“Caffeine seemed to be in violation of the laws of thermodynamics. Essentially, caffeine borrows energy from your future and gives it to you in the present.”—Michael Pollan (video)
Behold, I Have Returned From A Hike
I have always noticed the “backup” vocalist in the Rolling Stones’ Gimme Shelter, but I never knew who she was, and had never thought to listen to her isolated vocals until I was reading Hanif Abdurraqib’s piece about Merry Clayton in A Little Devil in America: Notes on Black Performance. The crack in her voice has always stolen the show in the song, but the isolated vocal track with the cheers from the Stones in the background is just stunning. (This clip is from 20 Feet From Stardom)
Was Michael Jordan the best-ever athlete host of Saturday Night Live?
I love so many things about this piece, which is sort of about going to Spokane to watch minor league baseball, but also about learning to live through the pandemic, and also about wildfires, and also about the idea of luck, and … OK, I’ll stop, just maybe take 18 minutes and read it when you can.
I implore you to spend 12 seconds watching this puppy trot along with his eight duckling pals
He was named after an ornithologist, and 44 other facts about James Bond
AND one more thing: I am bringing back my “Grand Canyon Groovers” wall calendar for 2022. If you are into scenic photos that include primitive toilets (or know someone who is), you might like it. The calendars are $17.99 each and can be purchased at this link on Lulu.com.
—Brendan