Oh, this whole piece is so lyrical. My favorite so far, I think.... Oleg, you are making me covet a personal substack even though the one I already have is high-maintenance already...
Let's go to the live music thing. Reading it reminded me of my lack of interest in book stores and pesto, two things that virtually everyone else in my life seems to worship at the altar of. Neither of them do much for me -- putting aside the mysteries of the appeal of pesto, I walk into a bookstore feeling like I ought to be excited but I'm at a loss for what I'd actually look at there. So I wander around, poke at a few things, check out the music section (which never has anything I don't already have) and, most of all, feel awkward for leaving without buying anything, like I've somehow betrayed the Sacred Order of the Scribe. Perhaps it's because I write, but I don't think of myself as a writer and I don't read the kinds of books that are generally featured in bookshops.
All of this is a long way of saying, it is odd not to connect with something that our culture (or at least our subculture) assumes we connect with.
I do enjoy live music, but what I don't enjoy is the experience of having to go out at that time of night, when all I want to do is curl up with the fire with some vinyl on the turntable and write and, yes, read, and contemplate. I'm not good at collective ritual after dark, and that's when most live music happens.
Speaking of which, re: sleep -- I continue to be fascinated with the mounting evidence that we are not meant to sleep the full eight hour stretch, that this is an invention of the industrial age. I think you and I have maybe talked about "second sleep" and how that seems to be our natural condition. I keep trying, because I'd love to have those precious hours in the middle of the night (see prior conversation about sacred night time rituals), but it's an ongoing process. There's an article about it here (and a book too that I'm now not finding...) https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220107-the-lost-medieval-habit-of-biphasic-sleep
A few more things...
I'm pleased you passed muster with the 3-legged chihauhua.
"Everyone should be a celebrity for a day, but not more than a week." -- I love this line so very much, I just had to call it out. Move over, Andy Warhol.
“Life is good when you’re Oleg Kagan.” -- it sure is, and thank you for sharing it with us so eloquently
I enjoyed that article on bi-phasic sleep and I guess it doesn't seem so surprising. These days, many people are awake until the hours of the "watch" (12-1:30 or so) so they essentially eschew the first sleep for a longer (or similar second sleep), meaning that the total number of hours most people sleep has now lessened. The point regarding artificial lighting was illuminating -- as an experiment years ago, Ashley and I didn't use electricity in the dark for a few days (using only candles for light). I actually found it comforting, somehow, knowing that I was living in cycle with the natural daily rhythm. We went to sleep earlier on those days and I recall sleeping very well (though we didn't get up for the watch). LIfe intervened and we didn't keep doing it, but I'd like to try it again someday. Of course, when you're by yourself you have more agency to try those sorts of experiments. I recommend it.
I'm pleased that you enjoyed the rest of the issue! I can't tell which are the better ones since to me, they're all just an ongoing unspooling of thoughts. Feel free to steal my quotes. :o)
p.s. - I absolve you of any negative feelings connected to (not) visiting bookstores. The Sacred Order of the Scribe will exact it's tribute from you in other ways. Though, relatedly, I am curious what type of books are "...are generally featured in bookshops"? I didn't know there was a specific type.
I'll resist the temptation to get on my Speaker's Corner soap box about the health dangers of blue light, and simply say I eliminated blue light after sunset completely years ago and it's made all the difference. (and not wanting to expose myself to it is directly related to my not wanting to go out after dark to listen to live music...)
Bookstores...
I do a bit better in the larger ones, than the smaller ones, but all bookstores are now dependent on walk-in traffic and impulse purchases to stay in business. Ergo, they tend to carry
1. only the newest books, and for me, date of publication isn't really relevant given there are so many I haven't read in my areas of interest that were published in years past.
2. novels, which I don't read.
3. gift books, which I don't buy
4. kid's books, which I don't buy since I don't have kids and don't buy gifts for friends who have kids
5. crunchy granola political books about Politicallly Correct things, which no. just... no.
6. Coffee table books. I have no coffee table.
Hence, there is nothing there I require or desire.
You need to go to used bookstores with a high burial score. Those kind of shops tend not to litter themselves with the items you mentioned, which, for the record, I'm not interested in either.
This was all so engaging! And I was so happy to see the painting at the end--it brought back very happy memories of standing in front of it and enjoying it with people I love in Barcelona.
Thank you! That painting seemed like the ideal one to end this issue. I know I've thought about using other Miró paintings in other issues, but they didn't seem exactly right.
I love the morning prayer and description of the coffee shop and bookstore, Oleg
Thanks, Melinda. I appreciate you reading.
Oh, this whole piece is so lyrical. My favorite so far, I think.... Oleg, you are making me covet a personal substack even though the one I already have is high-maintenance already...
Let's go to the live music thing. Reading it reminded me of my lack of interest in book stores and pesto, two things that virtually everyone else in my life seems to worship at the altar of. Neither of them do much for me -- putting aside the mysteries of the appeal of pesto, I walk into a bookstore feeling like I ought to be excited but I'm at a loss for what I'd actually look at there. So I wander around, poke at a few things, check out the music section (which never has anything I don't already have) and, most of all, feel awkward for leaving without buying anything, like I've somehow betrayed the Sacred Order of the Scribe. Perhaps it's because I write, but I don't think of myself as a writer and I don't read the kinds of books that are generally featured in bookshops.
All of this is a long way of saying, it is odd not to connect with something that our culture (or at least our subculture) assumes we connect with.
I do enjoy live music, but what I don't enjoy is the experience of having to go out at that time of night, when all I want to do is curl up with the fire with some vinyl on the turntable and write and, yes, read, and contemplate. I'm not good at collective ritual after dark, and that's when most live music happens.
Speaking of which, re: sleep -- I continue to be fascinated with the mounting evidence that we are not meant to sleep the full eight hour stretch, that this is an invention of the industrial age. I think you and I have maybe talked about "second sleep" and how that seems to be our natural condition. I keep trying, because I'd love to have those precious hours in the middle of the night (see prior conversation about sacred night time rituals), but it's an ongoing process. There's an article about it here (and a book too that I'm now not finding...) https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220107-the-lost-medieval-habit-of-biphasic-sleep
A few more things...
I'm pleased you passed muster with the 3-legged chihauhua.
"Everyone should be a celebrity for a day, but not more than a week." -- I love this line so very much, I just had to call it out. Move over, Andy Warhol.
“Life is good when you’re Oleg Kagan.” -- it sure is, and thank you for sharing it with us so eloquently
I enjoyed that article on bi-phasic sleep and I guess it doesn't seem so surprising. These days, many people are awake until the hours of the "watch" (12-1:30 or so) so they essentially eschew the first sleep for a longer (or similar second sleep), meaning that the total number of hours most people sleep has now lessened. The point regarding artificial lighting was illuminating -- as an experiment years ago, Ashley and I didn't use electricity in the dark for a few days (using only candles for light). I actually found it comforting, somehow, knowing that I was living in cycle with the natural daily rhythm. We went to sleep earlier on those days and I recall sleeping very well (though we didn't get up for the watch). LIfe intervened and we didn't keep doing it, but I'd like to try it again someday. Of course, when you're by yourself you have more agency to try those sorts of experiments. I recommend it.
I'm pleased that you enjoyed the rest of the issue! I can't tell which are the better ones since to me, they're all just an ongoing unspooling of thoughts. Feel free to steal my quotes. :o)
p.s. - I absolve you of any negative feelings connected to (not) visiting bookstores. The Sacred Order of the Scribe will exact it's tribute from you in other ways. Though, relatedly, I am curious what type of books are "...are generally featured in bookshops"? I didn't know there was a specific type.
I'll resist the temptation to get on my Speaker's Corner soap box about the health dangers of blue light, and simply say I eliminated blue light after sunset completely years ago and it's made all the difference. (and not wanting to expose myself to it is directly related to my not wanting to go out after dark to listen to live music...)
Bookstores...
I do a bit better in the larger ones, than the smaller ones, but all bookstores are now dependent on walk-in traffic and impulse purchases to stay in business. Ergo, they tend to carry
1. only the newest books, and for me, date of publication isn't really relevant given there are so many I haven't read in my areas of interest that were published in years past.
2. novels, which I don't read.
3. gift books, which I don't buy
4. kid's books, which I don't buy since I don't have kids and don't buy gifts for friends who have kids
5. crunchy granola political books about Politicallly Correct things, which no. just... no.
6. Coffee table books. I have no coffee table.
Hence, there is nothing there I require or desire.
You need to go to used bookstores with a high burial score. Those kind of shops tend not to litter themselves with the items you mentioned, which, for the record, I'm not interested in either.
You're right of course. But those, at least outside of major metropolitan areas, are in scarce supply these days.
This was all so engaging! And I was so happy to see the painting at the end--it brought back very happy memories of standing in front of it and enjoying it with people I love in Barcelona.
Thank you! That painting seemed like the ideal one to end this issue. I know I've thought about using other Miró paintings in other issues, but they didn't seem exactly right.