The Saturday List - November 8, 2025

What I'm Watching, Reading, Listening to, and Rediscovering

After a week’s break, we’re back.

Watching: Not One, But Two Interviews I Conducted

Well, sometimes you have to toot your own horn. Actually, you have to do so multiple times, it appears, in order to build audience. So here I am telling you about two interviews I’ve done for the podcast — I call it The Vandy Program — and both were, IMHO, pretty darn cool.

First: A couple weeks back, I spoke with “Canadian Steve,” who is one of my favorite people AND a wise sage when it comes to the Canadian political landscape and how our friends up north view those of us down here in the USA. You can watch it on YouTube.

That was October 17; so, not to be outdone, I reached out to a “Twitter Mutual,” which is what those of us who still use X call those who are mutual followers of each other.

The result was a discussion with author Jennifer Brown about her book Ginger Snapped and life in the Twin Cities.

Reading: David Ogilvy Tells You How To Write Well

In a book called “The Unpublished David Ogilvy: A selection of his writings from the files of his partners,” the ad guru shares this advice.

The better you write, the higher you go in Ogilvy & Mather. People who think well, write well.

Woolly minded people write woolly memos, woolly letters and woolly speeches.

Good writing is not a natural gift. You have to learn to write well. Here are 10 hints:

1. Read the Roman-Raphaelson book on writing. Read it three times.

2. Write the way you talk. Naturally.

3. Use short words, short sentences and short paragraphs.

4. Never use jargon words like reconceptualize, demassification, attitudinally, judgmentally. They are hallmarks of a pretentious ass.

5. Never write more than two pages on any subject.

6. Check your quotations.

7. Never send a letter or a memo on the day you write it. Read it aloud the next morning—and then edit it.

8. If it is something important, get a colleague to improve it.

9. Before you send your letter or your memo, make sure it is crystal clear what you want the recipient to do.

10. If you want ACTION, don’t write. Go and tell the guy what you want.

Listening To: The Most Relaxing Song in the World

Did you know that scientists have studied the above question, and, more than a decade ago, they declared this song, “Weightless” by Marconi Union, to be, OFFICIALLY, “The Most Relaxing Song in the World?”

It’s true. Science weighed in here; According to Science…

Rediscovering: Rax Restaurants, Mr. Delicious, And…

Well, something about a really…REALLY bad ad campaign.

People of a certain age (Read: Gen-X) and from a certain part of the world (Midwest USA) may remember Rax Restaurants. Or, maybe not. But I certainly do, and I also remember memory-holing this ad campaign. It was bad. Really bad.

You have to watch this for yourself.

Until next weekend!

(And don’t forget to subscribe and share.)