally: time enough. Conceptually: a lifestyle credo, unique to Isle of Man, that promotes patience
Yes, I’d like to redesign the walkway under the bridge. This is about as low as it gets on the status pole for designers. Viaducts are the forgotten design of Chicago infrastructure. And yet, it’s a crucial hub for mobility. For many, especially those coming from the airport,
Ted Lucas melodies, Joe Boyd explorations, John Cale, more Indonesian soul, Bahamian gospel, South African Swing. This month, I went deep on song selections by Thee Marloes and studied some of Joe Boyd’s productions. I especially like Bye Bye Baby, with vocals by Janis Joplin, and the John Cale
Weird blues, weird reggae, Welsh driving music, Chinese indie rock, Zimbabwe dry guitar, more variations on Old Paint, Guinean guitar, Samoan choir music, Indonesian retro soul music, Canadian reggae. I particularly like track #2 on the playlist — Choir of Western Samoa Teachers' Training College. Also: the cascading melodies of
The tapestry of musicians working with Britain’s most introverted folk musician, Nick Drake. But was he really that introverted? He’s conventionally described as a loner, but that misses some of the more interesting elements of his records. Producer Joe Boyd recruited an ensemble cast of musicians for the
Indonesian rhythms. Breezing through the sunny port city of Surabaya in a vintage Mercedes W123. Apparently, that’s the best way to listen to Thee Marloes. Based in Indonesia, this group is doing something fresh with vintage soul sounds. Songs sung in both a Javanese dialect and English. Highly recommended.
“Then came the crucial moment in the conversation… Me and my men suffer from a disease of the heart that can only be cured by gold.” These are the words allegedly uttered by Hernán Cortés, expressed to a foot soldier of Montezuma, before they met one another in person. Whether
The ancient peaks stand sentry over the valleys. The ridge lines become more faint in the distance, each layer lighter until the distant Alpine profiles appear like mist. Most peaks are capped with snow until June. As the eye travels from peak to snow-packed embankments to scattered forests, rivulets
Suggestion for a grownup small talk game that quickly transcends small talk. If I’m hanging out with new people, I like playing a game that involves social media and identity. This game works especially well if you don’t know the people very well. The concept — pick a friend
The New AI Money Should be Spent on Beauty, NYT opinion piece by Ross Douthat. Yes, yes I think it should. The title is suggestive and broad, but Mr. Douthat becomes increasingly specific in the body of the article. Soon enough, the major artificial intelligence companies will take their soaring