When to give up
Greetings,
I must confess, the hardest part of this newsletter is usually the header, because I rarely have a theme that threads through what I share.
It took me about eight months to finish the book 33 1/3 B-Sides: New Essays by 33 1/3 Authors on Beloved and Underrated Artists as an intro to the 33 1/3 series because, as I say in my Goodreads review, I didn’t know the majority of the music and artists written about. Previously, the longest I have taken to read is about two years, The Golden Sayings of Epictetus. Austin Kleon, in his How To Read Like An Artist, says Stop Reading Books You Don’t Like. I honestly still can’t do that. I still have to finish every book I start, for better or for worse.
The one album from 33 1/3 B-Sides that I have been playing repeatedly is Dawn of Midi’s Dysnomia.
I have a list of languages I have always wanted to learn to add to the four I kind of speak … my French and German are really bad. Thinking of picking one and trying 12 Rules for Learning Foreign Languages in Record Time.
Finally getting back into rhythm with my podcast, Listen To Your Footsteps, and the latest episode is with Remy Ngamije. We went into, amongst other things, the travails of working writers and finding identity as an immigrant.
There’s also a nice profile on him in Open Country: Remy Ngamije on Doek! & the New Age of Namibian Literature
The debate about electric vehicles on the African continent is one that I have regularly. In my Wanted Online motorcycle column, I asked the question Will e-motorcycles ever fully take over the market?
I was very much the pessimistic when I was younger. This changed when I had children because, well … I have to be optimistic … otherwise what am I bringing my children into. I remain quite positive … even in the face of The Age of Dread … it isn’t always easy, but what’s the alternative?
The one thing that I have started is the art of bonsai, having done a course with To Be A Bonsai towards the end of last year. I have my first tree and the plan is to have a couple more. A whole new world to explore.
That’s it for today. If you enjoy receiving the Zebra Culture By Kojo Baffoe newsletter but are not subscribed, please do subscribe.
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I also welcome comments, thoughts, etc. A big thank you to those of you who have sent me messages.
And if you would like a copy of my book Listen To Your Footsteps, it is widely available online and in bookshops (primarily in South Africa) both in digital and physical form.
Easy
Kojo