Odds & Ends: May 17, 2024

Nuobell Adjustable Dumbbells by SMRTFT. I tried out several sets of dumbbells last spring to find the one that worked best. Nuobell was the winner. One year later, they're still my favorite dumbbells. The dumbbells are expensive, but they're worth it for the convenience factor. To adjust the weight you simply twist the handle. Kate and I have used them several times a day and we've never had any problems with the quality. Buy a set and begin a full body workout at your home.

Northwoods Baseball Sleep Radio This is one of the most bizarre things I have seen online in a very long time. Northwoods Baseball Sleep Radio features radio broadcasts that are full-length of fake baseball matches. All the games that Wally McCarthy calls (look at his profile picture; he's serious) are entirely made up. The episodes sound just like a baseball broadcast on AM/FM radio. The combination of Wally's play-by-play comments and the low din created by the crowd, combined with slight radio static, can be a very relaxing experience.

The majority of people's musical taste is fixed. Adam Singer highlights Spotify's research that found our musical tastes tend to solidify between the age of 13 and 16 years old. We stop looking for new artists after that. Adam argues that getting stuck in your musical routine can lead to you missing out on some great artists. To find new artists, you need to be open-minded and have patience. Spotify's algorithm is a good start, but only shows you music that's similar to your favorites. You can ask your friends to recommend bands that you may not have heard of otherwise. Kate's ability to find new music and have opinions on how to create the soundtrack to your life, even as we age, is something I admire.

The Transparency Society Byung-Hul C., a German-South Korean philosopher. He is a very interesting cat. He writes about life in our fast-paced, technologically-driven society. It's hard to understand his prose at times, but I find it fascinating. He doesn't give interviews and protects his privacy. The Transparency Society is a book I've thought a lot of. Chan criticizes the modern obsession and drive for transparency. We tend to think that more transparency can be good for reducing corruption and other issues. Transparency can also be used as a tool to control and monitor people. He also claims that transparency removes the need to trust in a relation since you can simply follow your child with an AirTag, and not have any faith that they will do and go where that they promised. Secrets have power.

Quote of the week

Tell me about your relationship to pain and I'll tell you who you really are!

--Ernst Junger

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