Greg's Newsletter Wants to Change [No. 047]
Hi, hello, it's me again.
A reminder to subscribe to my Spotify playlist because it’s straight fire and there's over 7 hours of music on it now.
So. I’m trying to figure out my news/media consumption habits and how I might improve it. This is for a number of reasons:
I’m a poor sleeper and always have been. Besides trying to limit screen time, I’m trying to do better about reading the right things before bed. I had to stop reading 1984 at bed time because it was terrifying and you cannot read five consecutive words of it without applying it to our current situation.
I get a ton of notifications on my phone. During a regular day, it’s not unusual for to get 60+ notifications per hour, between Twitter, news, email, etc. It’s not all bad though - I keep my phone on Do Not Disturb mode so that, instead of my phone buzzing incessantly and the screen turning on and off all day, I just pick up my phone every once in a while when I want to check things. It’s a good system, but that’s still overkill.
Donald Trump. I’m horrified by him, the people he’s surrounded himself with, and his ardent supporters. Their ability to, with a tweet or a completely outrageous executive order, turn back years or decades of social order or international policy (and send the media into a frenzy) is wild. On the other hand, Trump’s absolute ineptitude at governing (which, for a reminder, is NOT like running a fucking business) and the leaks, dysfunction stories, and constant administration in-fighting is hard to look away from. Part of me wants to absorb and consume every little detail. But that’s not healthy, not even in a more positive, optimistic, and progressive time. You (I) simply need to have time to not consume that kind of news, if only for a little while.
I think one way to improve consumption is actually going to be increase production (really laying it on with the capitalist terms right now). I mean writing, for one. Writing has a way of clarifying and distilling thoughts and interests, while allowing the really important things to rise to the top.
Another is just to start making more shit. I’ll soon be releasing a music podcast. I have a concept for a clothing brand (and a niche vintage clothing store). This newsletter needs to become a regular thing again. I need to take more photos.
So, there it is.
Speaking of the newsletter, consider it resurrected, but in a different way. I want it to be a little less structured. One edition might be just a piece of writing (like this). Another might be an album review with some new music recs. Or maybe a collection of links.
I always have and always will appreciate comments, feedback, and thoughts. It lets me know you’re reading but, more importantly, either sparks awesome conversations or else makes it more useful, more interesting, or just better.