Mindful Moments, Good Fiction, Mont Duamel, and Jeen-Yuhs (Find Something Cool)

At a glance:

• ☁️ Thinking: Mindful Moments
• 📕 Reading: Looking for Good Fiction
• 🎧 Listening: Sunshine by Mont Duamel
• 📹 Watching: Jeen-Yuhs
• ⚡️ Bonus: Steak Philosophy

Hi makers,

I know, I know, this post is a day late. We fly to Italy tomorrow and I’ve been busy wrapping things up before we take off.

There won’t be a new issue of Find Something Cool next week since I’ll be be busy drinking wine and eating pasta. 😎  So the next issue will go out on Friday the 25th!

Here are some cool things I found this week:

☁️ Thinking: Mindful Moments

The days leading up to travel are often filled with unexpected twists and turns.

I’ve had curve balls thrown at me all week. Work stuff, tax stuff, podcast stuff, health stuff, business stuff, dog stuff.

When stress piles up, finding any moment of peace seems impossible.

This idea isn’t true. Even in chaotic seasons, mental relief can be found. I’ve been trying take mindful moments throughout the day, and it usually looks something like this:

Start with a deep breath.

Sitting with my eyes zoomed out, taking in the full picture of the space in front me.

Smelling the air, noticing the sounds.

Remembering that everything is okay. And the things that are not will pass in time.

I remember how infinitely lucky I am to be alive, and sitting in this moment.

To not take any piece of this for granted.

One final deep breathe out.

Resume life.

📕 Reading: The Search for Good Fiction

This week I’ve tried starting 3-4 new fiction books and none of them grabbed me. I want to read more fiction, but haven’t found the right fit quite yet.

Here’s what I have open now:

• Three Body Problem
• Brave New World
• Foundation
• 1984
• The Overstory

Of all of them, The Overstory has kept me the most engaged but I still tend to fall back on non-fiction most of the time. Maybe it’s a season of life, or maybe I am not reading the right things. If you have suggestions for good fiction let me know.

🎵 Listening: Sunshine by Mont Duamel

I have the Spotify algorithms to thank for finding Mont Duamel for me. This EP isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s filling a perfect space as we start to see glimmers of Spring.

Great melodies, pop chord movements, and solid production.

Favorite track: Days with You

📹 Watching: Jeen-Yuhs

Any creator can be inspired, amazed, and heartbroken by watching Jeen-Yuhs.

I was 12 when The College Dropout came out, and I was instantly hooked. I still think Dark Twisted Fantasy is a perfect album. I’ve hated some of his music, only to become obsessed with it a week later. He’s had a special, annoying, and important role in my musical life for a long time.

And I’m not unique in this feeling; every musician I know has their stories of where he made his mark on them as well.

So watching this documentary felt important for me to do. It’s a time-capsule and cautionary tale for creators set in 3 parts: Talent, Triumph, and Tragedy.

The most enjoyable section was seeing the early days. I knew the least about that period, so watching his hunger and self-belief was very inspiring. He wouldn’t take no for an answer because he knew what he had to offer. He just needed a chance.

Also - his relationship to is Mom was beautiful to watch. She knew every word to his songs.

The rest of the doc enters the season we all have watched from afar. I finished watching with the hope that he’s okay and gets what he needs for his mental health.

Highly recommend watching, especially if you go back with Kanye’s music.

⚡️ Bonus: Steak Philosophy

wwyd? Steak Umm’s twitter is undefeated. The internet is truly something.

That’s all I have for this edition! See you in two weeks!

-Alex