Week 3, this must be the dip week. Things are going to feel really tough before they get better and I'm going to have to grind it out now. How long does the grind last? 10 - 15 years? 1 week?!
What I'm Reading:
Altered Traits was a great read. As someone passionate about mindfulness and meditation and who has seen the benefits personally this book provided insight I'd never even considered before. A lot of hype can be made about the benefits based on all of these different studies however this book takes all of those studies and explains which ones are realistic and which ones aren't. It also provides insight into the types of meditation and their impact on the brain. Definitely worth a read if you are a mindfulness/meditation junky like myself or if you have been skeptical and want to read a book that truly lays out the science. The story about the yogi brain scan results will blow your mind!
If you haven't checked out The Arete Mind be sure to check it out this week as there is a full write up on this book and some thoughts about meditation
This book is fascinating and like many of the other essay style books I've loved so far. If I were to classify it I'd say a philosophical, scientific memoir of sorts. Covering topics that all weave in and around the idea of trails that we come across in our lives. Robert Moor has done a really great job of crafting a compelling set of essays put together in a cohesive manner that extends from early civilization to now. From the way ants form trails to sheep herding to our highway system. All based on the idea of trails being formed; something we don't often consider in our day to day lives but nonetheless critical for our humanity.
What I'm Drinking:
Dandy Brewing Company's Bright Young Things
Always bringing the good small batch beers, this one is no different. A seasonal English Summer Ale meant to keep you cool on a hot summer's day. It's been hot around these parts as of late; this one went down smooth. A nice dry ale with a bitterness that comes across as a mild sour perhaps. Fruity and well balanced. It reminds me of a very subtle sour beer but not quite there with some clean citrus flavours.
Check out Dandy's rotation of beers: Dandy Brewing Company
Innis & Gunn's Latitude & Longitude: 001 Raspberry Barrel Aged Saison
This was actually a pleasant surprise. I'd read poor things about this beer (not enough raspberry flavour being one of the biggest complaints) but I found the pairing of barrel aged and raspberry to be quite nice. The balance was spot on
with some nice sharpness in there too. Poured a nice and bright orange as well with a subtle raspberry flavour coming to the nose. Good beer to try out for sure! Getting this in your hand also feels special because it comes in a nice box as well!
Check out more details over at the Innis & Gunn Page
Beau's Blood Simple
This was a refreshing treat. Peruvian cacao beans and California blood oranges are both infused into this Witbier. I thought it had the smell of a PB&J sandwich when I first opened it. Has a great summer taste to it and a nice wheat undertone to really balance out the flavour. Not overpowering in any measure. A fitting summer beer as the temperature here drops and fall is now being felt. I'm not sure we will return to the summer highs at this point! Beer will be my escape.
Check out more over at Beau's site!
What I'm Listening To:
This book serves up an important message that seems to get lost in the shuffle of our advancing technology and seemingly busier lives. Before our eyes we have watched companies such as Google, Facebook and Amazon grow into monopolies of the highest order and this book's premise is based on how the information we receive is slowly becoming filtered into these narrow bands of information. A fascinating and thought provoking look at the influences these companies now have on our minds.
If the prologue to this one doesn't scare the shit out of you then you need to go back and revisit all of the artificial intelligence non-fiction books you can. Wow; I could feel the anxiety creeping up on this one because there is a sense of truth and reality behind this innocuous story that Max lays out. This could easily be placed on the shelf of a science fiction section with so many scenarios considered and discussed. Really enjoyed the thinking associated with this one. As I write this I'm thinking about how there is enough power in quarks, when combined, to create a Big Bang type energy. It's not even artificial intelligence related and my mind is still blown. Science.
Random Thoughts:
Random Shoutout:
Today's random shoutout goes to Ellison (aka @bookbully) over on Instagram! Always providing some interesting reading ideas she is also one of four co-hosts on the AMR podcast! Very cool and thanks for following along! Go give her a follow over at Instagram and check out her podcast!
A Quote:
Herbert Simon, Nobel laureate, and a pioneer in many of today's scientific fields had the following to say about information:
"What information consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention, and a need to allocate that attention efficiently among the overabundance of information sources that might consume it."
It's not lost on me the time it takes to read these posts and follow along so I appreciate your attention truly. That's why I'm always interested in how to make things better and improve. Your input can help turn this blog into something great.
Final Thoughts:
When I started this post earlier this week it was 28 degrees celsius. As I close this post it was 3 degrees celsius. Started writing in the summer and finished in the fall. That's an odd thought.
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