The Week In
First and Foremost
Snow. We got snow today the likes of which I have never seen, waist-high on an adult. Possibly the most the city has seen since they started measuring this kind of thing.
Consumption
Music
I poked around for something I had never heard of but seemed to be part of the canon, and settled on Reach Out by Four Tops, learning immediately that I’ve heard the title track to the point that I basically know it by heart already. The rest was fun, crisp basslines, a version of I’m a Believer. Turns out it’s written by Neil Diamond. For new, Nick Cave released a live album recently for the Wild God tour, so I’ve been listening to that, and the new stuff rocks. Is this cheating? Is it properly new? Too bad, I make the rules. I also listened to Tool a little bit.
Books
Continuing The Mill on the Floss. George Eliot will write a deeply insightful paragraph or sentence on one page and then throw out a banger of a joke on the next one. Wall to wall hits. Like:
“Childhood has no forebodings; but then, it is soothed by no memories of outlived sorrow.”
but then
“Mr. Glegg, having retired from active business as a wool-stapler, for the purpose of enjoying himself through the rest of his life, had found this last occupation so much more severe than his business, that he had been driven into amateur hard labour as a dissipation, and habitually relaxed by doing the work of two ordinary gardeners”
Makes me want to both write immediately and also never write again because what’s the point.
Movies
Went to a 9:40pm showing, that’s how dedicated I am, of The Bone Temple and it ruled. The Jimmys are genuinely terrifying, Ralph Fiennes is all that is right with humanity.
TV
Still mainly Stranger Things. A lot of padding, but the Children of Men style set piece was cool. Some decent action, but they add about six people to the main cast every episode and we know what a wormhole is by now, got it, thanks.
Production
Running
Got outside a few times, did a 40 minute 10k on the treadmill, to overcome my not liking treadmills. Went out Saturday morning with East York Runners for a 10k in -20 degrees. My fingertips never really warmed up and when we got to the end my hand stung like a bastard as it realised blood could be directed there again. I need better gloves.
Writing
Have not written a goddamn word this week. Resting on my laurels too much. After tomorrow I’ll only have one in the bag, so back to the coal face. I have two decently formed ideas, and I need to remind myself that these things are only intended to be a few hundred words. The Interrogation and the other long one are warping my expectations a little.