I love Anthony Hopkins. He’s from Port Talbot, just up the road from me, so I always feel a bit proud of him (though I suspect he’d hate that!). My favourite film of his is Audrey Rose, it’s stayed with me since childhood. Reading this made me want to watch it again.
I cannot ever locate your playlists on spotify. I put in your name and get some playlists, but not this most recent. The link is of no use because it takes me to a spotify that I'm not logged in to. I need to have the link on my spotify account (with my library etc.). this is driving me nuts.
Your doodles come at a great time. My 19YO and I were talking about science vs religion the other day (he’s new to big ideas, but I suits him!). He started in the camp of all or nothing, but came around to how both can exist. I’m going to show him this image to help him develop the idea.
oh man, that deviance essay really hit home. The Anxious Generation taps into the calculated risk part and my wife and I make every effort to let the kids play outside unsupervised <the horror>
I love ParaNorman! One of my favorites. I've always been a huge fan of stop motion animation ever since I was a kid watching the Rankin/Bass holiday specials. What I love about ParaNorman is the wonkiness of the production, and how Laika Studios decided not to have any straight lines.
I was reading your list of things worth sharing, with pleasure and interest as always, when I was startled to see that you were sharing me, and my work! I'm hugely honoured (having loved your books from the start, and given numerous copies to various friends in need of encouragement at assorted times). Well, I guess I have taken your advice, and, over the years, become the weird I wished to see. Glad you like seeing it too.
An old woman once told me that a teacher told her class to memorize lots of poems. So that when they were old, lying in bed unable to sleep at night, they could recite poetry to themselves. She was 90+ when she died 10 years ago.
Don’t forget to bring any books you want signed! Years ago I met RL Stine at YAllfest in Charleston. I had forgotten to bring my son’s Goosebumps books (we were there with the Girl Scouts so he hadn’t come) and I had to walk all over downtown Charleston looking for a bookstore that hadn’t sold out of them yet. Found one at the college bookstore!
WOW - flying in to Austin on Sunday morning (well, hopefully ha) and will check out the Book Festival as I'll be downtown! Thank you for posting that!!
Not totally relevant to today’s newsletter per se, but I’m thinking about creative tension today - of how to honor the wisdom of creatives that have a lifetime of experience while also trusting your instincts/goals/desires when they’re in opposition to advice you received. I think a few years ago this tension would’ve driven me up the wall, but I appreciate having your vocabulary in mind to describe it now so I can kind of watch it without spiraling!
Such a good newsletter! I could wax enthusiastic about many things but Ren and Stimpy! I named sibling kittens after them!
I love Anthony Hopkins. He’s from Port Talbot, just up the road from me, so I always feel a bit proud of him (though I suspect he’d hate that!). My favourite film of his is Audrey Rose, it’s stayed with me since childhood. Reading this made me want to watch it again.
I guess Richard Burton is also from there? And a bunch of other actors? There’s a book about it? https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/article-3634279/How-Taffia-took-Tinseltown-storm-Richard-Burton-Catherine-Zeta-Jones-Port-Talbot-home-plethora-stars.html
Yes this part of Wales seems to be quite the acting hotspot! Must be something in the water!
I cannot ever locate your playlists on spotify. I put in your name and get some playlists, but not this most recent. The link is of no use because it takes me to a spotify that I'm not logged in to. I need to have the link on my spotify account (with my library etc.). this is driving me nuts.
Might be easier to type the name of the playlist into Spotify? I dunno. If you click my playlists and just keep scrolling, you’ll find them
Try this link -- it's to Austin's profile on Spotify where you can browse all the playlists: https://open.spotify.com/user/austinkleon?si=95d7c588b1674f54
Barnes and Noble is doing their 50% off Criterion Collection sale for the rest of the month. You can get THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS on blu-ray for $20 https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dvd-the-silence-of-the-lambs-jodie-foster/3620929
Your doodles come at a great time. My 19YO and I were talking about science vs religion the other day (he’s new to big ideas, but I suits him!). He started in the camp of all or nothing, but came around to how both can exist. I’m going to show him this image to help him develop the idea.
oh man, that deviance essay really hit home. The Anxious Generation taps into the calculated risk part and my wife and I make every effort to let the kids play outside unsupervised <the horror>
Re enshittification: French has the word “emmerdement” as in “quel emmerdement.” I’m guessing it’s been part of the French lexicon since “merde.”
I love ParaNorman! One of my favorites. I've always been a huge fan of stop motion animation ever since I was a kid watching the Rankin/Bass holiday specials. What I love about ParaNorman is the wonkiness of the production, and how Laika Studios decided not to have any straight lines.
It’s great — also reminded me of the game PSYCHONAUTS
I was reading your list of things worth sharing, with pleasure and interest as always, when I was startled to see that you were sharing me, and my work! I'm hugely honoured (having loved your books from the start, and given numerous copies to various friends in need of encouragement at assorted times). Well, I guess I have taken your advice, and, over the years, become the weird I wished to see. Glad you like seeing it too.
I need to email you all my crazy notes from the podcast 😂
Oh my God, please do!
An old woman once told me that a teacher told her class to memorize lots of poems. So that when they were old, lying in bed unable to sleep at night, they could recite poetry to themselves. She was 90+ when she died 10 years ago.
It’s good advice!
It really sounds like Austin is the place to be this weekend! Those writers are on blast in our house, too!
Don’t forget to bring any books you want signed! Years ago I met RL Stine at YAllfest in Charleston. I had forgotten to bring my son’s Goosebumps books (we were there with the Girl Scouts so he hadn’t come) and I had to walk all over downtown Charleston looking for a bookstore that hadn’t sold out of them yet. Found one at the college bookstore!
WOW - flying in to Austin on Sunday morning (well, hopefully ha) and will check out the Book Festival as I'll be downtown! Thank you for posting that!!
Just walk right up congress, they’ll have it blocked off. Weather looks wild this weekend so bring layers!
Just walk right up congress, they’ll have it blocked off. Weather looks wild this weekend so bring layers!
I'm coming from VT where it was 25 this morning - Austin is going to be wonderful no matter what the temp :D
Best time of year here other than the first week of March.
Not totally relevant to today’s newsletter per se, but I’m thinking about creative tension today - of how to honor the wisdom of creatives that have a lifetime of experience while also trusting your instincts/goals/desires when they’re in opposition to advice you received. I think a few years ago this tension would’ve driven me up the wall, but I appreciate having your vocabulary in mind to describe it now so I can kind of watch it without spiraling!
The idea has helped me tremendously in such situations, so I’m very happy to read this!