Hi folks,
Welcome to proper admin, a monthly rubble bucket of everything I couldn't quite turn into its own post.
Rubble bucket?
Sure, that’s a good place to start. I saw them just last week at the Paradise Rock Club. There might be a little recency bias here but I’m pretty sure it was the best show I’ve ever seen. Their new album Sun Machine is pretty solid – have a listen here.
Any other musical musings?
I thought it was hilarious that Obama included Kurt Vile on his ‘best of’ 2018 music playlist – here’s ‘One Trick Ponies’ (and here’s a live version of the same).
Book previews
Speaking of our former President, I made it a reading goal for 2019 to read all of his books. At the time, I wasn’t aware that this would commit me to reading all of… two books. Still, I remain committed. My initial report on The Audacity of Hope is that it is very well written, easy to read, and a great advertisement for the author’s politics.
Despite myself, I’m also enjoying former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson’s autobiography, Managing My Life – it’s already among the best sports books I’ve ever read, and I’m just halfway through. Of course, maybe I’m enjoying it because I’m at the part where United are losing a lot…
Food news
Jury duty in Chelsea gave me a chance to see Ciao’s, a little pizza spot directly across from the courthouse. Again, recency bias alert, but I’d say it was the best pizza I’ve ever had (the awards certainly got it right, at least).
Ciao’s was a friend’s recommendation, and not an unbiased one given his artwork that hangs in the place. His artwork generally repurposes old street signs with his unique perspective on the world. This is my favorite piece (and you can check out some more of his work here).
I had some fun with this BBC link ranking the top 100 foods (somehow, Ciao’s missed the cut). Unsurprisingly, it’s had no impact in terms of my food decisions – I’m still sticking with foods that moved or grew – but I suppose it can’t hurt to know that pork fat cracks the top ten.
Wait… jury duty?
I think everyone has a completely nonsensical trick for getting out of jury duty – one doomed to work until the day it doesn’t – and I put my own theory to the test this month. Here it is: delay service until a Thursday before a Monday holiday. My logic is that no one will be interested in starting a lengthy case before a long weekend and therefore I’m more likely to get a one-day assignment.
Do I know for sure this works? Of course not, but it worked this time.
Ciao, jury duty, for at least three more years, and ciao to you as well, reader, until tomorrow – we’ll be back to wrap up a couple loose ends from January.
