I’m out of kilter. For the first time I feel a little bit lost, distracted and anxious. The current situation we’re all in feels so strange. As if all our hopes and dreams have been put on hold. I have no idea when this will end. And what a weird thing to be uncomfortably unproductive! I can’t sit still and feel guilty that I’m not doing anything useful or creative.
What I’m reading: I’m currently reading How to Be Right… in a World Gone Wrong by James O’Brien. I picked this book up the last time I was in London and I couldn’t put it down.“The challenge is to distinguish sharply between the people who told lies and the people whose only offence was to believe them.”— James O’Brien
What I’m learning/practicing: Piano lessons on Udemy.
What I’m listening to: 7am podcast
What I’m watching: Star Trek: Picard, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist and re-watching the Alien series - I’m up to Prometheus. I skipped Alien 3. Too dark. I should have skipped Alien 4. That giant baby alien scared the hell out of me.
A quote I’m pondering on: “There is no innovation and creativity without failure.” — Bréne Brown
I haven’t posted anything on this page in a while. There’s so much to write about and I don’t know where to start so I’ll begin with some photos.
I started a project last year with the aim of capturing a photo story of my neighbours. I’ve only managed to do one so far as it’s a slow process. I visited Kevin more than once over a 3 month period.
This is Kevin. He loves the Essendon Football Club, has a couple of Budgies and lives on his own with his dog, Billie.
What I’m reading: Gosh I’m so behind! I can’t even remember where I’m up to with my reading so I’m not going to “backdate” the content of this post. I’ll just write down what’s happening now. I’m currently reading “Dare to Lead” by Brené Brown. I have a really meaningful connection with her work but it’s also the most difficult to put into practice and embrace wholeheartedly. It’s a slow process. It’s like learning a new language.
Here’s a quote from her book: “One of the most important findings of my career is that courage can be taught, developed and measured… All it requires is a commitment to doing bold work, having tough conversations and showing up with our whole hearts. Easy? No. Choosing courage over comfort is not easy. Worth it? Always. We want to be brave with our lives and work. It’s why we’re here.”
A movie I’ve seen: The Favourite - I can’t remember whether I’ve written about this already but I wanted to mention it because it was such a memorable film. The three leads, Rachel Weisz, Emma Stone and Olivia Colman who I believe won the best actress Oscar, were all superb. It’s compelling, unnerving and at times difficult to watch. I love the minimal use of ultra wide angle shots.
What I’m listening to: Adam Savage on Great Tools, Great Projects and Great Lessons - Tim Ferriss podcast
What I’m watching: Star Trek Discovery Season 2 on Netflix - I love this show. It’s not well liked by Star Trek fans but I’ve never been a fan. That’s probably why it works for me. I’m a fan of sci-fi. I think it’s always exciting and enjoyable to watch. And I’m invested in all the characters. I’ll be sad when it ends.
A quote I’m pondering on: “If you want happiness for an hour — take a nap. If you want happiness for a day — go fishing. If you want happiness for a year — inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a life time — help someone else.” — Chinese proverb
What I’m reading: Time magazine
A movie I’ve seen: Us - This film is bloody terrifying and thought-provoking at the same time. Funny that. Lupita Nyong’o is perfection! The movie does require a bit of a debrief afterwards as we tried to work out the entire plot after being scared for 2 hours. I’m not a huge fan of the horror genre but if the film is well put together and not rubbish I will go so see it. With my eyes half-closed.
What I’m listening to: Fujicast podcast #7 - The interview with Jason Florio about 9/11 is eerie and worth a listen.
What I’m watching: Miracle Workers on Netflix - I’ve seen a few episodes and may have even finished the season, I can’t remember! It’s ok. The show is entertaining enough and tackles some interesting issues with some depth and sensibility. Steve Buscemi who plays God is highly annoying though. I’m not a fan. And Daniel Radcliffe is equally annoying and seems to play himself or at least a neurotic version of Harry Potter. His accent/voice is too recognisable for me.
A quote I’m pondering on: “A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.” — George Bernhard Shaw
What I’m reading: Lens Culture’s Portraiture Guide
A movie I’ve seen: Vice - This movie (or more appropriately, the director) is quite inventive in the way it/he tells a powerful story. The performances are amazing. Christian Bale and Amy Adams adds so much depth and nuance it probably be so entertaining if less capable actors were cast. This is an important movie to see.
What I’m watching: Bodyguard on Netflix - I’m not sure why I haven’t paid attention to this show before but I am totally hooked. This is a tightly-written show with plenty of depth. The acting is superb. It’s a gripping emotional thriller.
What I’m listening to: Fujicast podcast #6
A quote I’m pondering on: “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” — Albert Einstein
