While I am still in the beige hotel room, the good news is, I have found a routine and it includes plenty of time for reading and writing. I’ve spent the past week diving into Joan Didion’s essays and life story. It’s amazing to me that such a prolific writer is so frequently misunderstood, especially in 2021. Reading her work has me excited to get back into publishing longer, deeper essays. Some times you just find the right reading material at the right time, you know?
The best of the week:
What a brilliant idea from Nat Eliason for meeting interesting people when you move to a new city! He also gives recommendations on seating, qualities to look for in a restaurant, and topics to potentially discuss.
I spent the week diving into Frank Lloyd Wright’s design and philosophy, which interested me because of the open floor plans he used. The Atlantic did a piece in 2018 on the evolution of the open floor plan, initially designed and popularized by Wright. Of course when the pandemic hit, walls were suddenly back in high demand, with more people at home during the day than usual. It’s been fascinating to see how this worldwide event hastens change in technology, education, and design. Compliment with this LIFE magazine interview, and this video for a comprehensive introduction to Wright’s life and architecture.
This piece is about running, but the principles relate to any goal really. Why Would Any Sane Person Take Up Running? illustrates the struggle and reward of consistently doing difficult things. While my own relationship with running has evolved over many years, I can honestly say I have never been disappointed in going for a run.
Over the week, I’ve read this serialized biography of Jane Grant, the first female reporter for the New York Times and co-founder of The New Yorker. She traveled around Europe and met dignitaries in Asia, reporting back to New York; she created and successfully nursed The New Yorker through its infancy. Grant was remarkably talented, and unlike many women of the era, successfully forged a career. Why hasn’t the world heard of this impressive, trailblazing woman? Of course, we already know the answer to that question.
Lastly, humanity continues to get smarter, though that doesn’t always seem to be true. For all the complaints of scrolling social media feeds and endless streaming options deadening our IQ’s, that does not seem to be the general case around the globe. What an excellent note to end the week!
Currently Reading: Slouching Toward Bethlehem by Joan Didion
Have a beautiful weekend.
