Giving credit where it's due
Hey,
I’m writing this from my mom’s kitchen in Oakville where the house is kept at 27º🥵. I’ve spent the last few days here after two nights in Toronto. It has been nice to spend some time with family, though I’m definitely worn out now. I’m looking forward to getting onto a plane tonight and head back to Calgary for the next few weeks. How have you been?
I’ll start with a correction from last week.
When I said I was toying with the idea of hiring an interior designer, that was Liz’s idea. I told her I would credit her, so that’s done now. I am terrible at remembering to give credit, so I’ll admit up front none of my ideas are my own.
Discovering Murakami
In the spirit of giving credit, I wanted to talk about where I discovered Haruki Murakami: Tavi Gevinson.
Back around 2009, my interest in fashion was growing—laughable if you saw what I wear these days. From Tumblr and Blogspot to Hypebeast and HighSnobiety, I would read fashion blogs while mocking MFA with my roommate. Thankfully, there are no photos that I can find of me from this period.
Anyway, one of the blogs I really liked was Style Rookie by Tavi. She was pretty popular at the time and only 13 years old.
I was inspired by what she was able to accomplish with her blog and her commitment to writing—something I’ve failed for about thirteen years. I remember in the summer of 2009 telling my brother, who was also 13, about her and how much she was capable of doing in hopes to inspire him.
Narrator: It did not.
In one of her posts she mentioned Norwegian Wood as a book she was reading and enjoying, and I remember looking it up and borrowing it from the university library. I was immediately hooked. It’s a book about troubled young love. I’m not sure if it was just the point in my life I was at, but Murakami’s topics: solitude, loneliness, the surreal, relationships, really resonated with me. I’ve read before, somewhere (fitting) that Murakami writes the “lonely young man’s fantasy”. I was but a simple young man. Since then I’ve read almost all of his books at least once and several books about him.
In the book I shared with you last time, Who We’re Reading When We’re Reading Murakami, there is a quote from an interview where Murakami shares that he didn’t want Norwegian Wood to be his first translated book as he felt it didn’t represent the topics he writes about and might not hook readers as others might.
Despite that, Norwegian Wood is my favourite Murakami book. You should give it a read and let me know what you think.
What I’m Reading
Leading with credit: I copied this section from Kinsey Grant, who runs a great newsletter and podcast called Thinking is Cool.
I am currently interested in learning more about decentralization and cryptocurrency. Not so much for financial gain, but curious about how the technology may transform the world and how to build for it. I picked up a book about Ethereum while in Toronto and have been getting through that. I’m about halfway done and been enjoying it.
🤓 This is the last time issue you will see me with glasses! I am getting laser eye surgery on Thursday. This might also be the last time I see.
Have a great week.
Steven
PS: In writing this, I learned Tavi is on the new Gossip Girl Reboot (!!!). All the more reason to watch.