Downfall: The Case Against Boeing. Boeing has been in the news for all the wrong reasons lately. How did a once venerated American company begin to show so many literal and metaphorical cracks? This interesting and disturbing Netflix documentary examines the issues that led to the crashes of two Boeing 737 MAX jets and which some have said have yet to be resolved. Pairs well with this interview of a former senior manager at Boeing on why he still won’t fly on a 737 MAX.
The National Parks. I just recently discovered this band, though they’ve been around for a decade now. Formed in Utah, The National Parks is an indie folk band that makes music in the venerable “stop clap hey” genre. I’m a sucker for any band with both male and female vocals, and if you throw in a fiddle and violin, that’s even better. Despite the name, the band doesn’t make music exclusively about the great outdoors, though they do have a higher-than-average number of references to nature in their songs. Which is great; the world could use more music with references to the Tetons.
Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life by Winifred Gallagher. I read this book several years ago and still think about insights I gleaned from it. The biggest takeaway: “Who you are, what you think, feel, and do, what you love—is the sum of what you focus on.” Gallagher takes you through the science of attention and focus and provides research-backed suggestions on how to better manage yours so you can live the life you want.
Worry Coin from J.L. Lawson. I like to carry around totems in my pockets. Little trinkets I can touch to remind me of things. J.L. Lawson makes some pretty dang cool totems. One that I’ve carried around for a few years is their worry coin. It has this saying engraved on it: “Worrying is like paying a debt you don’t owe.” A good reminder for an inveterate worrier like me.
Quote of the Week
“No man is free who is not master of himself.”
—Epictetus
