2023.05.DisappearingMoment

I stopped following sports on Wednesday, November 9, 2016. It was my hair shirt, penance for our collective atrocity. I planned to spend more time volunteering. Understanding others' perspectives. And I needed to break an addiction.

Sports had been a comfort for most of my life. Baseball was my primary obsession, followed by American football. Sometimes basketball. The Olympics. Individual athletes or events from other sports would get my attention, too.

My promise to myself was to fast from sports until the United States had a different president. It worked: I broke the addiction. I did more volunteer work. My reading habits changed and I listened to different podcasts. After four years, I knew almost nothing about sports and had little desire to follow them.

That's started to change in the last year or so. It's been subtle and different from what I expected. The sport I've started following is running. I read email newsletters, listen to podcasts, watch video replays. They help get me motivated to run.

I also spend some time following strength sports. Again, it's low key. As with running, it's at least as much about individual improvement as others' exploits. By demystifying the elites, the fans get a greater appreciation for their achievements. When all genders take part in most competitions, the games feel more legitimate.

This month, a different normal replaced a period of constant change. I found the comfort I needed in sports. I listened to dozens of episodes of the Doctors of Running podcast. I ran more miles in May than I've run in any other month in many years. I read about running shoes. I let my mind rest and my body move.

Welcome to May 2023’s Disappearing Moment, an inventory of my experiences. I hope you enjoy it.

Podcasts

Stiffed (I Liked It): The podcast is a hodge hodge, like the magazine that inspired it. Who needs a consistent thesis when there are stories to tell?

Nerdy Software

ForecastAdvisor compares how the major weather forecasters did in your area. We don't get the forecaster we want, we get the forecaster we deserve.

Bougie Products

I like Anthony's Goods. I use the wheat gluten and oat fiber to make vegan, keto sandwich bread.

Personal Finance and Investing

Few people will beat the market. Even if you could identify them, they make money for themselves, not you, so invest in a Lazy Portfolio.

Reading

• Caitlin Flanagan, Joan Didion's Magic Trick (A Personal Favorite): Writers get one of these and Flanagan nails it. Franzen on Munro. O'Hara on Holiday. I will return to this one.
• Alison Wade, Amber Zimmerman had to learn to slow down to run fast (I Loved It): It's difficult to balance sports, science, and human interest. Alison Wade is a master. Bonus points for featuring a shy Philadelphian.

Albums 28–31 (of 129)

• Dinosaur, Jr, Where You Been? (1993): The Freed Pig squeals and shreds.
• Björk, Post (1995): Entrancing. An urban soundtrack whose recording coincided with the time I fell in love with cities.
• Neutral Milk Hotel, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998): A definition of perfection: any changes would make this album worse.
• WHORES, Gold (2016): For me, music is more about my activity than my mood. This is music for vacuuming.

Thanks for spending a few moments with me. I look forward to corresponding again next month.

Brett