How I passed the time in 2023
Time is your most valuable asset. Thank you for spending some of it with me.
The following represents some of my favorite media that I’ve consumed in 2023. The music and concerts were limited to those that came out or were experienced this year; the books and essays are just those that I happened to read this year. Cheers!
Books
Fiction: Red Rising by Pierce Brown
After reading this book, I realized that I haven’t read any science fiction written after probably 1980 in years. This book made me realize I should reconsider that. I couldn’t put it down and have already bought the next two books in the series. It felt like I was reading about Alexander the Great in the future. Thanks to Tanner and Holden for encouraging me to read the series for years.
Non-Fiction: Good Reasons for Bad Feelings by Randolph M. Nesse
This book created a similar feeling in my mind as when I read The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins. Natural selection is such a powerful framework. This book inspired a post (The Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory) earlier this year.
Essays & Stories
The Problem with Everything-Bagel Liberalism, by Ezra Klein
This essay, published this spring, is a distillation of the problems that I face in my everyday life working in solar and battery storage development. The solution to many of our social and economic problems is BUILDING, and making it harder to build [affordable housing, housing, transmission lines, trains, solar arrays, offshore wind, etc.] is antithetical to progress.
Ezra’s point, that “sometimes [the government] tries to accomplish so much within a single project or policy that it ends up failing to accomplish anything at all,” has driven much of my political thinking this year. The government is a necessary actor in addressing the problems we face, and so we must triage resources and prioritize problems when there are competing priorities to accomplishing a goal.
The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas, by Ursula K. LeGuin
A beautiful short story. Five pages is all. A more accessible version of Dostoyevsky’s Grand Inquisitor. I can’t recommend this enough.
#6 E——— on “How and Why I Have Come to be Totally Devoted to S——— and Have Made Her the Linchpin and Plinth of My Entire Emotional Existence, by David Foster Wallace, from Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
The article is true to the collection’s name. It categories a disgusting character, and a horrifying, violent crime, but it does so in only the way DFW can do. He’s a polarizing writer—you either hate his style or love it—but has to acknowledge the mastery of language shown here.
A mind-bending story about the magic hidden in quantum physics.
Music
“PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard (Spotify link)
The eclectic group’s 24th (!) studio album is a hard-rock, thrash metal mindblower. It’s like if an ecoterroristic Metallica took mushrooms, had a bad trip, but somehow made the experience… fun?
“Volcano” by Jungle (Spotify link)
This album seems to be for Jungle what “Woodstock” was for Portugal. The Man: an explosion into the mainstream. Two songs (“Domino” and “Back on 74”) were in my top 5 played songs of the year.
“3D Country” by Geese (Spotify link)
No, it’s not Goose. It’s Geese. Ever since my buddy showed me this album I’ve been completely stuck listening to it. A unique, experimental sound that you’ve got to experience as a full listen-through.
“Rat Saw God” by Wednesday (Spotify Link)
I went to middle school with Karly Hartzman, the lead singer of Wednesday. This album is about high school where I grew up. It’s really good.
Concerts
LCD Soundsystem: Red Rocks, May 29, 2023
The band put on one of the most definitive live performances I’ve ever experienced. As far as I’m concerned, the band is a must-see if they’re within a 3 hour drive of you. The opening act, Peaches, was also something that had to be seen to be believed, and I’ll just leave it at that.
Dead and Company: Folsom Field, July 3, 2023
Seeing Dead and Co. on their ‘final’ tour had to be done, especially when I heard they’d be playing within walking distance of my house. I’m glad I chose the show I went to: 1) I went with a fantastic, rowdy group of friends 2) it was my coworker’s 26th birthday AND her 26th Dead and Company show (sheesh… it’s all relative) 3) Dave Matthews made a surprise appearance to close out the night with “All Along the Watchtower”, “Not Fade Away”, “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”, and “The Weight.”
Kendall Street Company: Cervantes’ Other Side, August 26, 2023
This is the band I’ve seen most in my life. I was able to see KSC a few times this year: in Golden, Denver, and western Virginia. Their Denver shows always bring a fantastic energy, and this time was no different. They’re a must-see when they’re in the area; a first-time friend described them as “the Wiggles for adults.”
Your Neighbors, Lost Lake, 12/14/23
Your Neighbors has come up on the blog a few times:
I love supporting my friend’s project, and I was able to bring 50-60 friends to help sell out his show in Denver. He delivered the goods. Thank you Walker.
Passing Time in Review
I have had a lot of fun sharing thoughts with you all this year. I’ve especially enjoyed forays this year into more creative writing, both in the realms of fiction and reflection.
Around 50,000 people read my blog this year, and a few more than 200 liked it enough to subscribe. It’s not about the numbers—I’m just doing this for fun—but please know that I notice and appreciate every interaction and engagement.
The tagline of this blog is, “Time is your most valuable asset. Thank you for spending some of it with me.” I mean it.
If you like any of this kind of stuff, subscribe and I’ll see you next year.
Warmly,
Michael