Chris Brooks Newsletter 015
Oops, a wee bit late again! Gotta be careful about wrapping over into another month. Still the first half so I’ll count this for July.
1. 🚘 Where I’ve been traveling
Absolutely nowhere! Other than day trips in the region I’ve been steady at Keuka Lake. Julie did a short trip to Las Vegas to celebrate her mom’s 80th birthday. We are deep into visitor hosting season, with our first big group arriving this weekend.
2. 📖 What I’ve been reading
Books:
- I listened to The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison. This is fantasy, but of the low magic and low fighting sort, focusing primarily on diplomacy and court politics. Better than it sounds!
- I read and took copious notes while reading Getting Started in Sailboat Racing, Second Edition. I have so much to learn! The key message: sail more, race more.
- Another Derek Sivers book, How to Live. It was OK, not as good as Hell Yeah or No. Each chapter is a vignette about a way to focus your day-to-day life; some are even contradictory with others. I think that’s partly the point.
3. 🍿 What I’ve been watching
Besides watching golf majors (both US Opens), I watched the first three seasons plus a bit of the fourth of Succession. Mostly awful people, mostly amazing acting performances. I love the comic relief of Tom Wambsgans and Greg Hirsch.
4. 🎶 What I’ve been listening too
Last month I mentioned the two new albums out from Jason Isbell and Josh Ritter. Turns out Josh Ritter will be doing a solo acoustic concert just up the hill from us at Point of the Bluff. Check out the duet he and Aoife O’Donovan made singing the new song Strong Swimmer. And for more, check out my fav Ritter song; the one that I bring out in campfires with my guitar: “Kathleen”.
With friends we went to a Darius Rucker concert, but the highlight for me was the opening act Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors. Check out their new album Strangers No More.
5. 🎲 What I’ve been playing
I started playing games again! Friend Jim was in town and we played a wide range of heavy and light strategy games: Tapestry, Undaunted: Normandy, and Res Arcana.
We’ve been enjoying group lighter games, nothing more so than a return to Euchre with Jim and Jill. Also: So Clover!, Telestrations After Dark, Kingdomino, and Guesstures.
6. ⬆️ Getting Better
I wrote a longish post recently about my fear of trying hard. I’ve had a good six weeks since then, re-focusing my morning routine and including my golf coach in accountability for maintaining effective practice routine. Julie and I had a pickleball lesson together, and we’re allowing ourselves to be really bad at racing a sailboat and loving every minute of it.
Can you relate to my fear? Are there times when you downplay your efforts, or don’t even engage in something, for fear of not achieving a high standard?
-Chris