Moodboard: My Week

1. 'Start a Revolution'; neon light piece by Tim Etchells via his notebook. 2. A fried egg badge that I really dig via minimal needs. 3. Photograph by Philip-Lorca DiCorcia whose work I have only just come across after reading about his upcoming exhibition at the Hepworth Wakefield.

This weekend passed without much fanfare. But in a nice way. It was one of those grey weekends when it feels like the sky is sitting very low and you just sort of plod along, doing things as half-speed. One of those weekends when spending time in the pub in the company of friends but not even talking that much is a good solution. 

I've been indulging quite a lot in winter laziness recently, when a sort of semi-hibernation feels necessary in the evenings. Hot, comfort food and piling into bed earlier than is perhaps acceptable with a few squares of salted toffee chocolate from the Co-op. Having my bed suited and booted for the cold months with a new thick duck feather duvet has done nothing to discourage my hermitage, but for now I'm okay with it. 

These are some of the things that have been inhabiting my brain (and my computer tabs) over the past few days:

I'm a new Bill Callahan fan. I've been getting so much enjoyment from his latest album Dream River ('The Sing' and 'Small Plane' are my current favourites, particularly this line in the latter: "Sometimes you sleep while I take us home, that's how I know we really have a home") I really liked this Bill Callahan profile on Spin.com which joins him hanging out at home in Austin with his partner, jamming in his shed and jumping from high spots at the springs. 

While I've been sort of obsessed with hearing about other peoples routines for a while, my interest is starting to dissipate. Mostly because I recognise that this interest in other peoples way of doing things stems from procrastination and escapism. Maybe it's also because I feel less of a need for the 'guidance' of others as a way of validating my own way of doing things. There are only so many times you can read about Franklin's time management schemes. Despite all of this, I did enjoy reading about Molly Young's Sunday Routine. I've read Molly's blog on and off since 2010 and when I was 17 I thought she was the coolest person ever, so it was nice revisiting her world. 

Tim Adams' interview with Jon Hamm. I don't often have the patience to read a celebrity profile in the papers, but this Jon Hamm profile is great. "People tell me they look up to Don, like they look up to Tony Soprano or Walter White. People have these weird fascinations with people who in reality you would not want to be for a second."

Dmitry Gudkov's blog #BikeNYC Project is great but what I really liked were these photographs of Lance Jacobs which led me to his fantastic blog The Virtuous Cyclist. It's full of tips and illustrations for riding safely in New York. Which is perfect for when I'm cycling there in my dreams. My confidence on the roads has really improved in the last year, particularly after cycling to Paris and I feel much safer and in control but I'm still tediously conscious of my own mortality when I'm on my bike. Of course everyone is aware of their own mortality but there is nothing like zipping past buses and avoiding drivers who can't use their indicators to make you ponder death. Lance's blog makes an interesting read, especially in relation to taking responsibility but also taking charge as a cyclist. One of his tips which has stayed with me: make eye contact with motorists. 

A special thanks goes out to my fabulous Granny and long-time no. 1 blog fan who mailed me some cashmere gloves as a surprise after reading my last post. I'm now back to wearing socks strictly on my feet and not my hands and cycling is so much better because of it.