Cliff Notes 004
fallin into autumn
It’s been a while since I did a little update, but this week seems like a good time to share. Follow along for a discussion of Kudos, some 2-stroke magic, a new outdoor activity, and a little fun music.
If you’re a new subscriber and would like to check out some of my past work, you might enjoy these.
Kudos
I’ve slipped away from my strict biweekly posting schedule since I eclipsed the 1-year anniversary of this newsletter. I’m proud to say that this is because I’ve been directing my writing energy elsewhere by seeking publication in a variety of print and digital magazines. For starters, I recently worked with Flylab on a gear review. There will be a few more coming soon. Next, I’ll have a fun article in the upcoming second edition of Revelry Collection. Check out the work Bentley is doing via Substack here, and sign up to receive a copy of the second edition here. In other news, I recently submitted a piece to the Flyfish Journal, which is the first time I’ve ever “submitted” anything to a publication. I haven’t heard back yet, but it’s probably because they’re frantically drafting a contract to sign me full-time…
And something I’m thrilled about, I’m working on a feature article for TROUT magazine to highlight a very prominent author in the fly fishing space. It certainly is the biggest piece I have ever worked on. Nervous is an understatement, but I’m confident I can nail it.
All of this has been incredibly fulfilling. It has pulled me away from Kudos, but I’m okay with that.
da boat
Bateau Dunn has been out of commission since about the time I published this piece discussing her arrival into my life. After some fun fishing with my brother, she started leaking fuel inside the outboard. In the process of searching for the fuel leak, a bolt broke off in the engine block. After trying multiple different extraction techniques, I came to terms with the notion that the bolt will not be coming out. So, I rented a die grinder and the proper bits to bore out the old bolt. After doing so, I used a thread repair kit to insert a new bolt. And now, I can go back to fixing the fuel leak…
It has been the classic experience of working on a motor. Try to fix one thing, and you break something else. In the process of fixing what you just broke, you end up needing tools and parts you don’t have. Then, while waiting on tools and parts, you lose the willpower to fix the broken thing, and the project gets put on the back burner.
I’ve got parts arriving next week. Hopefully, it all goes smoothly.
It won’t, but I’ll probably learn something :)
A newfound love
Since the leaves started changing, I’ve been duck hunting. Within an hour of my house, there are upwards of ten different game management areas specifically for hunting waterfowl. Each one is managed and maintained by the Washington Department of Wildlife and has incredible hunting opportunities for the public.
Hunting was not a large part of my upbringing, but I’ve graciously inherited a shotgun, and now, I can’t keep myself away. This past Saturday, I spent fourteen hours standing in a duck blind, and my hunting partner was the only one to kill a duck. Despite the low success rate, it was one of the best days I’ve had in the outdoors in a very long time.
It’s nice to have something new. Something to suck at and be humbled by.
For the ears
I’ve been in a music slump recently and have been struggling to find what I’m looking for. This happens every now and then. I think it’s a good thing. It forces me to be a bit quieter and spend less time with noise in my ears. That being said, I’ve still got a few things to share.
Ambient music has always been on my radar, but I hadn’t explored it much until recently. This genre can be characterized by atmospheric sounds, long notes, synthesizers, and a general lack of direction (but in a good way). It doesn’t have the beats and melody that make up the typical musical structure you might be familiar with. Think nature soundscapes or meditation tracks. Here are some examples.
This album by electronic music legend Aphex Twin is a classic in the ambient genre and does a nice job of using some dance-focused elements that give the songs a bit more structure. Full disclosure, there are some very experimental tracks in here. You may find yourself hitting the skip button a few times.
This album by Susumu Yokota has been a favorite of mine, as it combines jazz, nature, and electronic. It was named the top electronic release of 2000 by The Wire, a notable accolade.
Part of the inspiration for this dive into ambient music came from an Ezra Klein Show episode with Brian Eno, a pioneer of the genre. Check out the podcast here, and you can listen to Eno’s quintessential ambient album above.
Outside of the music realm, I have been inundating my ears with podcasts. I consume a copious amount of news every day, and as someone who could use a break from the shit storm, this conversation provided a nice break.
If you thought your WWII history was up to speed, this podcast may teach you a few things you didn’t know. Mainly, the copious amount of substances used by the Nazis and other countries. For example, French soldiers were given a daily ration of wine to keep up morale, but at the same time, it drastically changed their behavior and, in some ways, made them vulnerable to attack by the meth-fueled Nazi Blitzkrieg. This conversation made me think about how ingrained a variety of these special chemical compounds are in our lives. Be it caffeine, THC, alcohol, SSRIs, or something else, drugs are still turning the knobs of society every day.
Thanks for following along! I hope you’re having a happy and healthy autumn.
Another great one. Good luck on your publications. 💙😘