amazon – Michael's Musings

Weekly Rundown

December 6, 2019December 8, 2021 by MAÔ, posted in Social

The week that passed was a long one, I’m not going to lie. There was a fourteen-hour car ride to Florida, and that was a bit exhausting. Everything before that wasn’t as restful as I would have liked either. Nonetheless, hear are some things that I spent some time with this week.

What I’m reading: Tip of the Iceberg by Mark Adams. Just cozying up to this book as the weather is getting cold. Thinking about this past summer in Alaska, and what the future may hold.

What I’m listening to: Antonin Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9. Also known as the New World Symphony, this makes me feel like it’s Thanksgiving. I enjoy this recording from the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra.

What I’m spending time on: Dog training.

My 60 lb. boxer is nearly seven years old, partially blind and deaf from an invitro stroke, and ultra-hyper. Breaking him of some bad habits will take a good deal of time, but I’m certain that he and I are up to the challenge.

Other things of interest:

Knives Out, written and directed by Rian Johnson. Wow, I loved this movie. I thought it was well-written, well-directed, and well-acted. With names like Jamie Lee Curtis, Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, and Christopher Plummer, it was an excellent ensemble movie. The premise – wealthy suspense novelist dead by apparent suicide following birthday party with suspicious family members – may seem trope, but it leaves you guessing until the end.
Where to buy books online from a website that isn’t Amazon. From Anya Zhukova, here are seven recommendations that include B&N and BAM. I also like AbeBooks and Easton Press for more obscure or special edition volumes. And I go to eBay as well. As I was linking Tip of the Iceberg, it occurred to me that I didn’t want to recommend Amazon for every book I like. So I went with GoodReads, though it is owned by Amazon. Its positives include that it links to retailers other than Amazon, and is enhanced by its users and readers.
Why can’t every workweek be four days? I mean, seriously?
Nat Geo story on the death of the male white rhino, and the species’ coming extinction… An extinction brought about by man’s overhunting of the animal.

“Watching a creature die—one who is the last of its kind—is something I hope never to experience again. It felt like watching our own demise.” – Ami Vitale

Week’s highlights

July 5, 2019July 5, 2019 by MAÔ, posted in Social

Here some things I was looking at this week:

Spider-Man: Far from Home, and the black outfit. I saw the film just a few days ago, and then this article popped up for me. The four-color dot printing process was something I’d been familiar with, but not given much thought in terms of blue vs. black. Enjoyed this piece, and the film (with AC/DC’s Back in Black making the rounds ala the Iron Man films).
Free Nintendo Online for Amazon Prime members. A buddy passed this on to me, and hey, if you have Prime, why not?
Why mosquitoes like my girlfriend more than they like me. Just something interesting.
And what I’ve passed on the most – JOMO. Probably the thing that aggravates people the most about me is that I say no. A lot. But with my time being the only commodity I can really actively control, I just can’t say yes to everything. Really, hardly anything – with many requests coming in for my time, there aren’t enough hours in the day. So I miss out, and happily so. It’s the joy of missing out.

Purpose

August 31, 2018 by MAÔ, posted in Universe

A podcast host said in a recent episode that I was listening to that “there are over one-hundred fifty-thousand books on Amazon about how to find your way in life.”

Are we truly that lost? I mean, granted, at times I feel as if I don’t know what the hell I’m doing. We all do. But, we’re it.

The bird doesn’t question what it means to be a bird. It doesn’t wonder as to the meaning of its flight. It just flies.

Man alone questions the nature of existence, and our place in the world.

That is our blessing. And our curse.