Get beyond worry
Greetings
It is that time of the year when it feels like I am falling behind on everything, especially the things I do for entertainment, like reading - I am six books behind on my reading target for the year on Goodreads. Work usually picks up while energy and focus levels falter. I have to keep reminding myself of what has become my mantra, over the last few years: Focus on what’s right in front of you.
Worrying about the future means splitting energy which could be better used to tackle the present. Or as Marcus Aurelius wrote in Meditations, “Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.”
Anyway, here are seven things I thought were worth sharing.
I came across Rocumentaries in the Recommendo newsletter. Such a simple but dope idea: a site with curated lists of interesting documentaries with links to the platforms where you can stream them. It is a great way to get a sense of what is out there. One of the current top pick is The Deepest Breath about free diving and one woman’s quest to break the free diving world record. It is engaging, inspiring and tragic as well. A definite watch even if you aren’t interested in free diving specifically.
I really enjoyed Mason Currey’s book Daily Rituals which documents the routines and working habits of a cross-section of writers, composers, poets, artists and the like. I have been following his musings on writing and creativity on his newsletter for a while now. Making art is like setting a trap really resonated.
The African Podcast and Voice Awards 2023 took place on September 23rd and the livestream is available on their YouTube channel HERE. I was invited to participate in a Discussant Interview to share my thoughts on how I navigate different mediums and disciplines under the creativity banner.
I have written non-fiction most of my life. The closest I have come to fiction is poetry. Fiction scares me, a bit, but, since Listen To Your Footsteps was published, I have been contemplating trying my hand at fiction. Still toying with the idea of doing a poetry/short story book. Just over a year ago, Rémy Ngamije, who was a guest on my podcast in the early days, asked me if I would consider submitting something to Doek!, the literary magazine he co-founded. II had the option of fiction or non-fiction and decided to steep out of my comfort zone. The end result is The Hermit. The first and only short story I have ever written.
Haven’t listened to much in terms of podcasts lately but my most recent was bingeing on season 2 of The Midnight Miracle featuring Dave Chappelle, yasiiin bey and Talib Kweli. I enjoy the conversations but I am intrigued by how the podcast is produced and edited. One can tell a lot of post-production work goes into it.
Another Substack newsletter I recently started following is Noted by Jillian Hess simply on the basis of this post:
I have a tentative relationship with sleep. For a long time, I bought into the idea of ‘we grind hard’ and tended to do my best writing during the witching hour, basically after midnight until 02:00/03:00. As I have grown older, limited sleep has impacted adversely on my body and my mind. Doing an all-nighter brings with back, neck and shoulder pain and it often takes me a couple of days - if I get decent sleep in that time - to recover. Plus I can only sleep in on weekends because I have children who need to be driven to school in the mornings. I have spent the last couple of years trying to improve my sleeping habit and routine. I still have a long way to go. I did finally pick up a copy of Matthew Walker’s book Why We Sleep and I am working through his Masterclass. Here’s too naps and snoozes explores our attitude towards sleep, in particular communal sleeping. A really good read.
That’s it for today. If you enjoy receiving the Zebra Culture By Kojo Baffoe newsletter but are not subscribed, please do subscribe.
I would also appreciate it if you shared with a friend who might also like it.
I welcome comments, thoughts, etc. A big thank you to those of you who have sent me messages. I have been experimenting with both Substack’s new Chat and Notes features.
And if you would like a copy of my book Listen To Your Footsteps, it is available online and in bookshops (primarily in South Africa but also on Barnes & Noble and Amazon) both in digital and physical form. If it isn’t available in your local, South African bookshop, ask for them to order it. Or you can mail me and I can make arrangements to get a copy to you.
Easy
Kojo