September 2023: The False Fall Newsletter
Greetings, programs!
Welcome to my new newsletter home, Buttondown. Not that Substack deserves it, but you can read my last edition there to understand why I moved to here.
So, let's begin anew!
What's On My Mind
It's been a brutal Texas summer. I moved to Texas in 1981, just barely missing the summer of 1980 and its legendary string of 100 degree days. I lived thru the pain of 2011, which nearly rivaled 1980 in its relentless temperatures. But it turns out that this summer beats out 2011 in terms of pure heat — and it's not yet over!
It's on my mind because the heat has trapped me inside, during a time when I really need to get outside more. I've lost my conditioning & fitness, put on weight, and both have negatively affected my energy.
Next week's forecast shows that not only will temperatures dip below 90ºF, but that we're also due a good solid day of rain! Texas summers were always going to be hot, so I don't pretend to fool myself. However, now that I've been once bitten, I won't go into future summers without being better-prepared physically. Let's all get outside as much as possible next week and beyond.
Some Interesting Links
I recently read an essay by Mandy Brown which resonated with me. She posits that "energy makes time", in the sense that the non-essential activities we make room for have an energizing effect that boosts all of our must-dos. I'm often deprioritizing hobbies in favor of work, but perhaps I need to flip the equation from time-to-time.
Joe the Plumber passed away. A couple thoughts: 1) He wasn't even 50 and died from cancer — in other words, fuck cancer; and 2) holy shit, his main character moment was 15 years ago!
Charles Martinet, the voice of Mario, is a-stepping down after a-quarter of a a-century! He's transitioning into a new role as Mario Ambassador.
Sherlock's in Addison is closing down after two decades of hosting many a late-night escapade. Sooooo many games of 42 & pitchers with my Aggie friends...!
Recommended Reading
I maintain a record of everything I watch & read, to encourage me to do more of both. You can follow along with my current progress on my Media Diet website. I'll occasionally recommend a specific title here.
The last time I published my media diet was 2021. As you can imagine, I've read a bunch since then!
Ahead of the summer of Barbenheimer, I was able to knock out the audiobook version of American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer. A colossal work that took nearly three decades to write, it was a spellbinding journey thru the life of a man and a nation, as both evolved into a world at cold war. If you have 27 spare hours, I highly-recommend reading this before you walk into Oppenheimer, as it will help you keep up with the movie's break-neck pace.
That's all for this edition. I hope you enjoyed, and be sure to let me know if you've stumbled upon anything interesting on the web.
MMc...