Interruptions on the preekend

‘Preekend’ is defined by the Urban Dictionary as ‘the time period that starts after lunch on Friday and ends when the weekend starts. Usually in this time period it is particularly hard to focus on work tasks and it is more likely that people are chatting, shopping online and/or doing other non-work related activities.”

Which is just about right because working for only 37.5 hours a week (officially), I find that because I leave work at 2pm or earlier on Fridays, I sometimes already abbreviate my day- (I still work a lot) by doing tasks I know I’d finish by lunch and move longer, more complicated ones to Monday. And I would either work through lunch or have a shorter one so I could leave without rushing at 1 or 2pm.

I don’t mind 40-hour work weeks (or more), but to be able to get off early on Fridays means you can get stuff done you normally would apply annual leave for like doctor’s appointments, facials, shopping and other non-work related stuff because obviously, you’re off from work- welcome to the preekend!

Caught this word watching the 1st episode of the HBO show ‘Succession’ which is a family fighting control of their family empire.

The cast of HBO’s "Succession”.

We grew up hearing of families fighting over money and inheritances and my mom would point out to us that we should count ourselves lucky because we had nothing to fight over 😂.

When I think about it I could say that if we did, we would be different- that we grew up strongly instilled with the reminder that acquiring and maintaining wealth literally came with a price, and that if you wanted to pursue it, you paid that price. But maybe I’m just saying that because we grew up not really having to deal with how to divide $14 billion dollars.

Preekend dinner

Anyhow, champagne and caviar or ethically-sourced grade 12 Kobe beef dinner aside or whatever the rich eat these days, we went to the Auckland Night Markets in Papatoetoe for dinner. The last couple of months, I’ve been doing Connie’s Korean Bulgogi stand and ordering nothing but the pan-fried pork belly with noodles.

The pork is braised I think in some broth before the liquid evaporates and then it fries in its fat. The vermicelli is cooked along with it and when they serve you a portion, they ladle into it this sweet, sticky broth to finish it off.

Interruptions: Dracula, Netflix

Like any person dead-set on staying as youthful as long as possible, I find the idea of being a vampire quite attractive. But what kind of vampire though is the more important question; the eternally melancholic vamps of Anne Rice? The millennially inclined Twilight group penned by Stephenie Meyer? Or maybe the historically immersed creatures from A Discovery of Witches?

None of the above- I think I’ll pick Count Dracula from Netlix’s new adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Neither brooding nor silly (like going to high-school!), this Dracula is literally like me bingeing on so-so Netflix series, skipping and fast-forwarding through the boring and predictable parts (of life). Instead of spending the next 100 years learning and practicing painting or the violin, or German and fourteen other languages, he simply drinks the blood of someone who knows these things and voila, all of these skills and talents are absorbed.

For why wait, even if you did have all the time in the world, when you can have something now???

I look at my desk and my lists- write, paint, read, design, cook, learn- and think, goddamn it- will I seriously get everything done??

Interruptions

“The great enemy of writing is interruption”

— Joyce Carol Oates

The Witcher, Netflix

I bought the book but unfortunately, when you’ve watched the 1st season, it seems pointless to read it. Henry Cavill has a perfect face, but he is so dull and his portrayal of Geralt seems like he trained with someone to bring out your standard gruff-talking, grim-faced masculinity. But there are enough interesting elements in this adaptation (including the insanely hot Anya Chalotra as the sorcerres Yennefer) to make you excited for season 2.

Lost In Space, Netflix

There is an abundance of sci-fi/dystopian stuff on Netflix but Lost in Space is a little bit more polished, a bit more interesting. Parker Posey is annoying as hell, but that’s called being really effective in your role. But the real gem of this adaptation is the mom, Mrs. Robinson who shows us that maybe, what the human race needs in its quest for a new home in space is a nurturing, compassionate, kick-ass female leader with an IQ of 180.

Watchmen, HBO

Eight words- thank-God-Jack-Snyder-did-not-make-this

Ten very Eddie Garcia Things

I like Eddie Garcia. First thing, he looks like dad. My dad was like him in so many ways except for one thing- a distrust of our very mortal bodies. This was one man who was incredibly fit and incredibly conscious of his health. If my dad had been more of the same, he would most likely be still alive today.

About fifteen years ago, I read an article about this and how he supposedly takes more than a dozen vitamins and supplements a day. I’ve done the same thing since then and never questioned the cost or the efficacy because if there’s ever a guarantee for things whose outcomes are not certain, it’s consistency.

Be consistent on maintaining a healthy lifestyle and the results would be optimal; be consistent in eating crap and sitting on your ass the whole day and well, you know how that story turns out…

Eddie Garcia is 89 years old. That's almost nine decades (and just 11 years short of 100) on this God's green earth, and, as we found out during our candid interview with the legendary actor, he's made sure to lead a disciplined but colorful life.

1. What you could do today, you should do now so you could do something else tomorrow

2. Tiime and discipline are important

3. On directing and editing: be definitive on what you want

4. Passion is important. if you can’t find passion in your job, find something else (for nearly 70 years I continuously did movies because it was a job i really liked)

5. Money earned but not spent is really not your money

6. The reason you earn is because you want to spend it

7. Women should be put on a pedestal (Ryan: and pray that they’re worth it)

8. Cheating (when you’re in a relationship) is wasting time

9. Only set goals that are realistically achievable

10. On legacies: if you’re dead, you’re dead. Who cares if nobody remembers you?

I’ve also done an Eddie Garcia on skin-care because what’s the point of living up to a very old age but look like you’re already dead and decomposing??? Again, it’s consistency; just as I never miss taking my medications, I never miss slathering something on my face before I go to bed or before I go out. Brands change, but at this point, I always have something for my eyes; for night, I have a serum, a moisturiser and a facial oil; for day, I have another serum specific for day and a sun-screen with an SPF of 50.

The future is now

I came out of a screening for Blade Runner 2049 with a profound sense of familiarity and that for me, is the weakness of a film belonging to a genre that is supposed to reposition your mindset of the future. It fails this and this is the bleakest realisation- that future is actually already here. 

1. Society is prepared for fully-conscious Artificial-intelligence because it has been treating non-conventional people as if they just only recently came to life. So if you're a replicant, a gender-fluid teen, a 65-year old transgender woman or a pugnacious Democrat, expect to be embraced, vilified, tortured, celebrated or murdered, all depending on the timing and mood.

2. Patriarchy is an old God that refuses to die. You've knocked down someone like Harvey Weinstein, but there is a long way to go (how many lifetimes will it take to get there?). It's women versus ideology, versus religion, even versus themselves.

3. Climate change is real and all you need to confirm it for some of us who have been around longer, is to believe what your gut tells you. And mine is telling me, winter is probably coming.

4. What is the opposite of dystopian? Why isn't anyone writing or making movies about that?

5. If the future is here, don't be the fool who persists in clinging to the past. Yield yes, but don't bend too much. 

“This is the first age that’s ever paid much attention to the future, which is a little ironic since we may not have one”

— Arthur C Clarke, 1976

The future is...embrace it, use it

The future is floral

Embellished jacquard blazer by Zara men

The future is a clean aesthetic

Jacket from NEED in Olive. Spread collar. Full zip front closure. Dual entry patch pockets with flap and snap button closures. Interior chest pocket. Adjustable snap button cuffs. Tonal stitching. Straight hem. Insulated fill. Lined. Relaxed, straight fit.

The future is a device with emotion

Our vision has always been to create an iPhone that is entirely screen. One so immersive the device itself disappears into the experience. And so intelligent it can respond to a tap, your voice and even a glance. With iPhone X, that vision is now a reality. Say hello to the future.

The future is tradition

Since 1915, the Moscot family has been selling eyeglasses in New York. And over 100 years later, there are still generations of Moscots waiting for you at Orchard Street when you need some new spectacles or shades (COMMON PROJECTS + MOSCOT TYPE ONE collab)

The future is science made wearable

The slim-fit Nike Sportswear Advance 15 Men's Joggers are made with soft cotton-blend fabric for lasting comfort.

The future is your health

Dealing with multiple medications can be a hassle. Pill Pack aims to make it as painless as possible. This online full-service pharmacy delivers a personalized roll of pre-sorted medications to your door each month. Each sachet of pills is labeled with the time, date, and any notes on how to take them, and is stored in a convenient dispenser. Other medications that can't be placed in packets, such as liquids or inhalers, are also included in each month's package, and an online software platform called PharmacyOS makes it easy to manage your various prescriptions, refills, and renewals.

The future is black

Oral health just got a whole lot more aesthetically pleasing. With a limited edition gloss and matte finish, the All-Black Goby Electric Toothbrush Kit is combining the benefits of an electric toothbrush and a sleek, minimalist design. The battery lasts two weeks on a single charge, keeping those unsightly cords in your drawer and off your sink. Better yet, the USB charging cable makes for easy charging, both at home and on the go. Sign up for their subscription service and they'll automatically send you a new brush head when its time to change it out. If you're still afraid of commitment, you can try it out for 60 days, no strings attached.

The future is (faux) leather

Faux leather biker jacket with metal details, zip-up front, side zip pockets, zips on the cuffs and a belt detail along the hem with metal buckles. Zara.

The future is your body

Scales are necessary for basic fitness tracking. Those a little more concerned might take monthly photos to track their progress. The ShapeScale 3D Body Scanning Scale combines these two concepts in a far more convenient, helpful manner. It has a 3D scanner mounted on an arm that rotates around your body, building a high-fidelity 3D model in under a minute. Using heatmaps, it can instantly show you where you've been gaining, and where you've been losing, as well as localized lean and fat mass numbers. It lets you keep track of your goals visually, gives precise body measurements, and, of course, keeps track of your actual weight, too.

The future is everyone watching

Live streaming is a great way to share your experiences with friends and family. Unfortunately, when you're holding your phone up recording, you're not experiencing as much as you should. The FrontRow Wearable Camera by letting taking the camera out of your hands. It's powered by Android, with a small, discrete body, built-in Wi-fi and Bluetooth, and an eight-megapixel main camera.