OMM (On My Mind) – March 2024 – #1
~ a curated selection of discoveries ~
::: The Open :::
Dear Reader,
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Thank you for reading and for your time.
With Gratitude,
Mark
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::: Music :::
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‘Les Savy Fav Announce First Album Since 2010, Share Video for New Song: Watch’
No, actually, I don’t really suggest watching.
I was a pretty big Les Savy Fav fan for a minute in high school when I was 16ish. I liked the ‘Rome (Written Upside Down)’ (EP).
My taste was… eclectic.
Personally, I’ve had the common experience of trending towards more melodic music as I’ve gotten older. It’s not super punk rock but it’s how it is. It’s not that I can’t get behind certain music anymore or fail to comprehend the technical talent – I just find a lot of it relatively unlistenable. At times, I feel kinda bad about this… but…from what I can ascertain this is just part of the human experience when you have the opportunity to experience a level of duration (aka. living life for a little while).
I still listen to wide range of music. In fact, it’s broadened… I just have trended away from certain sub-genres that used to appeal.
What’s your take?
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‘When Did Popular Music Become Standardized? A Statistical Analysis’ (Stat Significant)
Props to Mac Miller. RIP.
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Interesting review of Faye Webster’s new album “featuring Webster’s childhood friend Lil Yachty” (!?)
Webster is, apparently, a relatively private person and the review discusses some of new covert antics when making public appearances.
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::: The Literary Community & Beyond :::
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‘Work-Life Imbalance: How the Pandemic Ruined Our Understanding of “Free” Time’ (LitHub)
The kind of article I wish I had written. Always a good sign.
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‘34 Transformative Prompts to Unlock Your Writing, Courtesy Kelly Link’ (LitHub)
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A writing lesson from Taylor Swift. (Sarah Welch / Jane Friedman)
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‘THE NY TYRANT GUIDE TO NOT BEING A HORRIBLE WRITER IN THE YEAR 2010’ (VICE)
(with Special Thanks to Becky Tuch (LitMagNews) for calling my attention to this)
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‘Eminem's Boxes of Notes’ as a “mind map”. Austin Kleon posted about this. It’s a thought-provoking look into how different minds navigate creative acts.
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I mean… who doesn’t want to know stats tracking the trajectory of music’s “danceability” over time?
Also, be real – why is Future so popular? It’s certainly not for his vocal talent…
“1970s dance jams are a relic from the days of disco. These songs induce euphoria, not profound introspection. I have never listened to Donna Summer or Kool & The Gang and thought, "this song is giving me feelz," or "I now possess a nuanced understanding of the human condition." No, I typically listen to these bands and think, "wow, this DJ is crushing this Bar Mitzvah."”
I would say Donna Summer strikes me as – highly danceable… if I was one for dancing… in public…
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Scary news. Some people out there actually watch the shows on Netflix/Hulu/Amazon Prime (!!) that you see and think “no one has ever watched 5 minutes of this show”. There’s a comedy sketch about this somewhere. In any case… the stats are in for 2023
“In the streaming era, the finality of a two-hour film is the medium's greatest weakness. It's odd to imagine premium mediocre content like Ginny & Georgia being watched more than The Social Network or Get Out, but here we are.” Facts. Couldn’t agree more. I don’t have any idea what G&G is but… there’s great content out there… if you need televisual content in your life. And sometimes, gosh darn it, us humans sure seem to need it.
This is, in fact, a relief:
“Netflix's Content Catalog Contains Many Scarcely-Watched Titles”
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‘A Country Shaped By Poetry’ (Noema)
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‘Timothy Green on the promise of NFTs for poetry and beyond.’
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‘The 1% Rule: A Poet’s Take on Atomic Habits’
Maya C. Popa finds value for poets/writers in that book you see every bro reading including that annoying fictional character in the first season of White Lotus.
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I’m sharing this but definitely enter contests at your own risk.
‘NewPages Big List of Writing Contests’
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Rumor has it that Bookshop.org could be entering the audiobook market.
It’s a great idea. Amazon-owned Audible is too expensive. I’m not loving how Spotify handles podcasts so far. We already have everything on one device or synced across devices. It’s nice to have a standalone app as a method of focus. If you go to Spotify for music… and podcasts… and audiobooks… you’re in a paradox of choice too often.
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‘68 Manuscript Publishers with Geographic Restrictions’ (Authors Publish)
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‘Designing a poetry contest without selling our soul’
ONLY POEMS is running their first contest!
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‘How to Beat 20% of the Competition Every Time You Submit to a Lit Mag’
More wisdom from Benjamin Davis (Chill Subs) in the **free** Write or Die 101 workshop.
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2023 turns out to have been a historic low for women in film. Only 30 of the 100 top-grossing movies featured female lead and co-leading roles. In 2022, women led in 44. (Variety)
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Erika Dreifus called attention to this in her newsletter:
‘Reporting Antisemitism in the Literary World’
Notably:
“We encourage reports of both smaller-scale incidents (such as an individual getting review-bombed because their book includes Jewish content) and larger incidents (such as Jewish literary professionals facing threats of intimidation and violence).”
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‘The "she"-conomy is booming and expanding’ (Axios)
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::: Health & Wellness :::
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‘Asthma medication now approved to help with food allergies’
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It seems there’s a genuine reason why humans have a strong aversion to cockroaches. Brief searches uncover many resources indicating that roaches are a top allergen. I had no idea.
“Sensitization to cockroach allergens is one of the strongest risk factors for the development of asthma in low-income urban populations worldwide. A recent review by Do et al. highlights that the prevalence of cockroach allergy ranges from 17 to 41% in the United States (US), with cockroach allergens being detected in 85% of inner-city US homes. Based on skin prick testing, 60–80% of inner-city children with asthma are sensitized to cockroach.” (NIH)
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‘How Americans View Weight-Loss Drugs and Their Potential Impact on Obesity in the U.S.’ (Pew Research)
Also, interesting stats on American views about the effectiveness of willpower.
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‘7 Ways to Lower Your Blood Pressure Without Medication’ (Self)
Many who take blood pressure medications report problematic side effects.
It’s common to want to try to get your blood pressure under control without medication intervention.
In some instances (consult your doctor), it’s reasonable to try to DIY maintenance of your blood pressure.
Having a good routine including regular exercise (even short periods of movement) can make a notable difference. If you know you have hypertension, you should be monitoring your blood pressure on your own, at home, daily (or even more than several times per day). Eating well helps. We’d all do well with more fruits and veg. Salt (sodium) is a biggie. You need to try to go on a low salt diet. Sleep hygiene is essential to overall health. The list goes on.
A new diagnosis puts a person in a bit of a panic mode. You may throw up your hands in avoidance or else go full on into a personal lifestyle overhaul. Extremes don’t usually pan out well in the long run. Best to seek a happy medium. Everything in moderation, as they say, even moderation. After all, you still need to live your life.
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3%
“Around 3% of manufactured foods are currently allowed to claim their food counts as healthy to eat” (CBS News)
A “healthy” logo is OTW for those select foods (8a for the win?)
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::: Small Explorations & Deep Dives :::
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‘The Vision Pro's scary side effect’
Among the most interesting reads I’ve encountered recently
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‘Right-wing family moved to Russia to escape LGBTQ+ people. Then Russia froze their bank accounts.’ (LGBTQ Nation)
The twist here is that this family is Canadian, not American.
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“Systemic problems require systemic solutions, and those solutions hinge on culture.” (Seth Godin)
Very curious what others think of Seth’s post.
Does this feel true or… does it seem like he’s just making a Venn diagram without much merit?
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The Fed never released its digital dollar. Just sayin’.
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“…almost all the benefits of college have zero to do with what happens for two hours on Saturday.” (Seth Godin)
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‘How (and Why) to Peacefully Coexist With Squirrels’
“Experts say that if people learned more about squirrels, they may find them a lot more lovable.”
Real quote! Makes me happy.
“Think about how sketchy it is, for example, for a squirrel to live in a park in a major city, the danger of that.”
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‘How Much Time Should You Spend Outside…’
Specific numbers aside – point taken.
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Top 25 countries for Americans to travel (according to GPT)
1. Canada 2. Mexico 3. United Kingdom 4. France 5. Italy 6. Germany 7. Japan 8. Australia 9. Spain 10. Netherlands 11. Switzerland 12. New Zealand 13. Ireland 14. Sweden 15. Singapore 16. South Korea 17. Norway 18. Denmark 19. Iceland 20. Austria 21. Belgium 22. Portugal 23. Finland 24. Costa Rica 25. Greece
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‘Every year spent in school or university improves life expectancy, study says’ (Guardian)
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“IVF is very popular—about 2% of babies born in the U.S. are the product of IVF—and Republicans recognize that endangering the procedure has the potential to be a dealbreaker in the upcoming election.”
- Heather Cox Richardson, February 25, 2024
Basically, congress continues to make choices that are not aligned with America’s general population. As you are already well aware, we theoretically elect leaders that are not only the “best and brightest” but that intend to represent their constituents.
Are they legally allowed to make choices that the majority of citizens living in their states disagree with? Yep.
Do they get reelected when they do this? Once would be too often. And yes.
Do we live in two Americas? I try to sidestep this question when it arises. Maybe the real question is how many of us live in our own private America.
References to Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale are increasingly common… for a reason.
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“If America were dominated by old, white, election-denying Christians who didn’t go to college, former President Trump would win the general election in…a landslide.” But, Allen added, “It’s not.” (Mike Allen, Axios)
Wow.
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AT&T will give some customers a whopping $5 back for a massive inconvenience that occurred recently.
New slogan could read: You get the network you deserve.
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‘Who Was Lady Emma Tankerville?’
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‘All Hail the Hoagie’ (Philly Mag)
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According to Forbes…
The Top 25 U.S. Cities With The Best Quality Of Life
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Boulder, Colorado
Madison, Wisconsin
San Jose, California
Portland, Maine
Boston, Massachusetts
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Hartford, Connecticut
Rochester, New York
Trenton, New Jersey
Boise, Idaho
Washington, D.C.
Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Fort Collins, Colorado
Worcester, Massachusetts
Albany, New York
Naples, Florida
Syracuse, New York
Manchester, New Hampshire
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
New Haven, Connecticut
Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky
Providence, Rhode Island
New York City, New York
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Neo-Nazi GOP candidate pledges to ban same-sex marriage & “exile all Jews”
For the record (as of 2.28.24): This person has about 1,000 followers on twitter (aka. X).
So, by now, hopefully we’ve all learn to try not to “feed the trolls”.
This person has… a lot of problems. Clearly.
This person has horrible views.
This person should make a public apology. (Seems doubtful.)
I’m sharing this, in part, to remind myself and others that there are an increasing number of people out there willing to publicly make these types of abhorrent statements.
It’s a reminder, too, that local politics matter. That’s where it all begins. We don’t want people like this to gain any traction. It’s essential that voters turn out to prevent people like this from taking office.
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‘Scientists may have found an alternative to blue jean dye’ (ABC News)
“Blue denim is currently dyed with indigo in an unsustainable process that requires harsh reducing and alkaline chemicals, according to a study published Monday in Nature Communications.”
“Indican is a precursor to indigo that is found in the same plant species, Indigofera, the study says.”
“The study found the engineered enzyme "is a promising alternative route with mild conditions" and could support the massive demand in the denim industry.”
“If large-scale production of indican were to be put in place by the denim industry, researchers said they believe the need for toxic chemicals in denim production could be removed.”
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“Boiling drinking water can remove most microplastics.” (The Washington Post)
True?
Allegedly, boiling water can remove about 90%...
Another reason to consider having an electric kettle in your home. I’m now personally debating boiling water…letting it cool down… then running it through a Brita filter. Too much?
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‘Most UK Companies in 4-Day Workweek Trial Have Made the Change Permanent’
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Uplifting story. Genuinely impressive fast-on-her-feet-thinking by an 8-year-old.
‘8-year-old Wisconsin girl saves herself and 2-year-old sister from carjacking’ (NBC News)
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Hesitant to share anything of TikTok but… this is adorable.
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Some historical maps.
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Poisoning house pests means poisoning wildlife.
Important PSA that attempts to poison unwanted houseguests causes problems in the overall ecosystem.
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‘Gay Republicans swoon over Donald Trump for hosting a gay wedding at Mar-a-Lago’ (LGBTQ Nation)
Trump trying to play both sides…
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‘The New Antisemitism’ (TIME)
“The core of this new antisemitism lies in the idea that Jews are not a historically oppressed people seeking self-preservation but instead oppressors: imperialists, colonialists, and even white supremacists. This view preserves vestiges of the trope that Jews exercise vast power. It creatively updates that narrative to contemporary circumstances and current cultural preoccupations with the nature of power and injustice.”
“…Israel’s efforts to defend itself against Hamas, even if found to involve killing disproportionate number of civilians, do not turn Israel into a genocidal actor comparable to the Nazis or the Hutu regime in Rwanda. The genocide charge depends on intent. And Israel, as a state, is not fighting the Gaza War with the intent to destroy the Palestinian people.”
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::: Google Search Trends :::
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The People want to know more about “miniature books” and, in turn, “miniature bookshelves”
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Peeps are interested in “reading journal(s)” – seemingly a list of what you’ve been reading – I don’t know if this is a handwritten backlash to GoodReads or what
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“Book embossers” are in
Basically, people want a jawn that says “From the library of” stamp or if you wanna gets fancy pants Latin with it, then, “Ex Libris” (literally: “from the books”)
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Reading thrillers is at an all-time high
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Gen Z and millennials both appear to have an interest in book clubs – which is cool … I guess I would have predicted this would be yet another thing millennials would be blamed for “killing”
Oddly, people want “book club outfits” … I don’t understand
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A larger area of the U.S. searches for “book clubs” as compared to “country clubs”. Not gonna call out states here but Pacific NW seems into golfing. Or cigars. Or maybe country clubs are just new to them.
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Christian book clubs are the most popular book clubs…
#2 Sci-Fi
#3 Horror
#4 Nonfiction
#5 Romance
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People want to know how to make friends as an adult.
Even more so, they question why they feel lonely even though they have friends.
People don’t know why they don’t have friends.
Searches with all-time highs include:
“where to meet people”
“how to make friends”
“how to keep friends”
“Make new friends”
People are clearly having trouble coping with their mental health.
“Anxiety” tops the searches.
People are lonely. Even when they are not alone.
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::: News of the Weird :::
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‘Japan's newest species: skeleton panda sea squirt’ (Video)
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The “manliness” of eating ice cream in public is, apparently, up for debate.
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::: Questions :::
‘Mapped: The Median Down Payment for a House, by U.S. State’
For all the homeowners in the house (oof, bad pun)— doesn’t pretty much everyone say you should put down a 20% down payment?
Stats aren’t adding up here. Or, the average individual/couple used to be able to put down more money…?
People from the states at the bottom of the chart… how are you feeling about this? In my limited experience (in WV), it tracks with income and cost of living to some extent… and remains very depressing.
Update: ‘Houses in America Now Cost Six Times the Median Income’
If you look at the numbers… there’s a steady increase since the early 80s in price-to-income ratios.
One problem is that if you can’t afford $400,000 worth of house—you’re in an awkward position.
The general advice has been to buy a house that is at least somewhat above what you can easily afford. The idea being that the house is an investment/asset and will accrue interest over time. But, if you can only afford $250,000 worth of house… it’s not going to compound interest as well. Further, a $250,000 house is more likely to be in a less desirable location/neighborhood with a worse school system. While the quality of a school system is just one factor in a house’s value, you can imagine that it’s rare to have a lousy school system but also receive an A+ on Niche for culture and crime and walkability and so forth.
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