november 2020 finds has things you can do during your lockdown.
BOOKS
1. i read junkie by william burroughs. it’s a short but dense and informative semi-biographical novel about drug use. i liked it and i recommend it.
2. i tried to finish the cyborg tinkerer and failed less than half way through. because i completely stopped caring what happens next. and that’s probably a book’s worst fault. i have been following meg la torre’s youtube chanel about writing and self-publishing. her advice is good, but her self-published book is not. we were promised a steam punk world and lgbt sex and we get a weird western with dragons, cyborg parts and weak forced sex scenes. i want my time, money and energy back…
3. i have recently ordered kim jiyoung, born 1982 by cho nam-joo. i found an online preview you may want to check out.
MAGAZINES
4. my highlights from the current issue of british vogue? i am no beyonce fan, so it was not the cover article. what i did like was the consistent direction change of the magazine. and the last page was my favourite: what would tory burch do?
MUSIC
5. i found this on insta.
6. i like rubel‘s sound.
7. this is a polish metal song on social and political issues.
8. this is an interesting mini-documentary about the newly inducted in the rock hall of fame father of nine inch nails, trenzt reznor.
9. i’ve only recently discovered bryan ferry’s 2018 album called bitter sweet. reason or rhyme was my november earworm. i found out the original version was published on the album olympia back in 2010. i like the new version better. it’s majical!
10. click here to read an article about cl‘s failed attempt to take over the us after making a huge name for herself in k-pop.
but it looks like she’s at a crossroads. she’s no longer under yg management and she has recently launched a few singles. she is to drop an album called alpha early next year. keep an eye out!
11. if you liked the guy featured in 5 star videos, he’s also currently putting out music as dpr ian. a boy the camera loves and a catchy pop song. i’ll be following him, too!
12. this was a chance find. i like it. it’s by ooyy, a swedish composer and producer.
13. brian eno strikes again.
FILMS
14. swagger is a documentary about suburban parisian kids. it’s heartbreaking and interesting.
15. i waited 3 years to see american satan. the tropes are old, but andy biersack is pretty and the soundtrack is interesting. its imdb score is 5.6. i’d say it’s a little better, but i may be biased. unfortunately, malcolm mcdowell does not manage to improve matters much.
probably due to copyright issues, andy is not singing in the film. which is weird since he is a real life rock star. the voice used in the film belongs to remington leith from palaye royale. apparently, a spin off series called paradise city is in the works.
16. on the rocks is sofia copolla’s new film. bill murray is a delight. but the storyline manipulates you pointlessly. first, it points you to the right and then, to the extreme left. i’m not even sure what was her actual goal… pfff. greatly disappointing.
TV SERIES
17. i may destroy you is the brain child of michaela coel. i remember i watched most of her older series called chewing gum.
unfortunately inspired by real life events, this series is real and believable down to the costumes. both the main storyline as well as the secondary ones are balanced and well-delivered. but i was disappointed with the triple-tailed ending. it took my mind from the story to the process behind it. anyway, enjoy!
18. it’s ok to not be ok is a slow-paced korean drama about mental health. it has a subtle but decided way of showing all sorts of problems: autism, narcissism, ptsd, alcoholism, depression, the invisible child, trauma, etc. south korea, like many other countries, places strong stigma on mental issues. this series attempts to normalize neurodiversity. it stars personal favourite kim soo-hyun as the stoic empath and the beautiful seo ye-ji as the potential psycho. with great production values, it features a parallel world of fairy tales that further illustrate the subtext. watch it on netflix.
check out the filming locations. and a special shout out to ye-ji’s fashion. i died when i saw her in that leather loewe belt. the wardrobe suits and emphasizes the character so well. it was possibly the best styling i’ve ever seen in a film/series.
ARTICLES
19. if you think your 2020 sucked, read here how tracey emin had it.
20. if you haven’t already, you must read this interview with george clooney.
YOUTUBE
21. i watched a new yorker documentary video about azuma makoto‘s work. i would defo like to intern with him.
22. extremely doable, most probably i’ll never do it
23. i bet you don’t know much about pigeon history.
24. i like this weird house and its garden
25. i like this 270sqm apartment.
26. a simple space is very hard to do.
27. interesting video about the famous tram 28 from lisbon. enjoy!
28. i like dim sum, but i liked nom wah even more.
29. ai weiwei‘s work hits different to me. i was raised in communist romania. and i’m pretty sure i’ll never go to china. or to other undemocratic countries. i’ve had enough.
the video below shows how chinese citizen journalists try to find the truth heavily hidden by the party during the beginning of the covid pandemic. it’s scary and heartbreaking how power trumps everything, even the wellbeing of your own people. another painful situation is the hong kong protests against chinese total takeover. it’s a must watch video.
30. i’ve cried many times seeing the short footage of the tiananman man. here’s the story behind that picture told by the photographer.
31. i’ve been watching this dog grooming channel for a while.
32. i like this barbican estate flat.
33. i like this apartment.
34. and i definitely like this house.
35. i never now lotus silk even existed.
36. this is an age-restricted video about how most european museums display stuff stolen from colonies. watch the whole series on youtube. it’s called empires of dirt.
37. a documentary about lisbon.
38. a vice documentary about the us involvement in guatemala’s maya ruins.
39. a dutch guy took a very interesting 37-hour train ride in search of the russian soul.
40. very useful list of shortcuts for typing.
GOING OUT
41. we had semi-lockdown this month. so everything happened within a limited area. we went out for long walks, went to farmers’ markets, ate out, bought fresh fish in aguda among others. see all the pictures on my insta.
how was your november?
photo and video credits: little aesthete, copyright holders
