As some of you know, my first book was about the year I spent reading the Encyclopedia Britannica from A to Z (or, to be more precise, from a-ak to Zywiec).
Hi AJ! Good Luck with your dental device! That is what I use and have gone from severe sleep apnea to mild! It does help! The Sleep Cycle app is great too!
I bow down to you Sir, I managed the World Book encyclopedia over about a five year interval, part-time (reading in between hours of mundane jobs and haunting library cubicles for an infinity during times as something of a wastrel), and the Britannica is so much more heavy and not interspersed with photos as the World Book was, but one point I relish from the experience is how "info snippets" so often come out during conversations, it appears all that knowledge remains forevermore floating around between the neural synapses in our brains, only obliviated via brain disease, or of course the final transition out from this mortal coil. But I have never felt the same since that accomplishment, on occasion find myself emoting mild "intellectual hubris" which I take pains to tamp down, as I remember though not an obvious achievement easily laudable by all near and far, it is nonwithstanding something of a privilege to be "highly intellectual" and espousing a certain benevolent humility towards those who have not or could not do such a feat remains de rigeur. Cheers :)
Great post, A.J.! Loved your encyclopedia book, BTW. The fact that Alex Trebek swore like Uncle Junior still lives in my brain. Random recs for you: GREAT nonfiction book: Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson. Unputdownable. And current 20-minute comfort streaming watch while I eat breakfast in front of my computer: Beachfront Bargain Hunt on HBOMax.
Mike Franklin author of The Dice Man was an acquaintance years ago. Thanks for the nudge. I wonder where he is now. Love how Recomendo meandered me to your newsletter.
Talking to strangers and landing on the most unusual topics is something I am enjoying in my middle age! I was painfully shy as a child and did not really speak much unless I was required to. Age does take away some of our inhibitions!
Good luck on the alternative to the CPAP machine! Here is a hint I am passing on as my husband wears a device for his jaw at night time… You actually have to wear it in order for it to work ha ha. As in… Consistently wear it! Otherwise vacations are horrible trying to sleep with someone who snores and grunts and makes all kinds of weird sounds while they sleep lol. Not many places to go and sleep in a hotel room… Unless sleeping in a bathtub is up your alley.
I won’t be offended by your suggestion of the boring habits of the town in Poland… Despite my ancestry, their sports are not a highly intriguing topic to me either lol.
Though I generally try to avoid the news, you can’t avoid it entirely, online, and GroundNews does have a Weird News weekly email. I read the FT online, and that newspaper – the physical, pink-tinged broadsheet (as opposed to tabloid!) – is basically weeks of pleasure reading, to me. Well worth a sporadic visit to the magazine store, that one (Financial Times)
We love serendipity at our house! We especially value it on our vacations. Being open to the unexpected is so enriching! Thanks for the strategies for being intentional about it.
Hi AJ! Good Luck with your dental device! That is what I use and have gone from severe sleep apnea to mild! It does help! The Sleep Cycle app is great too!
Thanks Denise! Great to hear
I bow down to you Sir, I managed the World Book encyclopedia over about a five year interval, part-time (reading in between hours of mundane jobs and haunting library cubicles for an infinity during times as something of a wastrel), and the Britannica is so much more heavy and not interspersed with photos as the World Book was, but one point I relish from the experience is how "info snippets" so often come out during conversations, it appears all that knowledge remains forevermore floating around between the neural synapses in our brains, only obliviated via brain disease, or of course the final transition out from this mortal coil. But I have never felt the same since that accomplishment, on occasion find myself emoting mild "intellectual hubris" which I take pains to tamp down, as I remember though not an obvious achievement easily laudable by all near and far, it is nonwithstanding something of a privilege to be "highly intellectual" and espousing a certain benevolent humility towards those who have not or could not do such a feat remains de rigeur. Cheers :)
Hi Jason! My fellow Encyclopedia reader! I say all encyclopedias are great, no matter how many photos. Loved hearing from you.
Great post, A.J.! Loved your encyclopedia book, BTW. The fact that Alex Trebek swore like Uncle Junior still lives in my brain. Random recs for you: GREAT nonfiction book: Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson. Unputdownable. And current 20-minute comfort streaming watch while I eat breakfast in front of my computer: Beachfront Bargain Hunt on HBOMax.
Ha! Thank you Abby. I still think of Alex cussing too. Loved that guy. Great suggestions. Here's an odd one: I know Robert Kurson. He's a lovely man!
"Dice man" one of my top 10 faves....!
Hello ! You might also like the book Random by Penn Jillette, also exploring a life were big decisions are decided by rolls of dices.
Mike Franklin author of The Dice Man was an acquaintance years ago. Thanks for the nudge. I wonder where he is now. Love how Recomendo meandered me to your newsletter.
Talking to strangers and landing on the most unusual topics is something I am enjoying in my middle age! I was painfully shy as a child and did not really speak much unless I was required to. Age does take away some of our inhibitions!
Good luck on the alternative to the CPAP machine! Here is a hint I am passing on as my husband wears a device for his jaw at night time… You actually have to wear it in order for it to work ha ha. As in… Consistently wear it! Otherwise vacations are horrible trying to sleep with someone who snores and grunts and makes all kinds of weird sounds while they sleep lol. Not many places to go and sleep in a hotel room… Unless sleeping in a bathtub is up your alley.
I won’t be offended by your suggestion of the boring habits of the town in Poland… Despite my ancestry, their sports are not a highly intriguing topic to me either lol.
Though I generally try to avoid the news, you can’t avoid it entirely, online, and GroundNews does have a Weird News weekly email. I read the FT online, and that newspaper – the physical, pink-tinged broadsheet (as opposed to tabloid!) – is basically weeks of pleasure reading, to me. Well worth a sporadic visit to the magazine store, that one (Financial Times)
Serendipity is a fun topic. I’m reminded of an oxymoron that my friend Annette used: strive for serendipity 😁
Love that ! Thank you Mike
The Mysterious Case of Rudolph Diesel- by Douglas Brunt. - fantastic story about the inventor of the Diesel engine and his disappearance.
Fascinating! I will read it, thanks so much
We love serendipity at our house! We especially value it on our vacations. Being open to the unexpected is so enriching! Thanks for the strategies for being intentional about it.
Thank you Ann for this unexpected but enriching note!