A list for the 2nd Friday of 2024
Welcome to 2024….12 days in!
I hope that thus far your year has gone well. I personally enjoy the resetting of a new year, when you can implement new focuses, improve older ones, and look forward to growth and fun. I’ve included a list of some bits and bobs I’ve been enjoying and found interesting as well as some photos.
Hopefully you find something to enjoy and have a great weekend.
The ‘$40 Pencil’ That Almost Went Extinct (wsj.com)
John Steinbeck used one to write “The Grapes of Wrath” and a Disney animator was buried with one. Blackwing pencils gained a coveted status among creatives for their speed and smoothness. Here’s why they almost went extinct and what it took to bring them back.
The lost ancient practise of communal sleep (bbc.com)
Until the mid-19th Century, it was completely normal to share a bed with friends, colleagues and even total strangers.
Masters of the Air — Opening Title Sequence | Apple TV+ - YouTube
Based on Donald L. Miller’s book of the same name, and scripted by John Orloff, “Masters of the Air” follows the men of the 100th Bomb Group )the “Bloody Hundredth”) as the conduct perilous bombing raids over Nazi Germany and grapple with the frigid conditions, lack of oxygen, and sheer terror of combat conducted at 25,000 feet in the ir. Portrating the psychological and emotional price paid by these young men as they helped destroy the horror of Hitler’s Third Reich, is at the heart of “Masters of the Air.” Some were shot down and captured; some were wounded or killed. And some were lucky enough to make it home. Regardless of individual fate, a toll was exacted on them all.
A Notebook to Save You from Infinite Scrolling & Boredom (youtube.com)
In this video, Parker gives an idea for a pocket notebook that can help free you from the infinite scroll and help you utilize your boredom for your own intellectual good.
Music’s power over your brain, explained | Michael Spitzer (youtube.com)
Music affects the brain in profound ways. It eases stress by lowering cortisol. It floods the brain with pleasurable neurotransmitters like dopamine. And it serves as a conduit through which we can process emotions that otherwise might not be describable in words.
Performed by Anna Miilmann, Johan Karlström & Danish National Symphony Orchestra & Vocal Ensemble Conducted by Henrik Vagn Christensen
How a 1574 portrait was made 'Insta-fabulous' (bbc.com)
Restorers are uncovering "forgotten faces" that were later retouched, with painters adding plump lips, sculpted noses and tapered chins centuries afterwards, writes Kelly Grovier.
The Habits for Happiness Quiz | Gretchen Rubin
A fun quiz to help you choose what the next habit that could make you happier might be.
