I get that the Savannah Bananas are popular and that they are selling out football stadiums in major cities, but let’s all remember that these are one-offs. If “banana ball” was what was on offer for 81 home games a season, I don’t think the numbers would be as good as the MLB. Entertainment as sports has its limits. 🍌⚾️
Currently reading: Sideways Stories From Wayside School by Louis Sachar 📚
I have been reading two of the short stories per night to my kids (between ages 4-9). They love the stories, and they are fun for me to read too, which is a bonus.
I am a fan of Chris Bangle’s views on running a creative studio - automotive design specifically, but the advice is pretty universal. 📐🎨🖌️
Say what you want about the “Bangle Butt” on the 7 Series during his tenure. The Gina concept is still unmatched since its introduction in 2008. 🚗
Listening to: Beethoven Blues by Jon Batiste. The kids love it as it is fun to listen to. I enjoy the tracks where the improvisation is integral to the original music vs the ones where improvisation feels pasted on. But even then, the more I listen to it, the more more I enjoy it. 🎶
Good to see a great Red Bull livery coming back to NASCAR. 🏎️
Two albums (new to me) that I enjoyed over Christmastide:
Listening To: Amassakoul by Tinariwen Good music to keep you feeling warm during a cold snap. 🎶🥶
Listening to: Various albums by Jorge Ben Jor
Taj Mahal is stuck in my head… 🎵
Listening to: Aman Iman by Tinariwen. I am a newcomer to “desert blues,” but so far I really like the sound. 🎵
Listening to: “Walking Backwards” by Clutchy Hopkins. Who is Clutchy Hopkins anyway? 🤔 🎵
Southwest dropping open seating isn’t just a change in policy, it’s a change in their brand. As Seth Godin says:
A brand is not a logo. A brand is a promise, a story and a shorthand. A brand tells us what to expect the next time we engage with you.
Being named Fred is not a brand. Fred is your name, not your promise. If you’re an unreliable, selfish hustler, that’s your brand.
Listening to: Tourist by St. Germain Good background music for work this week. And, to my old ears, it still holds up well 24 years after its release. 🎶
Allowing “Team orders” has never improved the racing or the show for the fans. It’s just a sideshow for points and money. 🏎️
Amongst all of the racing this past weekend, there was some great racing below the radar. First was the Xfinity race in Chicago with SVG battling with Kyle Larson and then, while, you can watch the end. Second was the there was an epic battle between Cam Waters and Chaz Mostert in Townsville. 🏎️
Listening to: Ki-Oku by DJ Krush and Toshinori Kondo I was able to find a used copy on eBay. Unfortunately, this album is not available anymore. For me, it is an album worth saving and supporting. 🎵
This episode reminded me of a quote for a recent post by Ted Gioia:
We don’t need to destroy the bad stuff, because there’s some kind of quasi-evolutionary process at work that will eliminate it anyway. But goodness is more fragile, and needs our support.
Listening to: Stan Getz: The Bossa Nova Albums I need to learn more about Stan Getz’s connection to bossa nova. There is something about his playing that sounds perfect in this context. 🎵
Listening to: Into the Wind by Bei Bei & Shawn Lee Shawn Lee’s collaborations are always worth a listen. This is a fun combination. 🎵
Listening to: 15 Years of West Coast Cool by Greyboy 🎵 Two top tracks are “Got to be a Love” with Quantic and Sharon Jones and “Genevieve” with Bart Davenport.
Currently reading: The Fifth Discipline by Peter M. Senge 📚 Skimming/Reading through this book as a primer on Systems Thinking.
Listening to: An Evening with The Sound Providers by The Sound Providers 🎵 This is one group I wish was still making music…
Gizmodification: Transforming a useful product, or service, into something less useful and less resilient through the continuous addition of unnecessary gizmos. 🤔 📐
My apologies to anyone who already came up with this word and/or created a better definition…
Has anyone attempted building a “zettelkasten” in Miro? I was about to start using Obsidian, but IT at my employer isn’t a big fan so I need another option. Since Miro is approved, has tagging and links, and can rearrange content via tags, I am starting to think it might be viable. In case of Miro going extinct, there is always the imperfect CSV export option, PDFs, and images. Let me know if you have any thoughts or advice… 🤔📓💻
Listening to: Arvo Pärt Choral Music by Polyphony & Stephen Layton 🎵
Top tracks are Solfeggio (sounds like softly reverberating bell tones) & Alleluia-Tropis.
I really like James Clear’s post on muddy puddles vs leaky ceilings. I spend too much time splashing around in the puddles when I should just go for a walk… 🤔
Some problems are like muddy puddles. The way to clear a muddy puddle is to leave it alone. The more you mess with it, the muddier it becomes.
Other problems are like a leaky ceiling. Ignore a small leak and it will always widen.
Listening to: Kofi by Donald Byrd 🎵