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Reading Week #21

08.29.2014 by Nicola //

Happy Friday! Again. Where does the time go?

I’m still in California, heading home this weekend.

This week I’ve been mostly reading books (including The Braindead Megaphone by George Saunders and Friendship by Emily Gould) and enjoying the last of the sunshine I’ll get this year.

Here are some other interesting reads I found around the internet.

–– ON ROBOTNIC.CO ––

It’s still Blog Every Day August, but I took it easy this week and published 2 new posts: The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge & Letters of Note.

On my business blog, I blogged about Keeping it Relevant on Social Media.

–– ARTS & CULTURE ––

One of my favourite podcasts, You Must Remember This, is now part of a new podcast network called Infinite Guest – with many more to discover.

Guess what? Millennials are reading ‘traditional’ magazine publishers, too. No kiddin’!

OMFG it’s the PSL! The pumpkin spice latte is back, and this article about it was surprisingly interesting.

–– DIGITAL ––

Want to start something online, but feel like you missed your chance? You are not late. Not even close.

Everybody Smiley Poops. Including me. For the ’emoji social network’ she mentions (which is probably satire) I picked smiley poop, shooting star, smiley poop.

Pure productivity porn from Life Hacker. The archive will definitely come back to bite me. I’m Ira Glass, and This is How I Work.

On The Science of Us: What All This Bad News Is Doing to Us?

–– &c. ––

Ferguson has been in the news a lot these past couple of weeks. Reniqua Allen writes, It’s time to admit that America will never really include black America.

Wesley Morris mixes Ferguson commentary and film review in Let’s Be Real on Grantland.

Film journalist Matt Zoller Seitz also takes on the issue, and his formative experience in white privilege in his piece Different Rules Apply.

What were your favourite reads of the week?

Reading Week #20

08.22.2014 by Nicola //

It’s Friday! How has your week been? Got nice plans for this weekend?

This weekend I’ll be mostly… kicking it, reading, and maybe enjoying a few cocktails.

It’s summer, after all.

Here are some bits and pieces for you to read this weekend.

–– ON ROBOTNIC.CO ––

Blog Every Day August continues! Here are this week’s posts: Non-Fiction Book Haul | Book Review: The Opposite of Loneliness | #NudgeYourWorld Parts I – II – III – IIII |

On my business blog, I blogged about Why I Freelance.

I also reviewed J by Howard Jacobson for The List.

–– ARTS & CULTURE ––

It’s almost 2 weeks since we lost one of the greats: Robin Williams. Here are 2 great pieces about him, one from Anthony Lane (for my money, the best film critic working) and Mara Wilson’s Remembering Robin.

Guardians of the Galaxy & the Rise of Post-Plot Cinema. Or, why does nothing happen in blockbusters anymore? Steven Zeitchik tells us more.

Philosophy meets physicality on the New York Times: Should we teach Plato in gym class?

As The Wire recently published, the most likely person to read a book (in the US) is a college educated black woman.

With that in mind, NPR released an excellent 2-part report about diversity in publishing. Here’s are the two parts: In Elite MFA Programs, The Challenge Of Writing While ‘Other’ and To Achieve Diversity In Publishing, A Difficult Dialogue Beats Silence.

–– DIGITAL ––

A great piece from Jane Friedman: Reasons to Be Optimistic During the Disruption of Publishing.

I’m all about this argument that you should Leave Work at 2pm and Go For a Walk. (And I ain’t coming back!)

Between ongoing wars, Ferguson and other horrors, ever wonder What All This Bad News is Doing to Us? Me, too.

Another reading list recommendation for you, this time from Jessica Furseth. Here’s Reading List: Black Coffee Edition.

–– &c. ––

Ann Friedman wrote An Ode to Being 29. I’m almost looking forward to it. *Almost.*

How to Be Polite. Hint: It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

I Feel Guilty for Not Being the Breadwinner – an interesting take on money management in equal relationships.

What have you been reading this week?

Reading Week # 19

08.15.2014 by Nicola //

Flying over the Southwest — Flying over the American Southwest

Happy Friday!

I’m finally over in California and it’s gloriously, sickeningly sunny. It’s 40C though – literally far too hot to even go outside.

This week I’ve been mostly catching up with the in-laws, blogging (natch), and getting caught up on some reading.

Surprisingly, despite loading up my phone with about 200 hours of podcasts, I didn’t listen to a single one en route.

But I did find some great links for you – so here ya go!

–– ON ROBOTNIC.CO ––

Blog Every Day August is ongoing! Here’s the latest: #NudgeYourWorld Part I & Part II | Book Review: Gone Girl | Letters Live at Edinburgh International Book Festival.

On my business blog, I blogged about Advanced Techniques for Content Planning.

–– ARTS & CULTURE ––

Jocelyn Glei, the awesome Director of 99U, interviewed Brainpickings’ Maria Popova on Staying Present & Grounded in the Age of Information Overload. I hate headlines like that, but loved the piece. And look at that desk!!!

Mark Cousins argues in favour of hi-lo culture. He says middle-class rules deaden too many arts venues – and I tend to agree.

A piece from last year made it into my feed: (filmmaker) Nicole Holofcener Nails It. She’s directed episodes of shows I enjoy but I need to get around to seeing some of her films.

Chris Guillebeau praises the humble editor, copyeditor and proofreader: Why Artistic Compromise Makes for Better Work.

The Pleasure of Reading to Impress Yourself – and keeping a reading diary. Because I’m a staunch evangelist for recording my reading. (Curious? See 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009.)

–– DIGITAL ––

Where the Internet Goes to Be Lonely – and a related story from 2005, Anybody There?

I finished the brilliant first season of Silicon Valley last week, which has given me such great visuals and extra cringes for stories like this one: Tinder, despite being the dating app to hook women, faces sexual harassment and gender discrimination charges.

The Problem With Humans of New York:

Each subject is shot in a tightly focused frame, so we can impute meaning to every wrinkle across their faces even before we read the caption provided, which is usually, handily enough, about the ageing process (I’ve known plenty of older people who speak about things other than what getting older is like, at times; if Stanton has, he doesn’t let on).

On an old favourite, The SIMS: The Kiss That Changed Video Games.

–– &c. ––

I kept seeing a book on the shelf called The Opposite of Loneliness and didn’t think much of it. Turns out it’s an essay collection by Marina Keegan – a promising young writer who died 5 years after graduating from Yale. It immediately jumped up my to-read list. Here’s a piece Remembering Marina Keegan.

Amanda Hess again, this time on The Rise of Ironic Misandry.

To Work Better, Work Less. How many times do you have to be told?

What have you been reading this week?