Author: Chad
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Media of the moment
An ongoing series on books, movies, and music I’ve encountered recently. May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers. Heard about this documentary from the Armchair Expert episode with the Avett Brothers. Made me appreciate them anew. Closer Than Together by The Avett Brothers. “We Americans” should be the new national anthem. The Feather…
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The Smoking Type
Love this photo by Adrian Borda, called “Under An Ocean of Words”, which captures the view from inside a typewriter looking up through smoke. I’ve seen this view plenty during repair and cleaning sessions, but never quite this dramatically. Perhaps I should take up smoking. h/t Kottke
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They went back! On a ‘Lost’ retrospective podcast
Really enjoyed the SYFY limited podcast series Through the Looking Glass: A LOST Retrospective, which celebrates 15 years since the premiere of Lost in 2004. Hosted by Tara Bennett and Maureen Ryan—two television writers who covered the show’s original run—the podcast consists of six episodes that examine Lost from different perspectives, including how it revolutionized…
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Recent Views
More photography here and on my Instagram. The view of downtown Madison from a pontoon on Lake Mendota: Some good reflection action at the park by our house: You know I love a good “sunrise through the blinds” shot: You know I love cider donuts and fall stuff: Morning view from my hotel room in…
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This is my backpack
Part of the This Is My series. Thanks to the magic of email, I know that in March 2009 my mom asked if I wanted anything from REI. She had a coupon that was about to expire but didn’t need anything for herself. REI is one of those stores I love in principle but don’t…
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The Big Country
William Wyler’s 1958 film The Big Country is many things you’d expect from an epic western of its era. Nearly three hours long. A plot about families feuding over land and pride in the Wild West. Two vastly different men with vastly different styles vying for the same woman. But what took me by surprise…
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Booksmart
Booksmart, the directorial debut of the actress Olivia Wilde, was charming as hell. Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever star as Molly and Amy, two friends and straight-A students on the eve of high school graduation who realize their academic drive kept them from enjoying the more party-heavy pursuits of their peers. They seek to remedy…
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Build it up, knock it down
My favorite new game with 7 Months is to build a small tower with his rubber blocks—to almost as tall as he is when sitting—and watch him knock it down. He never does it the same way twice. He’ll grab the top one and bring it to his mouth, the whole tower leaning towards him…
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Refer Madness: Buyers and Borrowers
Refer Madness spotlights strange, intriguing, or otherwise noteworthy questions I encounter at the library reference desk. A patron walked into the library and approached the desk. “I was just at a bookstore but I didn’t want to buy too many,” she told me. She had a list of books she wanted, some of which she got at the bookstore but…
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Benediction for the Groundhog
I’ve mentioned the podcast This Movie Changed Me before. In its new season, Naomi Alderman talks about how the transformation of Phil Connors in Groundhog Day inspired her to look at the world differently. Once in a while she’ll experience what she calls a “benediction”: I will suddenly become aware of the incredible beauty and…
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My son’s media of the moment
Based on the ongoing series on books, movies, and music I’ve encountered recently. The Best of Raffi. The man is famous for a reason. I’ll bet even the mere mention of “Baby Beluga”, “Down By the Bay”, or “Bananaphone” has you singing along in your head. Dance for the Sun by Kira Willey. It’s kinda…
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Get Thee Back to the Future
Whether it’s my podcast-heavy diet or baby-induced reduction in mental bandwidth for extended concentration, I haven’t been doing much book-readin’ lately. Which is OK, as not reading is fine too. That doesn’t stop me from trying. While browsing the new releases at a neighboring library I spotted Ian Doescher’s Get Thee Back to the Future,…
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Recent Views
More photography here and on my Instagram. Trying to take evening walks with the almost 6 month old strapped to me while the sun still allows it, so I get to enjoy views like this: Also get to enjoy views like this from the Nap Cam: Yet another baby view, this one from the family…
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America’s greatness is great
Alan Jacobs: Yesterday my son, who works in the Chicago Loop, saw a woman on a bicycle get hit by a car. She wasn’t seriously injured, but she was knocked to the ground, dazed. He ran up to her to see if she was okay and pulled out his phone to call 911 — but…
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Library ebooks are not free
Those of you not in the library world probably don’t know about the contretemps currently roiling the industry. Library users don’t see how much ebooks cost for libraries. I order them as part of my job, and I’ve never quite gotten over the sticker shock of some costing as much as $90 each. And that’s…
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This is my wallet
Part of the This Is My series. Usually I’m a bifold wallet guy. I don’t like how trifolds make two bends in paper money. But once I realized I could just fold whatever bills I have in half and stick them in the middle section of the bill area, my wallet options opened up. Which…