MNTS # 47
[Week 42 / Year 2024] Desire, ACL, Connection, Girard, Naval Trousers, Buy Once, Cry Once, Findlay, Gankas, Unclassified Army Holistic Fitness, Snaps
Mainly Notes To Self - A rundown of stuff worth sharing.
Gentlemen. Welcome to the 47th edition of MNTS.
Let’s ride!
In Praise of Desire
By
I highlighted 15 passages from this piece. So good.
Desire is a beautiful emotion. One must look with the freshness of a child’s vision to see the poeticism that we even want things. We want to go places. We want to love people. We want to be happy. We want healthy bodies and humble friends. We want the future to be better than the past. On good days, we believe it can be.
ACL Weekend Update - on Nike and Starbucks
channeling some Dr. W Edwards Demming and Danny Meyer, not sure if it was intentional, but love to see it.Not all efficiency is good. Sometimes we need surprise and delight in the form of physical spaces, experiences and partners.
“To optimize the whole, we must sub-optimize the parts.”
— W. Edwards Deming
But to tell people that “hospitality” was a completely different word than “service” was something they hadn’t heard before, that hospitality describes an emotional transaction whereas service describes a technical transaction – and you need them both.
— Danny Meyer
I finished Authentic a couple weeks ago, the autobiography of Paul Van Doren, the Vans founder, and came across this article from Cedric Chin over at CommonCog on the Brooks turnaround.
Based on my assessment, Nike appears primed for a similar “Boom, bust, boom” business cycle. Both Vans and Brooks suffered from (and overcame) eerily similar fates. All three companies over-indexed on commoditization, short-term direction from leadership, organizational bloat, and a lack of focus on their core customers.
I haven’t owned a pair of Nikes since the J. Crew Killshots circa 2018. Nikes have become the pumpkin spice latte of footwear; they scream basic. The good news for Nike is the playbook for a turnaround exists; all they have to do is execute. Exciting to see Nike on the road to a comeback.
On Feeling Connected
Look at people on the train and remind yourself that they have an entire world inside their head—and feel how a sense of connection flows from you. You can do this with animals, too, and plants, and objects, and ideas. Pay attention to things as if they are too big to fit in your head—and feel love seep out of you. Do small acts of kindness and don’t take credit. Care more than necessary.
Things Hidden
Very excited about this Rene Girard documentary. Bummed I missed the screenings in my neck of the woods, but perhaps you can still catch one.
El Jadida Naval Trouser
Love the fit of these in theory.
August.build
Database of “Buy once, cry once” gear. I’ve been eyeing these Kutrite kitchen shears for a minute.
Why these are special.
Findlay - Off & On
Album I’m revisiting. Natalie Findlay was ahead of her time with this one. Still fresh over a decade later.
Gankas on Golf Is Hard
I don’t know how many Pros get off my mat and they go “dude, that kid stripes it over there. Whats he shoot?” and I go bro he don’t know how to play golf he shoots 80. And then he’s like he hits it way better than me, and I’m like yeah he does but he don’t know how to score. Scoring is a different game.
Unclassified ARMY HOLISTIC HEALTH AND FITNESS DRILLS AND EXERCISES
Makes you wonder what the classified stuff looks like.
A few snaps form my camera roll
That’s a wrap on 47.
Until next time, gents.
Stay spirited, stay resilient.
AP