Friday Food for Thought: June 17, 2022

Hello Friends, welcome to Friday Food for Thought. Every Friday I’ll help start your weekend by sharing four people, thoughts, or things that are on my mind this week. These may be books or movies, podcast suggestions, interesting people I follow on social media, music, products, or, well, anything. You may find interesting creativity boosts here, some conversation starters, or just a small dose of entertainment. Click here for my previous post. Feel free to share this with friends, or offer suggestions via the comments. Let’s begin!

1) Impulsive!:

I’ve been a fan of Brazilian musician Eliane Elias for years, but a recent listen reminded me why the big-band album Impulsive! is one of my favorite Elias recordings. Most people know Elias as a vocalist, but Impulsive! demonstrates her extraordinary talents as a composer and pianist. Featuring the Danish Radio Jazz Orchestra with arrangements by Bob Brookmeyer, all six tracks on Impulsive! were composed by Elias and also feature a piano solo by her.

2) The Heat and Cold Are On:

Being nearly bedridden with a pulled muscle last week reminded me that heating pads have come a long way from my childhood when we had hot water bottles the size of footballs. Walgreen’s Reusable Hot and Cold Gel Pad provided considerable relief while I recovered. These hot/cold gel packs are available from a variety of manufacturers and retailers, but the takeaway is that they offer flexibility while taking up minimal space. Just follow all instructions and be cautious that the heat isn’t too hot.

3) Deep Thoughts – Guilt:

Reading a biography of Graham Greene has me thinking about guilt as an inverse emotion – it is often felt the least by those who need it the most. Greene’s life and work were influenced by guilt – rightly so, as a Catholic who carried on numerous extramarital affairs. A web news search on guilt turns up all manner of varieties – from vacation-guilt to addiction-guilt to please-pardon-me-before-I’m-convicted guilt. As a writer, guilt can be a powerful character motivation. As individuals, it’s inevitable that we all deserve to feel guilt at various points in our lives. The key is not to be overwhelmed by guilt, but to use it as a motivator to redress wrongs. Easier said than done, but still a necessary starting point.

4) Cruising:

Twin Peaks might have existed without Julee Cruise, who passed away on June 9, but it sure wouldn’t have been as much fun. She made the most memorable vocal contributions, backed by Angelo Badalamenti‘s instrumentals, to the soundtracks of Twin Peaks‘ various incarnations. She also acted, toured with The B-52’s, and contributed to other soundtracks, such as Until the End of the World (1991) and Blue Velvet (1986). Give some of her recordings a listen, but turn off all distractions when you do, because you won’t want to miss a note.

That’s all for this week. Have a good weekend!

This post contains NO affiliate links. All suggestions are based on my own personal experience, your experience may vary. Nothing herein is intended to serve as medical, legal, financial, or any other advice for which you should consult professionals and not some random guy on the Internet.