#21 The nearest salad bar
Issue #21 The nearest salad bar
3rd August 2022
Hello, it's Chris Mead (no relation).
This week has marked the start of a life overhaul for me. I'm in the process of establishing a healthier eating routine, regular exercise and a less erratic sleep schedule.
These first weeks are always the hardest - all of the graft, none of the results.
I've promised my nephew that I'll keep it up until Christmas and am determined not to let him down.
So do please treat me kindly if you see me in town with my nose forlornly pressed up against a Crosstown Doughnuts window. I'd appreciate it if you gently led me to the nearest salad bar.
Okay, less food, more culture.
Rule of three
[Music] Joni Mitchell
Throwing my weight behind this plucky singer-songwriter. I think she'll go far.
In all seriousness, Joni Mitchell's first live performance in 20 years at the recent Newport Folk Festival moved me deeply. It's right there in the faces of her fellow performers - something special and fragile and heartbreaking is happening.
[Article] Comedians and water bottles
I found this article on the performative drinking of water really interesting. The real star though, is the New York Times' web design. It's a brilliant concept, beautifully realised.
[Game] Mario Kart
This week I had cause to revisit Mario Kart 8 on the Switch (that's me on my favourite orange sports bike). I was doing "research" for the Longform thoughts article below. Sidebar: my life is ridiculous. Anyway, it remains one of the best video games of all time, an absolute blast with friends and Nintendo are releasing another 48 tracks over the next couple of years.
Spotlight
Continuing my quest to establish an improv community in my sleepy town of Farnham, I have another beginners course starting next month. I don't have quite enough people to run it currently so if you're in the Surrey area, or know locals who could use some improv in their lives - please do have a look at the course.
Longform thoughts
"Thinking [in improv] is like using your brakes in Mario Kart. If you apply them before you start the race, you’re never going to get off the starting grid."
My series on The seven habits of highly effective improvisers continues with Play intentionally.
Radio days
Radio is photographed here with his roommate "Humpy".