New Fiction, Hot TV, & Freezing in the Dark
Plus: Austin City Limits, The War on Drugs, and the four movements.
This has been a hectic two weeks, with my city suffering through a weather emergency. Still, lots to read and watch. Just make sure your devices are charged.
Reading
Trust by Hernan Diaz
Instead of New Year’s Resolutions, what I do is look at the year-end lists of best books and get amped to read a bunch of them. Usually, that mean’s only one or two, but maybe this year will be different!
At first I thought Trust had won the 2022 Booker Prize (Britain’s top award), but instead it was “only” longlisted, not even shortlisted. Still, if it had won, it wouldn’t have surprised me.
The structure of this novel is, well, novel. It revolves around a gilded-age financial magnate, his rise to riches, and his tragic marriage to sickly woman. Actually, it’s more about her. The book is broken into four sections. The first is a novel (novella?) in and of itself. The second starts off in a confusing way, telling a similar story but with different names. It turns out to be the “real” story from the man himself, but much less dramatic. Part three is told from the perspective of a secretary turned writer who helps him write part two! It’s layers upon layers. Part four concerns the wife, but I haven’t read that yet, so more surprises to come.
Watching
The Last of Us - HBO Max
The latest must-watch series is here, and it exceeds at least my expectations for it. Touted as an important video game-to-television project, The Last of Us stands on its own. With any such undertaking, you’d expect lots of plot lines that lead the characters into a situation where they have to fight their way out. While that certainly happens, the character development exceeds that visceral excitement from the beginning. Episode 3 has been getting lots of hype, and rightly so. This bottle episode would be worth watching on its own, even for those not invested in the entire show.
Oh, and the series starts off in Austin (though filmed in Canada) to capitalize on the current hotness. Don’t they know ice is our jam?
Women Talking
Awards season is upon us, and Women Talking will surely be in the mix. Set in a secluded religious community, a decision must be made by the women of the group on whether or not to leave when faced with abuse and assault. The cast is just phenomenal, but Claire Foy still stands out. She gives voice to a measured rage that’s haunting.
While most religious movies fall short in actually navigating the contours of faith, Women Talking is a sermon we all need to hear, as ideas of forgiveness, place, and belonging are all explored. It moved me both emotionally and theologically.
Listening
The War on Drugs - ACL Taping
Late last year I was fortunate to go to the taping of The War on Drugs1 performance at Austin City Limits. I even took my now-teen daughter who loved it so much she wanted the concert tee! Well, the episode has finally aired, and it’s great. It has “the new stuff” which is still pretty good stuff.
By the way, The War on Drugs is responsible for one of the best uses of music in a television show. The final montage of the season one finale of Halt and Catch Fire happens with “Red Eyes” playing throughout. It’s magical.
Moving
The Basics
Want to know if your workout is sound? Use this rubric: Does it include at least one push, pull, hinge, and squat? It can get more complicated than that but it doesn’t have to. Here’s a basic beginner example.
Push: Push up. That was easy? (Overhead press would work here, too.)
Pull: TRX row. Pulls are sometimes the most difficult to program because the best of them can be hard, like a chin up. A basic row with a TRX or rings is great.
Hinge: Bridge. Going super simple here. On your back, feet on the ground, then pelvis to the sky. Eventually, move to a kettlebell swing or some kind of deadlift.
Squat: Goblet squat. This is actually easier than a bodyweight squat. Grab something a little heavy, and get deep. That part’s not so easy!
Living (in Austin)
I woke up with the power out,
Not really something to shout about.
Ice has covered up my parents hands,
Don't have any dreams don't have any plans.
Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) – The Arcade Fire
I didn’t wake up with the power out, but I went to bed that way Wednesday. Like lots of us here in Austin, we spent days without power as the ice storms took down power line after power line. Saturday it came back, three days later. We weathered this literal storm, and moments of normalcy even took place. After spending two nights with generous relatives, we spent a semi-boring Saturday getting the kids haircuts, and going to a band instrument “test drive” for our youngest. (That was actually pretty fun.)
In the long run, the worst part is the damage the trees in this city. We lost a big one in our front yard and a beautiful one in our back. We also have an acre of greenbelt, and it looks like a war zone. Two days of chainsaw work is just the beginning for us.
What’s Next
More movies, especially ones up for awards.
Austin’s first professional tennis tournament inches closes and closer.
Check out that pic. Dude has pedals for days!