I connect by turning off notifications for messages on my phone. Like all of them. I know that sounds like turning on DND or focus, but I just turn them off 75% of the time. I’ve started telling people they should call me if they really need a response asap. This has cut down lots of interruptions as I work (day job and writing).
Also, we cut the cord on cable TV years ago. We have Netflix and Amazon Prime, but we go through periods of binging one show then not turning on the TV for weeks (or even months!).
I also removed all social media apps and games from my phone. I have gained so much time and sanity from not scrolling endlessly--through social, or thorough TV channels.
Putting Heat 2 on my to-read list and definitely going to rewatch Heat prior to settling into it. That was a great flick that I watched multiple times in my college days. I’m interested to see what the 47-year-old version of me will think.
These are good tips, thanks! I removed a bunch of social media from my phone, but I'm trying to remove my phone from my hand. That's been tricky. I'm with you on cable, cut that years ago. But I've found that sometimes I just search endlessly on streaming and never watch anything. That's where the record player and magazines come in. I find myself spending more nights just reading and listening to music, and it's lovely.
We held out on buying a record player because I thought it would be novelty, but so many people have been building a case for it. That might be our next purchase. There's just something about listening to an entire album in the order it was released. Now to agonize over what model...
We felt the same way. Listening to albums has been a real treat because it reminds me that there was a time when artists actually made an entire experience for you to listen to. Plus, turning the record over is a good excuse to get up and stretch. I swear this isn't an ad for Big Record :)
Oh man an afternoon of reading magazines and listening to records sounds like heaven! Back when I was living in Buffalo we’d get magazines from the LIBRARY every Saturday and read them on the couch w a large pepperoni pizza (that cost $6) snd listen to records we found at that day the the Goodwill. Hard to imagine anything more delightful.
Disconnecting: I turn off phone every night at 8 pm and it stays off until 8 am. This accords with the “great silence” hours employed at many monasteries. Not that I’m a Christian.
Have also been doing screen-free Saturdays for a month now and it’s great!!!
Free magazines, cheap pizza, and thrift store records -- is this heaven, or Buffalo? Man oh man, does that sound like a great afternoon. So great in fact that I might have to reenact it (adjusted for inflation and plant-based).
As for the screen-free Saturday, that sounds wonderful and brave. Hoping to get there someday.
Calculating the price now in NYC. I don't think I can borrow magazines from the library, so I'd have to buy a couple at $8/pop. Large pepperoni pie $17. No vinyl at the Goodwill no more so I'd have to buy an LP at the hipster store. Total: $45. Ugh.
I used to love taking out magazines from my neighborhood library which was only a block away from our suburban home near Buffalo. After scouring for pizza through my lifetime like a vision quest, I still love pizza from back home. The way the pepperoni curls up. While I have found them in the niche near my home now, you could ALWAYS get anchovies to scratch the itch. Vinyl from Goodwill is brilliant! BRING BACK THE ANCHOVIES. The ultimate hipster store in my neck of the woods has the greatest name ever for a record store. The Electric Fetus. Enjoy a laugh. https://electricfetus.com/ and read the About Us...too good to miss!
We can still take out magazines from our library system. The only limitation is the MOST RECENT edition is held for library use only for about a month. It is fun to see kids huddled in that area of the library. I wonder if they are going home to eat pizza? Your comment about $17 for a pepperoni pizza probably means, alas, that COVID killed the $1 slice I always associated with NYC :(
Mark and Anne, both you checked out the magazines from the library, and now that I think about it, I'm not sure I was ever able to do that. I'm pretty sure that LA Public Library made you read them there even when I was a kid. Or, maybe I just never tried to check out a magazine because I read them there. Either way, I want my magazines to go, a large pie with veggies, and some good records!
When I want to step out of the Matrix, I commit to some freerunning practice. Otterbox or not, you can’t carry anything you want to survive. Even if a phone makes it, it’ll leave an apple-shaped imprint on your thigh for a week. Less than attractive, unless you meet someone with a branding fetish.
Books: Percival Everett's The Trees manages to be both a revenge novel about a century of lynching and a hilarious look at Southern lifestyles/police work. Everett has a great ear for pulp-fiction-style dialog. Shortlisted for the Booker Prize, so you know Brits aren't snobs.
Based on your one-album collection, it's hard know which direction to go for a recommendation, but one I picked up recently that's definitely worth having on vinyl is The White Stripes' Elephant. It's a pure analog experience--not a single digital product touched the process of recording or pressing the record. Plus, it's got some wicked good songs!
I’m currently finishing The Man Who Broke Capitalism, a book about former GE CEO Jack Welch (30 Rock’s Jack Donaghy is based on him), who was instrumental in dismantling the post-war “Golden Age of Capitalism” for the hellscape we have today. It’s a fascinating read!
Semi-Related: I hear good things about the novelization of Gremlins 2.
I heard an interview with the author of The Man Who Broke Capitalism on the Pivot Podcast. Sounded really interesting, so I'm glad to hear the book delivers. Adding it to my list. Also, as the husband of a former NBCU employee who left before GE sold NBCU to Kabletown, I'm going to read that book and ask Christina A LOT of questions.
Heat is an all-time great movie. Two things really make it timeless: 1) Mann subtly but clearly paints DeNiro as the character you're rooting for and Pacino as the character you're rooting against. That dichotomy is brilliant. And 2) the bank shootout is an all-time great action set piece. The key is there's no score. Once Kilmer opens fire there's no music to distract your brain. It's all machine gun blasts, screams and shrapnel. Harrowing.
Re: reading Heat 2, that one's tricky for me. Revisiting characters from classic media risks leading to the Star Wars problem, i.e., I know how it's going to turn out, so you're more likely to ruin a character I already enjoy than improve upon their story arc. But that's not always the case. Would love to hear your final verdict.
Favorite Pacino performance: Donnie Brasco. Also, recency bias aside, thought he was fantastic in The Irishman.
One other point about Heat 2 that may be of specific interest to you. The writing reminded me of some great screenplays -- efficient, sparse language with very high impact. Not surprised since Mann obviously comes from film and TV, but Heat 2 is one of those novels a screenwriter would get a lot of out, even if your screenplays are heavier on democracy and lighter on killer action sequences :)
Like the majority of Netflix subscribers, I still haven't seen The Irishman. Maybe we'll have torrential rains this year (fingers crossed) and I can finally watch that sucker & mitigate the drought.
As for Heat 2, I don't think the Star Wars problem is a risk. The sequel stuff is fascinating new territory and the prequel stuff doesn't directly connect to the events of Heat. What you get in the prequel is more like an origin story that sheds light on why the characters are they way they are... and there's some great action sequences to boot! I say the next time you're in the mood for a commercial thriller, give it a go!
I've seen The Irishman twice, believe it or not. It lives up to the hype. Just watch it in halves. The second-half dialogue scene between Pesci and Pacino is all-timer stuff.
You've sufficiently intrigued me to check out Heat 2. I need to work on my action scenes for the next series of the talks!
There’s something about cleaning a bank and listening to Good Omens that just makes sense. Clearly, you good luck with side hustles and good taste in books!
Re good book rec: Good Omens by Gaiman and Pratchett. I saw ithe episodes on Amazon Prime before downloading the audio book via Hoopla. I've been reading it with my ears every night while I clean a bank (side hustle) and boy, it's neat. Both the book and the show are very good, if that's the sort of thing that you like.
Also it was endearing to read about your time in Cleveland. So glad that you enjoyed your time in our wee corner of the world. Thank you for sharing that.
I connect by turning off notifications for messages on my phone. Like all of them. I know that sounds like turning on DND or focus, but I just turn them off 75% of the time. I’ve started telling people they should call me if they really need a response asap. This has cut down lots of interruptions as I work (day job and writing).
Also, we cut the cord on cable TV years ago. We have Netflix and Amazon Prime, but we go through periods of binging one show then not turning on the TV for weeks (or even months!).
I also removed all social media apps and games from my phone. I have gained so much time and sanity from not scrolling endlessly--through social, or thorough TV channels.
Putting Heat 2 on my to-read list and definitely going to rewatch Heat prior to settling into it. That was a great flick that I watched multiple times in my college days. I’m interested to see what the 47-year-old version of me will think.
These are good tips, thanks! I removed a bunch of social media from my phone, but I'm trying to remove my phone from my hand. That's been tricky. I'm with you on cable, cut that years ago. But I've found that sometimes I just search endlessly on streaming and never watch anything. That's where the record player and magazines come in. I find myself spending more nights just reading and listening to music, and it's lovely.
We held out on buying a record player because I thought it would be novelty, but so many people have been building a case for it. That might be our next purchase. There's just something about listening to an entire album in the order it was released. Now to agonize over what model...
We felt the same way. Listening to albums has been a real treat because it reminds me that there was a time when artists actually made an entire experience for you to listen to. Plus, turning the record over is a good excuse to get up and stretch. I swear this isn't an ad for Big Record :)
Oh man an afternoon of reading magazines and listening to records sounds like heaven! Back when I was living in Buffalo we’d get magazines from the LIBRARY every Saturday and read them on the couch w a large pepperoni pizza (that cost $6) snd listen to records we found at that day the the Goodwill. Hard to imagine anything more delightful.
Disconnecting: I turn off phone every night at 8 pm and it stays off until 8 am. This accords with the “great silence” hours employed at many monasteries. Not that I’m a Christian.
Have also been doing screen-free Saturdays for a month now and it’s great!!!
Free magazines, cheap pizza, and thrift store records -- is this heaven, or Buffalo? Man oh man, does that sound like a great afternoon. So great in fact that I might have to reenact it (adjusted for inflation and plant-based).
As for the screen-free Saturday, that sounds wonderful and brave. Hoping to get there someday.
Calculating the price now in NYC. I don't think I can borrow magazines from the library, so I'd have to buy a couple at $8/pop. Large pepperoni pie $17. No vinyl at the Goodwill no more so I'd have to buy an LP at the hipster store. Total: $45. Ugh.
The future (and hipsters) ruined everything.
I used to love taking out magazines from my neighborhood library which was only a block away from our suburban home near Buffalo. After scouring for pizza through my lifetime like a vision quest, I still love pizza from back home. The way the pepperoni curls up. While I have found them in the niche near my home now, you could ALWAYS get anchovies to scratch the itch. Vinyl from Goodwill is brilliant! BRING BACK THE ANCHOVIES. The ultimate hipster store in my neck of the woods has the greatest name ever for a record store. The Electric Fetus. Enjoy a laugh. https://electricfetus.com/ and read the About Us...too good to miss!
Thanks for sharing the link to The Electric Fetus, Mark! That About Us section is great!
SO GREAT!
We can still take out magazines from our library system. The only limitation is the MOST RECENT edition is held for library use only for about a month. It is fun to see kids huddled in that area of the library. I wonder if they are going home to eat pizza? Your comment about $17 for a pepperoni pizza probably means, alas, that COVID killed the $1 slice I always associated with NYC :(
Mark and Anne, both you checked out the magazines from the library, and now that I think about it, I'm not sure I was ever able to do that. I'm pretty sure that LA Public Library made you read them there even when I was a kid. Or, maybe I just never tried to check out a magazine because I read them there. Either way, I want my magazines to go, a large pie with veggies, and some good records!
When I want to step out of the Matrix, I commit to some freerunning practice. Otterbox or not, you can’t carry anything you want to survive. Even if a phone makes it, it’ll leave an apple-shaped imprint on your thigh for a week. Less than attractive, unless you meet someone with a branding fetish.
I like that your disconnect practice actually endangers technology. You're way ahead of everyone else, Dennard! Way ahead.
Movie: the Devil's Advocate. Pacino is perfectly cast, and the film's style echoes his own: over-the-top ham-on-rye, but delicious anyway.
Love the Devil's Advocate. Pretty sure I still owe Blockbuster late fees on that one.
Books: Percival Everett's The Trees manages to be both a revenge novel about a century of lynching and a hilarious look at Southern lifestyles/police work. Everett has a great ear for pulp-fiction-style dialog. Shortlisted for the Booker Prize, so you know Brits aren't snobs.
My wife just bought me Erasure for my b-day. Haven't started it yet.
Your wife has good taste!
The Trees looks great! Adding that one to my list!
Based on your one-album collection, it's hard know which direction to go for a recommendation, but one I picked up recently that's definitely worth having on vinyl is The White Stripes' Elephant. It's a pure analog experience--not a single digital product touched the process of recording or pressing the record. Plus, it's got some wicked good songs!
There are few more records behind The Doors. CCR & The Beatles. But the White Stripes are a great choice! Gonna check that one out. Thanks, Andrew!
Oh yes, I see. And Tom Petty! Ain't music grand?
I’m currently finishing The Man Who Broke Capitalism, a book about former GE CEO Jack Welch (30 Rock’s Jack Donaghy is based on him), who was instrumental in dismantling the post-war “Golden Age of Capitalism” for the hellscape we have today. It’s a fascinating read!
Semi-Related: I hear good things about the novelization of Gremlins 2.
I heard an interview with the author of The Man Who Broke Capitalism on the Pivot Podcast. Sounded really interesting, so I'm glad to hear the book delivers. Adding it to my list. Also, as the husband of a former NBCU employee who left before GE sold NBCU to Kabletown, I'm going to read that book and ask Christina A LOT of questions.
Let me know if you get any insider scoops!
Heat is an all-time great movie. Two things really make it timeless: 1) Mann subtly but clearly paints DeNiro as the character you're rooting for and Pacino as the character you're rooting against. That dichotomy is brilliant. And 2) the bank shootout is an all-time great action set piece. The key is there's no score. Once Kilmer opens fire there's no music to distract your brain. It's all machine gun blasts, screams and shrapnel. Harrowing.
Re: reading Heat 2, that one's tricky for me. Revisiting characters from classic media risks leading to the Star Wars problem, i.e., I know how it's going to turn out, so you're more likely to ruin a character I already enjoy than improve upon their story arc. But that's not always the case. Would love to hear your final verdict.
Favorite Pacino performance: Donnie Brasco. Also, recency bias aside, thought he was fantastic in The Irishman.
One other point about Heat 2 that may be of specific interest to you. The writing reminded me of some great screenplays -- efficient, sparse language with very high impact. Not surprised since Mann obviously comes from film and TV, but Heat 2 is one of those novels a screenwriter would get a lot of out, even if your screenplays are heavier on democracy and lighter on killer action sequences :)
Like the majority of Netflix subscribers, I still haven't seen The Irishman. Maybe we'll have torrential rains this year (fingers crossed) and I can finally watch that sucker & mitigate the drought.
As for Heat 2, I don't think the Star Wars problem is a risk. The sequel stuff is fascinating new territory and the prequel stuff doesn't directly connect to the events of Heat. What you get in the prequel is more like an origin story that sheds light on why the characters are they way they are... and there's some great action sequences to boot! I say the next time you're in the mood for a commercial thriller, give it a go!
I've seen The Irishman twice, believe it or not. It lives up to the hype. Just watch it in halves. The second-half dialogue scene between Pesci and Pacino is all-timer stuff.
You've sufficiently intrigued me to check out Heat 2. I need to work on my action scenes for the next series of the talks!
There’s something about cleaning a bank and listening to Good Omens that just makes sense. Clearly, you good luck with side hustles and good taste in books!
Re good book rec: Good Omens by Gaiman and Pratchett. I saw ithe episodes on Amazon Prime before downloading the audio book via Hoopla. I've been reading it with my ears every night while I clean a bank (side hustle) and boy, it's neat. Both the book and the show are very good, if that's the sort of thing that you like.
Also it was endearing to read about your time in Cleveland. So glad that you enjoyed your time in our wee corner of the world. Thank you for sharing that.