We’re in the back nine of Summer, somewhere near the 11th hole — that’s if my math is correct — and why not finish strong? Here’s what I’m Watching, Reading, Listening to, and Rediscovering this week. First, though, the Subscribe button…
Watching: Living Big in a Tiny House
I have a new obsession: seeing how “the other half lives,” provided that other half is into minimalism. In other words, the “tiny house” movement is all sorts of cool — and works with a variety of lifestyles, from those who want to go green to those who are just looking to downsize to those who need to go off the grid — and nobody seems to have tapped into the zeitgeist as well as Bryce Langston, host of Living Big in a Tiny House.
As a show host and interviewer, Bryce does an outstanding job; even the small quirks like beginning each show with a discussion outside the property, followed by his asking permission to “take a look inside” before the host invites him in. It’s a fun way to spend 20 minutes. I’ll share three videos below.
First up, a Canadian couple in Auckland, New Zealand stretches the definition of “tiny” just a bit; most tiny homes are on top of trailers — so they’re like mobile homes — and this one has three units on top of three trailers. Still, fun to watch.
Beyond the typical “tiny house,” this next design — in New South Wales, Australia — was small-ish, but a “shed house;” and the couple that put it all together has that eclectic vibe that will get you thinking pretty creatively. (The ceiling? Recycled chicken coop.)
Finally, we’re on Australia’s West Coast, in Perth, and…Oh. My. Goodness. Talk about maximizing a small space.
Reading: The Revenge of Geography by Robert D. Kaplan
One of my Twitter mutuals — y’all can call it X if you want, but it’ll always be Twitter to me — decided to recommend this book earlier this week and I rushed to purchase it.
So far, it has not disappointed. The author of The Revenge of Geography, Robert D. Kaplan, has an amazingly prolific background; I lost track of how many books he has written.
Tom Sauer’s tweet above sums up the book’s premise quite well: “Physical geography impacts people, nations, wars, and history far more than most people are willing to admit.”
Listening to: Some Really Cool Instrumental Songs
We’re gonna go in chronological order here, with three songs that are…well…from three completely different genres.
First up, 1978. Giorgio Moroder was dubbed “The Father of Disco,” and this song was part of the soundtrack to the movie Midnight Express; it also happened to figure promiently in Notre Dame football highlights for what seemed like every Fall weekend on the coaches show between 1978 and maybe 1984.
Next up, The XX, with “Intro.” The band formed in 2005, released this song in 2010, and can best be described as an eclectic electronic outfit. (Yes, there’s a little background “ah” and “oh” stuff happening. Still, mostly instrumental.)
Finally, Sound City was a Dave Grohl documentary project in 2013. Grohl (on drums) got together with Josh Homme (on bass) and Trent Reznor (keyboards) for a song called “Mantra;” The instrumental version of this song was so well-cemented as awesome in my mind that I refused to listen to the other version, with vocals, that followed it. Nor will I share that here. Find it on your own time.
(Here’s a screenshot of the sound engineer, at the 5:10 mark of the video, who cannot believe his good fortune.)
Rediscovering: Newhart, S7, E14, ‘The Nice Man Cometh’
An absolute classic. Bob Newhart gets one of his best friends, Don Rickles, to guest star as Don Prince, an aging TV host who used to have a hit show called It’s Always Moishe. When the bosses at the TV station see the response to Don insulting Bob’s character, they want more.
This 1989 episode, from the penultimate season of Newhart, also includes Ed McMahon as a special guest star.
Peak late-80s sitcom excellence.
Finally: Why Not? Here’s One Last Tiny House…But It’s A Grain Silo!
Couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share this one: a farm in Australia (also in New South Wales) that took a grain silo and reconfigured it as an AirBNB.
Make it a great weekend, and a great week ahead. See you next Saturday!
Dave