Hey friends and other human beings! This week, I am back with another edition of Five Things Friday. This is a list of five things that have been buzzing around in my head this week — be they podcasts, books, news articles, hobbies, games, whatever. This week, I talk about journaling, the new Speaker of the House and my favorite scary movies.
Without further ado, here are five things for this Friday:
1. I started journaling more
I’ve had the same Moleskine journal since I graduate college over 14 years ago and yet I have never filled the thing. I’ve filled tons of notebooks where I’ve scribbled and taken notes over the years, but never this one set aside specifically for journaling.
If you are someone like me who spends a lot of time in your own head, or your a creative person who has trouble zeroing in on what you want to do, journaling may be for you.
For the past two weeks or so, I’ve made a concerted effort to journal. I’ve done it about every other day and I’ve learned a lot (may be a post for later).
For one thing, I’ve learned why journaling isn’t the easiest practice to keep up. Some days you just don’t have anything profound to write about! While I started with lots of things to reflect on, there are some days where I’m just staring at a blank page, with nothing groundbreaking to put to paper. Still, I want to make it a regular practice. So on those days, I found myself writing about the more mundane — how I’m feeling, what the weather is like, what I’m reading.
That brings me to a second learning: Even in writing about the mundane, journaling is still a powerful practice. I wake up and start my day with a flurry of thoughts about what I have to do, what I want to do, things I want to write, read, experience. Journaling helps me center and put things in proper order.
My favorite productivity guru, Ali Abdaal, calls it “creative unblock.” That’s the way it’s felt for me. I have all these ideas and they’re all just kind of bottled-necked inside, trying to get out. Journaling helps me sort of get them in the right order so they can flow a little easier.
Here’s hoping I can finally finish out this journal!
2. Habemus dicentis!
We have a speaker! (I’m a nerd, ok?)
After three weeks of discord, the white smoke emerged and House Republicans finally picked a new speaker. This is after just eight Republicans and the entire Democratic caucus voted to oust Rep. Kevin McCarthy at the beginning of the month, having served in the role for just nine months.
Historically and politically, I think the election of Rep. Mike Johnson from Louisiana is a curious one on many fronts. Putting political preference aside, the role carries loads of influence. Like it or not, the political machinations of Washington are doled out through favors, fundraising and fidelity, much of which comes through the party leadership.
Johnson assumes the role as the least experienced speaker in 140 years and the third least experienced in U.S. history. He’s served just three terms in Congress, winning his first election in 2017.
A counter example, for instance, is Sam Rayburn, who is the longest serving Speaker of the House and served for 28 years before assuming the role. I know that's an extreme counterpoint but it just goes to show how difficult historically it is to ascend to power in Congress.
As an observer of both history and politics, I just think it’s an interesting moment. But I suppose the month has been full of them since McCarthy’s ouster.
Also, the funniest line about the whole thing comes from a most unexpected source, Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie, who candidly shared this:
“I think they’re gonna have to bring alcohol in there to solve this. There’s some angry drunks that can fight it out. There some friendly drunks like me … but I don’t see this happening without alcohol.”
Sounds like a party, but not one I want to attend.
3. What’s your favorite scary movie?
I don’t know what it is about October but since I got into scary movies a few years ago, it just seems like the perfect time to binge scary movies. So once again, that’s what I’ve been doing.
I’ve put a lot of thought into what makes a scary movie. My conclusion is that it doesn’t have to be filled with gore, murder and people screaming their heads off as they run away from a man with a chainsaw. Some of the best scary movies can be the ones where no one really gets hurt. That’s my two cents anyway.
So what’s your favorite scary movie?
In no particular order, here are some of my favorites:
IT Chapter One
Cabin in the Woods
Annabelle Comes Home
Poltergeist
The Strangers
Despite what I've said, I can't promise some of these movies aren't on the more violent side. You have been warned.
4. Song of the week - Mark My Words by Lonnie Rott
I’ve been making playlists for each season this year. A good friend released this beautiful folky number and it’s been on repeat in my Fall 2023 playlist.
I especially love the final verse:
Oh, mark my words,
Until the last are first,
They'll tell you to wait your turn,
Oh, mark my words,
Oh, mark my words...
5. Quote of the week
Looking back on it, I realize I did the right thing instinctively. You don’t write for success. That takes your attention away from writing. If you’re really doing it, that’s all you’re doing: writing. - Frank Herbert, epilogue of Children of Dune
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