Weekly Update 1 - Free (Jan 11 2021)
From Aaron Swartz to Ursula le Guin, from lifelong learners to the apocalypse. Welcome to my first weekly update!
What I'm reading
"Less" by Andrew Sean Greer. Early stages, but I'm in the mood for something funny in my earphones, and this is it.
"Range" by David Epstein. If you've been called a "jack of all trades" and told to spend ten thousand hours mastering a skill - you need this book as an antidote.
"Earthsea: The First Four Books" by Ursula le Guin. Came back to the series to read "Tehanu" which I'd missed the first time around. It provided what the first three books lacked, and then some.
What I'm hearing
"Parasite: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" by Jung Jae Il. A neo-classical, orderly, stately and reserved album - with teeth and ghosts lurking.
"COWBOY BEBOP Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" by SEATBELTS. For fans of this legendary anime series, Seatbelts' appearance on Spotify last year made life much, much louder, crazier and jazzier.
"Axiom" by Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah. A live jazz album which goes deep, knows it's fun, and wants you to follow. I miss live music because of nights like these.
Elsewhere online...
"The joys of being an absolute beginner - for life" (The Guardian / Tom Vanderbilt). A brave exploration of why adults should learn more, and why they refuse to.
"A 25-Year-Old Bet Comes Due: Has Tech Destroyed Society?" (Wired / Steven Levy). A tech optimist and a neo-Luddite author each bet $1.000 on the end of the world. Who won? And does it matter? Reading this made me think of slow-motion apocalypses. Again. Maybe don't click this one.
Freebies, deals, and offers
Humble Bundle's "Home Sweet Home" collection is a DIY / gardening e-book treasure trove. If you're in lockdown and your garden centre's still open, this can be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. (Expires in 8 days, as of 11 Jan 2021)
Coursera Plus is discounted until Jan 20, 2021. The offer gives you unlimited access to courses, projects, and certificates. I've learned with Coursera twice so far - each time was a blast.
Quote of the week
This week's premium post: a sneak preview
I'll be writing about text-only and text-based solutions on Friday. What are they? How can they help you? Check out this short video for a sneak peek!