Music 🎵

It was a quiet month music-wise. Partly because there are fewer concerts, but mostly because it was too hot to be beetling about in the afternoons. I gave up on Pride: too hot, too busy, too commercial. I did enjoy the concert from the comfort of my armchair, though. Thanks to their mighty sound system, I could hear most of the Saturday line up, including Raye and Holly Johnson. I was amused by the irony that Self-Esteem appeared third on the billing.

The heat also thwarted my attempt to watch a screening of A Hard Day’s Night at Wagner Hall in Brighton. I loved the introductory interview with Samira Ahmed, but a sticky venue and a languid schedule meant I had to slither out before the film started. Still, my Beatles-obssessed partner thoroughly enjoyed herself (especially when she didn’t have to listen to me complaining). It’s a great venue for independent cinema, though, so I shall return when it’s cooler.

Although I missed my usual fix of live music, I was enthralled by For the Record: An Incomplete History of Music. Streamable through YouTube, this is a series of nine one-hour episodes, charting the history of music from the Big Bang to AI. Yes, quite the span. It’s hosted by Charlotte Ritchie and features a delightful array of musicians. Unlike many of the documentaries on TV these days, For the Record isn’t afraid to explain complicated concepts. The series is made by The Cosmic Shambles Network, who do all sorts of brilliant things both on- and offline.

I also kept myself entertained on the bass, mainly playing along with the excellent Tomplay app. And I made good progress with my piano course. I now understand suspended and 7th chords. I also no longer attack the sustain pedal like I’m trying to vanquish a cockroach 🪳

Books 📚

There were many highlights this month, including:

  • Leaving Alexandria by Richard Holloway, an exquisite memoir about faith and doubt from an agnostic former Bishop of Edinburgh.
  • What It Takes to Heal by Prentis Hemphill, an invigorating framework for healing ourselves , our relationships, and our communities.
  • The Reverse Centaur’s Guide to Life After AI by Cory Doctorow, a brilliant denunciation of all the AI bullshit we’re subjected to. I’ll be writing a proper review of this one.
  • Enshittification by Cory Doctorow, a brilliant denunciation of the broader bullshit we’re subjected to. I think this one will also get a proper review, not least because it inspired me to make some big changes.
  • I Eat the Stars by Sarah Wilson, a devastating account of what’s happening to our climate and how it’ll impact us. Although the second half is more uplifting, you’ll still be reeling from the first few chapters.

The biggest disappointment was The Gift of Not Belonging by Rami Kaminski. Apart from the outmoded views on neurodivergence, this book encourages binary thinking, hierarchies, and a sense of superiority. Exactly what we don’t need in the 21st century 😫

Work 👩🏻‍💻

My plan to take a month off quickly evaporated once an idea got stuck in my head. It’s an idea that had been pinging around for almost two years - I just needed to opportunity to dig deeper. With luck and a tailwind, the website will be live before the end of September.

Writing ✍️

A quiet month meant I had a lot more time for writing. I joined a regular afternoon writing session which gave me some much-needed accountability and encouragement. I’m poised to start working on a new book, but need to be sure it’s the right project before commiting myself to all that work. As I’m always saying to clients, writing a book is a long-term relationship: you need to be sure it’s the Right One before you invest all that time and effort.

Here’s to a cooler September 🤞