Slowing down and being present
Slowness, Barbie, AI, jazz, MI6, Jim Carrey and more
Slowing Down and Being Present
✨ Highlights of last month
- We did a lot at APEX this month, playing 4 gigs in one month. It was a blast, even if it took a bit of a toll on me, so rest will be a priority for the next month 🙏
- I started a half-marathon program, and it's been going well. I am doing intervals for the first time which will impact my progress in a great way!
- I started again at a gym after a long break, it's good to be back. As I am doing hybrid training, I like being able to do running and lifting depending on the day.
- I saw a colleague from Chile last month, which was super nice! I even went to my first metal concert, which was an experience.
📚 What I liked consuming last month
Let's dive now into what I consumed last month and especially liked
Articles
That Cool New Bookstore? It's a Barnes & Noble. by Ben Cohen
Barnes & Noble is a huge bookstore chain in the US. Due to economic difficulties, they decided to completely change their strategy even if it goes against what people think they should do, and it's working well for them. It was super insightful to know more about their strategy from their CEO, and his passion for bookstores. A good read for bookstore lovers!
AI Tinder already exists: 'Real people will disappoint you, but not them' by Marita Alonso
AI relationships are a huge topic online as startups and creators are using AI to make virtual friends, girlfriends, and boyfriends. Many have seen the Spike Jonze movie Her or the Black Mirror episode on the woman bringing her boyfriend back from death. Yes, that's dystopian, but it might be closer than we think.
Between Replika AI app creating AI girlfriends or content creator Caryn Marjorie creating a paid digital version of herself to interact with her 2M Snapchat followers, it's evolving pretty fast!
I am worried about this. IMO, maybe in the short term it might help you if following that, you can start talking to humans if you are scared of social interactions before, but in the long term, it will bring even more loneliness, and create bad behaviors from people. And also people are making money on your struggles, which is sadly not new.
As Rosa Navarro, a sexologist at Diversual said:
"Ultimately, we live in a society where we are more connected to information but less connected to genuine interactions with others."
on slowness, taste, and living well by Isabel
I quite like Isabel's writing and this blogpost topic is especially interesting this month, slowness and being present. In a fast-paced world, with many means of communication, work, life, the people we interact with every day, hobbies, … it can be hard sometimes to slow down to just enjoy the present moment.
"It's like the common cautionary tale that when you feel like you "don't have enough time" for your meditation, or your workout, or whatever keeps you centered, skipping it only leaves the day more scattered. That extra ten minutes isn't the problem. The problem is that you think you don't have time to be present, to cultivate slowness."
How can we live better daily?
"The antidote to feeling behind is to slow down, stop rushing, take a deep breath (or a few), and remind yourself that the best thing you can do right now is be in this moment."
On Food Markets and Our Well-Being by Patricia Hurducas
Food markets are always a great place to visit in your own city or while you travel somewhere. Patricia Hurducas writes on the topic of food markets, what makes a great food market, and how it can impact positively your well-being.
Barbie, Tolstoy, and Irrepressible Thoughts of Death by Sherry Ning
Barbie and Tolstoy in the same title, I was surprised when I came across Sherry Ning's blog post last month. In this article, she goes deep on the topics of death anxiety and life priorities.
To be honest, I know almost nothing about Tolstoy, and this post helped me learn more about him, which made me want to read his books in the future so I highly recommend it.
Everyone knows they're going to die, yet not everyone acts like it. We know that time is passing, yet we remain obsessed with prestige and we look for everlasting happiness in all the wrong places.
If you had to leave with only one quote, it would be this one:
You don't need anyone's permission to start living; you can start tomorrow—or even right now.
Paying Attention by Morgan Housel
Information overload and digital distractions are topics I am reading a lot on. Morgan Housel, which you should absolutely read the book by the way, wrote on this topic, paying attention to what matters to you in what you consume.
"When reading an article, book, or report, ask, "Will I still care about this in a year?""
Rest - The case for sabbaticals by Rohit Krishnan
Sabbaticals can be in various forms depending on people and jobs. Rohit Krishnan debates how sabbaticals impacted famous inventors like Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton. He describes how certain companies are experimenting with some types of sabbaticals, and why we should have people taking sabbaticals.
Protocol Daddies by A Man's Work
Andrew Huberman with his Huberman Lab podcast, ranking #4 in Spotify's podcast rankings and #6 in Apple's rankings is probably the most famous neuroscientist right now, impacting what people especially young men are doing for their mental and physical health. But he is not alone. Bryan Johnson with his Blueprint Protocol or KneesOverToesGuy are another example of people impacting a generation of men, and the dark side that goes with it. If you know nothing about them, definitely read it.
We Need More Jazz Vinyl Cafés by Ted Gioia
Jazz cafes are places I never visited but became passionate about, first by reading Haruki Murakami, especially Norwegian Wood, and then by discovering Craig Mod writing on the topic of Jazz kissas, which are cafés that specialize in the playing and appreciation of recorded jazz music.
The author did some research on jazz cafes, and wrote about he would like to see a comeback of these "third places". I need to start looking for jazz cafes in Nantes and Rennes.
Should we worry about information overload in the digital age? by Gloria Mark
To continue on the feeling of being overwhelmed with information, I came across this article by Gloria Mark. Instead of just talking about nowadays, she goes back in time to write about what famous people in the past were thinking about information overload. Socrates, Seneca the Elder, Swiss scientist and physician Conrad Gessner, and more, had strong opinions on this topic. For example, one was scared of the printing press and another was already worried about misinformation!
Yoga by Ava
Again an article on the topic of presence. Ava Huang wrote about yoga is helping her become more present. How yoga is not about performance, but more about loving yourself and listening to your body.
"yoga is the integration of that feeling of presence in my everyday life."
I see some similarities with meditation so I would like to try again in the future yoga as I like meditation as a mindfulness activity. Has anyone of you practiced yoga regularly?
Other articles I liked
- A New Way of Using My Phone by Jay Vera Summer
- Buy wisely by Steph Ango
- You can't fake the core by Ava
- Principles for sharing on the Internet by Sari Azout
- Environmental Design by Brian Wiesner
Books
[In French] La Tyrannie du divertissement by Olivier Babeau
I bought this one back in Sherbrooke and have been reading it since. It's on the concept of how our society is overwhelmed with free time. The book advances that never before in the history of civilization has humanity had so much leisure time. However, a significant portion of this time is squandered, primarily consumed by screens and new technologies. Babeau emphasizes the importance of using our free time wisely to our place in society. It also studies the leisure of the Ancients, which is shown as the author loves to use Latin words everywhere.
Arsene Lupin book series
I have been reading a lot of Arsene Lupin's books this year (10+ books) and have been loving it! I read some as a kid and teen and I am this time in the process of reading every book Maurice Leblanc wrote and it's been great. If you discovered the "Gentleman Cambrioleur" with the Netflix show Lupin, I can recommend some books to start reading.
Ne pars pas sans moi (What She Knew) by Gilly MacMillan
"What She Knew" by Gilly MacMillan is a psychological thriller that focuses on the nightmare of a mother, Rachel Jenner, whose son suddenly goes missing during a walk in the park. As the investigation unfolds, public scrutiny intensifies, and Rachel finds herself judged by everyone, including herself. The novel explores perfectly the complexities of family, media influence, and the unpredictable nature of blame.
Videos
Jimmy Carrey Doesn't Exist by Dodford
This guy and his team just make so well-done videos I can't stop watching. This time it's about Jim Carrey and his career. The editing is just on another level, as Dodford uses real interviews and scenes from Jim Carrey's movies to tell his story.
I Paid $81 to Get Locked in a Korean Prison by Yes Theory
Yes Theory goes to South Korea to experience a different kind of jail, where people are going in voluntarily.
The Ocean Is Deeper Than You Think. We Need Better Maps. by Cleo Abram
We explore so much the entire space, but we are missing so much information about our oceans, and we need maps for that. In Big if True, Cleo Abrams goes deep on the topic of ocean maps, with a maps lover, Johhny Harris, which I recommended in the previous issue.
How to Edit Documentaries like Dodford
If you read the past issues of Full-Time Curious, you might have realized that I have become a fan of Dodford's work. That's why learning about the Behind the Scenes from Dodford himself was so interesting on the Editing Podcast. I highly recommend it if you are interested in filmmaking and documentaries.
Life as the Last Fire Lookout by Aidin Robbins
The beautiful video on the story of fire lookouts in the US, and how there is only one left in the entire country. Gorgeous views of the mountains for a great story.
Drowning in entertainment: the age of distraction by OliSUNvia
I shared in the first 2023 issue of Full-Time Curious that I read and liked Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business by Neil Postman. Hence, it was interesting to go further on this topic of entertainment with this video by OliSUNvia, a creator who I discovered the channel in October.
The Densest City on Earth by Neo
Kowloon City, a town I knew nothing about before and which I was blown away by. An enclave of China with its own rules, inside Hong Kong, where so many things happened before the city disappeared.
Finding the World's Loneliest Person by Yes Theory
Loneliness is a topic really important, especially as discussions on mental health are easier to do nowadays. But being alone and lonely are not the same, that's why the team at Yes Theory visited some of the loneliest persons on Earth to see how they live and feel.
How Britain Built its Top Secret MI6 HQ by The B1M
Building a top secret service building in the middle of a city center might not look like the brightest idea, but that's what the UK did for MI6, which you see in James Bond movies or simply if you visit London. The B1M video explains this and goes back in time to study the previous Secret Service buildings since the beginning of the 20th century.
How I turned my apartment into a free coffee shop by brandon
This guy turned his apartment into a free coffee shop for a day, and I just love the idea! The vibes are so cool and he explains what he did to make it happen. He did it again in other videos as well so check him out. Maybe one day
The Imitation Game
What a movie! An historical moment, showing how heroes are made and how they can quickly become forgotten and even killed. Benedict Cumberbatch is awesome! As someone working in tech as an engineer, this movie was even more interesting, especially since I did a presentation on Enigma back in high school.
We don't have forever. by Slyfer2812
A montage of movie scenes showcasing the importance of living your life. Well made!
Il se drogue pour vivre ses rêves | Doux Rêveur by Arthur Pereira
I don't remember when I subscribed to Arthur Pereira but I am always surprised in a good way by his work, this time a short movie about a man who can't stop taking drugs to relive a past love relationship.
Videos I also liked this month
Music
Ludovico Einaudi: Tiny Desk Concert
Since discovering him in Intouchables, I have just been liking his work so coming across a Tiny Desk concert of him was a gift for October.
Vitess (Live) @ HÖR
I have been loving what Vitess has been doing since I discovered him. Between his main and his aliases like Grand V and Vytamin, he has his own universe that's worth exploring so give it a listen!
Artist I recommend: Upper90
Upper90 has been one of my favorite discoveries this month. This producer and DJ originally from Australia is now based in Berlin and creates high-energy trance and house tracks, often using samples from other tracks. It's hard to choose only a track to recommend so I will choose two.
https://soundcloud.com/djupper90/love-is-in-the-air https://soundcloud.com/hotmealrecs/upper90-006
Other music I liked
After reading a few books by Haruki Murakami, I discovered an interest in jazz music and have been listening to it quite a lot in the past couple of months. Here are my favorite playlist, and a nice rainy jazz café ambiance video I found this month.
👀 What I'm up to this month
- November is going to be more focused on routines. I am currently on week 5 of a half-marathon training, to prepare for my next half-marathon in 2024 💪
- DJing speaking, I only have one gig this month, but a big one, playing for the second time at the Warehouse, in Nantes, inviting several talented DJs for this party. It's going to be a big night and I still can't fully realize that I have the chance to play in the 2nd best club in France 🫣
- I will use this month to slow down, be more present, and spend time with close ones 🙏
And that's it for this October issue of Full-Time Curious 😉 If you enjoyed reading this monthly issue, you can like this newsletter by clicking the ❤️ below, subscribe or respond to this email so we can chat.
Thanks for reading and see you next month!
Alexandre
Full-Time Curious