Outbox: October 13–16
October 13, 2014
Here’s the thing about apple-picking: for the most part, it’s not about the apples. Mostly, it’s about being outside on a fall day, admiring the colors of the leaves as they begin their slow descent from branch to ground, cuddling with a loved one as a brisk gust of wind passes by, and hunting for the perfect apple amidst the gnarled branches of the apple trees. It’s about enjoying the autumn and all it brings — and coming home with some delicious treats as well.
- The art of slowing down at a museum. The average person spends 15–30 seconds in front of a piece of artwork; I can barely make it out of one room in a museum in three hours. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.
- I’m so gruntled right now. Katie Zhu ventures into etymology and learns about back-formations.
- Consider the food writer. An excellent piece that looks at the narrowness of food writing and the lack of diversity of voice in the field.
- Previously common all through the American south, arabbers are fruit vendors that sell their wares across the city in a horse-drawn cart. These days, you can only find arabbers in Baltimore, and within a generation, even those few that still exist will be gone.
October 14, 2014
Chicken wings and ice cream and good company. Recipe for a fun night filled with laughs and a full belly, and the expectation of a morning filled with an upset stomach and residual smiles. Worth it.
- Amazing news: a digital archive plans to make almost every one of Studs Terkel interviews available for free online. You can find a few gems from the collection at this link.
- I thought I was the only person that didn’t like smores, until Anil wrote this manifesto against them.
- John Oliver rages against pumpkin-spiced everything, and I applaud loudly.
October 15, 2014
Over the past two decades, I’ve had quite a few people tell me I have a good radio voice. (I’m hoping they meant that as a compliment and not as an insult against my somewhat unseemly mug.) My voice is not a typical broadcaster’s voice: I do not have a deep resonance that most of them possess, and it lacks the gravitas of the great radio personalities we can name. My voice does, however, have a certain friendliness to it, and even when speaking quickly, I am easy to understand and I make it a point to articulate every syllable of every word. Perhaps radio is a good medium for me. Perhaps this foray into podcasting will be the first step into something more.
- My favorite chef in the world, Daniel Boulud, hosted a group of kids from P.S. 295 in Brooklyn for a seven-course meal at his restaurant, Daniel. The results are hilarious.
- I’ve never really thought about the naming of typefaces before, but it turns out there’s a method to the madness, sometimes.
- “Illmatic has not only aged like fine wine, but it is the very grape that all wines are manufactured from.” How Illmatic saved Nas.
October 16, 2014
I am convinced that there is no such thing as a good airline. Sure, I’ve had great experiences with Air Canada and Etihad and Lufthansa, but I know so many people that have had miserable experiences with them. There is, however, no question as to what my own worst airline customer service experience has been, and that was today with Korean Air. My cortisol levels are probably off the charts this afternoon, and a good chunk of my day is wasted dealing with their miserableness.
If anything, I’ve earned this vacation: everything has gone wrong today (work, life, everything else), and all the stress of just getting everything ready for the vacation is unbearable. I’m going into tomorrow feeling horrible about life, myself, and even the upcoming travel away. Once I’m on the plane, though, I’m sure all my cares will disappear, and life will settle, once again, if only for a few weeks.
