The Saturday List
What I'm Watching, Reading, Listening To, and Found Online This Week
As we continue this experiment — Which experiment? Hey, everything’s an experiment, right? — I thought it might be good to share a few things I’m watching, reading, and listening to.
We’re here. Summer. Not just Summer but The Dog Days of Summer.
And for those of us with (1) day jobs and (2) a terminally online milieu — or is it “oeuvre?” — it can be a challenge of the Extreme Home Ninja Warrior Makeover variety to avoid falling into serious ruts.
So I present yet another experiment here on Substack (and maybe elsewhere, too). I’ll highlight some things I’ve found, or rediscovered, or am watching, or listening to.
Watching: Jordan Peterson’s Interview with Scott Adams
This is absolutely excellent. Inspiring, even. Had to rewatch it because it’s that good.
(It dropped a couple weeks ago and I didn’t start it because I knew it would be good, having been a fan of both individuals for years now.)
And two messages to Scott: (1) I wish you well in your fight, and am so glad you’re still with us. (2) Dogbert’s Clues for the Clueless remains the book I laughed the most at as an adult.
Reading*: Influence by Robert B. Cialdini, Ph.D.
I had to put an asterisk up there because I am re-reading this book. Maybe for the fourth or fifth time.
Rather than spout off knowledge from the book — whose subtitle is The Psychology of Persuasion — let me just suggest that you pick it up if you want to learn about one of these “Principles of Persuasion:”
Reciprocation
Commitment and consistency
Social proof
Liking
Authority
Scarcity
Unity (which was added in the “New and Expanded” edition, published in 2021)
(As if divine intervention, I randomly opened the book to a Dilbert cartoon that was published in the book.)
Listening To: Preoccupations, ‘Ill At Ease’
I learned of this band AFTER my Songs of the Decade (So Far) post (which can be found on my Area 224 site and also here on Substack).
I was actually rather annoyed that I *hadn’t* heard of these chaps before, as I have a penchant for Canadian Alt-Rock Musical Acts:
Constantines (here’s a link to “Working Full-Time”)
Tokyo Police Club (here’s their debut appearance on Letterman)
Japandroids (here’s “The House That Heaven Built”).
You’re telling me they’ve been around for a while AND they’ve been on KEXP?
Anyway, shame on me, must study the back catalogue, but it’s time to move on.
Some commentary:
This album is called “Ill At Ease” and everything I’ve heard off of it is great. Here are a couple of the singles, save for the title track (which I’ll get to in a second):
Here’s “Focus”
Here’s “Retrograde”
The title track is, indeed, called “Ill At Ease.” I have anointed it my Song of the Year for 2025. I know it’s July. I don’t care. I will not hear a better song this year.
Found Online: Highland Superstores Ads
Highland Superstores was a regional chain, based in Detroit, that sold TVs and appliances. If you came of age in the 80s and you were somewhere in the chain’s footprint, these commercials live rent-free in your head.
Or, if you’re my daughter in her early 20s, you might throw out an occasional “Hello YOU.” From this ad. Cold War Culture was great.
Or there’s this one, one of my personal favorites.
And this one, which tries to sell a reel-to-reel tape system. What?
Until Next Time…
We’ll try this experiment again, friends. Hope you enjoy…