Weeknotes 2022 #3

The working week began with kicking off a new client project at Clearleft. It’s my first time working with Rhian and we also have Dylan joining us for the next 7 weeks. We‘ve been working at full throttle these past 5 days learning about the glacially slow world of publishing. So as an antidote to the fast-paced week, I’ve been loitering amongst some slow activities and content to help unwind and decompress.

Rewind a couple of days to last weekend. Shortly after writing notes from week 2 I spent a good few hours meticulously making a sushi feast for my family. Salmon sashimi, salmon maki rolls with crispy salmon skin, miso mushroom maki rolls, grilled leek with miso. I enjoy making it as much as I do eating it.

Continuing on the topic of food, we’ve been enjoying some fermented food stuffs about the house. Homemade sourdough bread, Kimchi (it now goes with everything). Last year I attempted to cultivate a ginger bug but failed. I’m hoping for more success this year.

The week has been rounding off by watching the new BBC documentary Green Planet. Aside from the natural wonders, part of the enjoyment is the behind the scenes feature at the end. This week showed how the crew have been using complex equipment and rigs for awe-inspiring time-lapse photography.

Brian Suda has been the source of a fantastic array of content this week. After reading about my planned trip to Japan 2023 he sent over an exhaustive list of places of interest. They’re making for some highly enjoyable reading and some exciting plans. Thanks Brian!

Brian also shared some long duration travel videos via Twitter including a ~10 hr Norwegian Arctic Circle train journey, the perfect antidote to quarantine apparently.

This reminded me of Seán Doran’s Moon films I and II created from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) Kaguya Orbiter archive. Clocking in at around 4 hrs each, the films are a soporific slow-motion delight.

The Longing is the game equivalent of slow-tv. A unique point a click adventure where the objective is to wait 400 days, in realtime, for your king to awaken. It currently has 25% off in the Steam store.

Satisfying my son’s curiosity about the animation process, I showed him Don Hertzfeldt’s Watching The Grass Grow. An extraordinary window into the dedication of Don’s hand-drawn animation and bitter sweet storytelling. If you don’t have the full 12 mins to watch Everything Will Be Okay in it’s entirety, watch the first 2 mins, it’s brilliant!

Sinking further into the Youtube hole, I’ve been zoning out to Japan 4K’s Japan Walk 24/7, leisurely enjoying the brightly lit sights and sounds of our soon-to-be holiday destination.

Putting the sort element of the 5S method into practice, I rediscovered my copy of Earth’s The Bees Made Honey In The Lion's Skull. I first saw them as a support act at an Autechre gig, playing late into the evening before the headline. Weird night. Great album.

I also found a copy of Alvin Lucier’s I am Sitting In A Room from my art school days. The piece involves Alvin recording a narration of text, playing it back into the room over loudspeaker and recording the result. This continues for 45 mins until the sound becomes utterly unrecognisable.

I’ve been back on the bike riding into the office the long way. Enjoying the early spoils of the South Downs, and grinning smugly at people stuck in traffic.

This week in pictures.