Nose Breathing Science vs. Snake Oil. AoM podcast guest Michael Easter does a deep dive into the nose breathing craze that’s taken over parts of the online fitness world. I admittedly bought into the nose breathing thing shortly after my podcast interview with James Nestor. I even had a period where I taped my mouth shut. Michael’s article takes a more nuanced approach to nose breathing. Turns out, there’s some truth to the hype, but it’s not the miracle cure some gurus claim. The article breaks down when to breathe through your nose (like during easy cardio) and when to let your mouth do the work (intense workouts). It’s a quick read that’ll save you from wasting time on breathing fads that don’t do much.
Wisconsin Death Trip. I was reading an interesting article on Wisconsin supper clubs in this month’s edition of The County Highway newspaper, and it randomly reminded me of a book by Michael Lesy that I read back in college that still haunts me today: Wisconsin Death Trip. It’s a collection of late 19th-century photographs, paired with newspaper clippings, that detail bizarre deaths, crimes, and cases of insanity. The juxtaposition of eerie images and stark reportage creates a fascinating, unsettling portrait of old-time small-town life that belies the rosy image of it we often have in our heads. It was hard out there on the frontier!
Sense Energy Monitor. Back in May, I installed a Sense Energy Monitor on the electrical panel in my home. It analyzes your electricity usage in real time and uses AI to figure out how much electricity your devices are using. The information I got from the monitor helped me save some money on my electricity bill this summer. For example, I learned our pool pump was using a whole lot of electricity, so I put it on an automated schedule so it’s not running all the time. I also discovered some phantom loads I didn’t know about. My only complaint is that the AI isn’t super good at identifying appliances in your home. It still hasn’t picked up one of our AC units, and it’s mislabeled our oven as a dryer. But if you’re looking to see how your household is using electricity, I think it’s a solid investment.
Citizen Kane. Last week, our family watched what many cinema buffs have called the greatest movie ever made: Citizen Kane. It lives up to the hype! 80+ years later, it’s a knockout. The camera angles, non-linear storytelling, and lighting were innovative at the time of its release in 1941 and still feel interesting and compelling today. Orson Welles’ portrayal of media mogul Charles Foster Kane’s rise and fall is mesmerizing. It was fun talking to the kids about how Wells based the story on the real lives of William Randolph Heart and other tycoons. 13-year-old Gus really enjoyed the flick; 11-year-old Scout was less taken with it; but both stayed engaged in the desire to finally figure out what “Rosebud” meant. Rosebud!
Quote of the Week
Every man has some peculiar train of thought which he falls back upon when he is alone. This, to a great degree, molds the man.
—Dugald Stewart
