Here’s a collection of some of the things from this week that I’ve enjoyed, been inspired by, want to share, or are grateful for.
- Hank Mobley. For some reason, I tripped across the Hank Mobley station on Pandora and it’s been a favorite ever since, dredging up incredible cuts from Sonny Stitt, Sonny Rollins, and so many more.
- My daughter’s imagination. Since we’ve been home together for a few weeks now, it’s been a challenge for all of us to get things done, find our own space, and not take out frustrations on each other. One thing that’s been amazing to watch is seeing my daughter draw and develop her own cast of anime characters that revolve around this roller derby-ish plot that’s actually way cooler than any story idea I’ve had in awhile.
- Titus on YouTube. Back in the day, Christopher Titus had a revolutionary show on Fox that ran for three seasons with an incredible cast that turned the tragedy and madness of his family life into hilarity. He’s now releasing individual episodes on his YouTube channel that you can watch for free.
- Journaling. I’ve been keeping a journal more or less regularly since college. While I can’t claim to be as consistent or as interesting as some folks, it has been a great tool of mine for developing poems and capturing thoughts. Over the last few weeks, it’s become a bit of a survival tool as well because it’s where most of my venting and angst lives, which is a whole lot better than spreading it across social media. I recommend journaling for anyone – no one ever has to read it, so there’s no need to worry about quality or content. In fact, I think it’s best to start off on the first page by writing “I don’t care if this is any good – it’s not about that” and then go from there.
- Star Wars Rebels – Season 4. I know, I know, I know – this one has been on the list before. However, me and the kid just finished up season four last night and it’s some of the best storytelling in the Star Wars universe, period. This show really changed throughout the seasons, shifting from more of a pure kids show to a kids show that was really geared more to adults. The way they wove in characters and wound up tying into the overall Star Wars mythos was so elegant and satisfying.
Like what you read? Good! Maybe you’d like to check out some of the other stuff I’ve written lately.