Lawerence of Arabia. I recently watched the classic 1962 film Lawerence of Arabia during my Zone 2 cardio sessions. It had been on my to-watch list for a while since it’s my father-in-law’s favorite movie. It did not disappoint! The movie chronicles the life of T.E. Lawrence (played brilliantly by Peter O’Toole), a British officer who unites and leads Arab tribes during World War I in a revolt against the Ottoman Empire. The film does a great job exploring the nature of power, ambition, and idealism, as well as the complex geopolitics of the British empire. Amazing acting and amazing cinematography. Highly recommend.
“No Name” by Jack White. Jack White released a new album a few weeks ago, and it’s been getting a lot of rotation during my weightlifting sessions. This is a good, old-fashioned rock album full of electrifying guitar riffs and songs with a nice mixture of rock and blues. “That’s How I’m Feeling,” “Old Scratch Blues,” and “Bless Myself” are three of my favorites on the album.
Abercombie & Fitch Woods. The other day, Gus asked me what my go-to cologne was in high school. Answer: Abercrombie & Fitch Woods. Which is funny because I generally loathed A&F clothing (too preppy!) and opted for wearing vintage bowling shirts or 1970s golf shirts I found in thrift stores (punk rock!). For some reason, I made an exception for my antipathy towards A&F when it came to fragrance. Anyways, Gus’ inquiry got me curious about whether they still make Woods, and lo and behold, they do! So I bought a bottle and have been wearing it the past few weeks. I’m enjoying it, and it reminds Kate of when we first dated. Whether from its legitimately nice citrusy/woodsy smell or from the nostalgia factor (even if you didn’t know someone who wore Woods, the A&F stores smelled of it), I bet this is a cologne that makes a lot of Millennial women swoon.
Why I Hate Instagram Now We’ve been on Instagram since 2010, and it’s been interesting to see how the platform has changed in the past 14 years. Conor Friedersdorf articulates the lamentable shift Instagram has undergone from a fun, organic platform that allowed you to share life’s goings-ons with friends and family to a platform that’s dedicated to entertaining you with algorithmically-driven, revenue-generating content created by influencers and brands. I’ve noticed that I’ve been using IG less and less because the content that shows up in my feed is mostly reels (do not like!) from accounts I don’t follow and ads. Bring back personal blogs for sharing life’s ephemera with friends and family!
Quote of the Week
Decide! There is nothing in the world so pitiable as an undecided man, who wavers between two feelings, hoping to reconcile them, and does not understand that nothing can unite them.
—Goethe
