Taking Stock is a monthly account of what I was up to and delicious recommendations for your binge. It was inspired by Pip whose draft you can use to come up with your own list.
My least productive, most stressful month ended on a high that left me wondering what’s really going on with me? Anyway as I labour to figure that out, let’s take stock!
Watch Lists
Easy – as far as episodic anthologies go, Easy caters to a specific audience that I’m firmly grounded in (limited attention span). For this final run, I liked some episodes and loved others more. The one where they tackle open marriages particularly reminded me of the messy ProJared situation. Especially since both ladies at some point wanted out of the open approach but their partners failed to honour that and instead went about romanticizing the idea of it and got consumed by it. When something grows beyond what you could’ve possibly imagined, the bar scene happens.
That 20-minute long bar scene on Episode 5 will go down as one of the most raw and authentic relationship dialogues I have watched on TV. I paused to take it all in. There’s no way that scene was scripted and Easy always delivers with improvised scenes. From my research, of course, polyamory and open relationships are not your mate particularly if you don’t value total transparency, total consideration or mutual respect. It can go through drastic and painful shifts (similar to monogamous relationships)
DeWanda Wise who plays Nola Darling on She’s gotta have it gave narration to a similar story on the Modern Love Podcast of a newly-wed couple who share a partnership that thrives in polyamory and a common fear of how having kids will alter this arrangement.
Nola herself is no stranger to Polyamory. In fact, the first season of She’s gotta have it featured her romantic conquests as its central offering. I felt that in her well displayed liberation, she occasionally came off as groundlessly entitled and self serving in her relationships. The 2nd season hasn’t been well received by the public. I’ll spare time over the weekend to watch what Spike Lee has gotten himself into.
The Good Fight – this is one of those shows I was literally dragged out of bed to watch lol. Then ended up liking it more than the recommender. I have a love-hate relationship with cliff hangers so that’s another year of speculation and waiting.
PS. I’m looking for new shows to watch next month to replace the ones that ended. Any suggestions are welcomed.
Web Finds
Linkedin has a collection of learning resources and courses that I really liked on the free trial. Every possible topic is well covered. You can check them out if you are into online courses and certifications.
Jay Shetty is my current lifesaver. I’m trying out a new way of reading non-fiction that doesn’t involve reading cover to cover. I mentioned that my 2019 reading challenge included not piling any more books to my unread shelf. Well, that number quadrupled and from reviews, the books I added are a must read so that means creating more time. Which I don’t have. When I came across this hack I had to adopt it immediately. I have finished two non-fiction books in a week which is a major accomplishment for me, as I’ve gotten a lot more out of it and promptly applying some of the knowledge acquired.
Blog Pick – BookFinds is for anyone who appreciates a solid book review or an interview with the authors.
Listens
My listens this month had revolved around storytelling when I was doing a piece on Narrative Podcasting. A break from that was what I needed.
Ringer Podcasts – The guys at Ringer Podcast Network are good at what they do. When you make over $15 million in podcast revenue in 2018, you are doing something right. I listen to Recappables for my favourite TV show reviews, Channel 33 for pop culture commentary and media landscape, House of Carbs for the culinary experience.
The Read – I caught up with all the episodes from the last 2 months. Crissles and Kid Fury are as natural as it gets. They never take themselves seriously, it’s just humour throughout and lots of admiration for each other.
Chat 10 Looks 3 – the hosts Annabel Crabb and Leigh Sales talk about the stuff they’ve watched, listened to, read and got inspired by. WHICH IS… the kind of web finds I’m into.
Music – Ellie Goulding Classics
Woman Tag
Susan Forward – Her books are therapeutic in every sense of it. She is an author, therapist, lecturer and Tv host and she distributes her wealth of experience towards every medium her work has been displayed.
Website – Susan Forward
Books – Betrayal of Innocence, Emotional Blackmail, Toxic Parents
Probably Pocket
The Gentle Art of Saying No – No is a complete sentence people. Do not be shackled by the needless guilt that may appear when saying No to things and people. Defend your boundaries against life’s many intrusions and distractions and say yes to what matters most to you. I know this is usually at surface level but I’ve lived through this especially this year and the peace that manifests… comforting.
Esquire’s Editor Is Out in Reshuffling at Hearst Magazines – this editor left Esquire in style and in typical NYT fashion, hyperbole was published.
Long Read – Becoming Family
r/Showerthoughts
I take issue with the rather encouraging “You are not alone” trope because as comforting as it sounds to hear, see and know that you are not alone in your struggle, it doesn’t take away from the actual struggle. You still have to deal with it beyond the words “I relate” in your own way. You might pick up tips and solutions here and there. But once you sit down with yourself to tackle that which you are going through, you realize that the problem is still there. And that you are indeed, still alone.
Book Tag
Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World – Gary Vaynerchuk
I have read quite a number of books this month but what stood out was this one. It was also a recommendation from another podcast, The Creative Pep Talk. Gary V is a master of social media tactics/strategy. His method of delivering the message with boxing analogies might be is off-putting but some of his concepts are timeless. It’s easy to digest and his predictions on social media landscape (the book was originally written in 2013) have been spot on for the most part.
I’m getting sick of that Gary V guy. His certainty is grating.
— Ur Mom (@k8salmon) May 28, 2019
Many Love: A Memoir of Polyamory and Finding Love(s) – Sophie Lucido Johnson
In case you haven’t figured it out yet, my curiosity for poly narratives has doubled up. So I’m looking for this book to learn more and avoid speaking about non-monogamous relationships from a comfortable distance.
Sophie, by the way, was the guest whose story was shared on the Modern Love Podcast.
Parenting Pages
It frustrates me to know that when Mandla joins school in a few, I shall be issuing daily rants on the failing/ed education system in Kenya. I am reading up on the dangers of CBC and we might well be doomed. We are guided by dictatorship and our obedience to everything this administration orders will be detrimental to our kids’ future.
Creative Endeavour
I posted this on my IG stories and got many good wishes for my new venture. Well, it’s not – yet. I have picked an interest in the production process but much respect to anyone podcasting. My patience levels have been tested severely.
Pinned
I miss home projects, and I want this now!
Entry
Remember how I was excited to leave Evernote last year and settled for OneNote? I am ashamed to report that I went back. In hindsight, the switch made no sense. Whom do I talk to at Trello to integrate a note-taking system that has notebooks complete with toolbars? That’s all I ask from my favourite app.
Exit
No guesses here.
We'll miss you! 😞 Is there anything I can improve on?
— Microsoft OneNote (@msonenote) May 21, 2019
I’m also putting up Mandla’s barely used items such as stroller, crib, car seat for sale as if I have no plans for baby number 2. Do I in this economy? We shall revisit.
