Weekly Stuff - Neurology, Church of Sound, and SBMM - Aug 2 2024
Weekly Stuff is a series from me to you in which I keep you updated on the best stuff I've read (and sometimes seen/heard/watched) this week. It won't always be from this week, I'm sure you can deal with that.
Happy August! It's finally my birthday month. What a treat. Here's what I've been doing to get into the festive spirit.
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The Unmapped Mind by Christian Donlan is a beautiful memoir documenting the author's journey into the complete unknown with a Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis, forcing him to re-learn how to live at the same time his daughter was taking the first steps on life's journey. It's a fascinating look both into the personal life of an absolutely wonderful individual and the world of neurology as a whole.
I don't like thinking about the intricacies of my body. It feels weird, like how on earth is there so much going on all the time non-stop? It's unnerving to zoom into oneself like that, but the way Christian does so is so enlightening and hopeful. An inspiring read from a delightful writer.
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On the games industry side, I enjoyed checking out Game Developer editor Chris Kerr's write-up of a whitepaper Activision Blizzard released on skill-based matchmaking. Basically, the whitepaper proved the opinion I’ve always held - that it's better for the vast majority of people to play games with people of a similar level. The extremely vocal minority of streamers who blame SBMM whenever they lose can chill out, no one actually likes it, they just remember the rose-tinted halcyon days when they could easily rack up a huge killstreak. If you want an easy game, just play against easy bots offline!
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I've been listening to loads of music this week! But it's the weekend, and I'm feeling upbeat, how about we have a good ol' boogie in the lesbian bar with Jonathan Richman?
I also had an unbelievable evening at Church of Sound, a gorgeous listening experience in an East London church. They put on unique and thoughtful shows, focusing on a different theme every time. This one was a tribute to legendary writer and activist James Baldwin for the 100th anniversary of his birth, featuring a band of amazing London artists brought together by Baldwin's former collaborator, David Linx.
I don’t really have the words to describe how it made me feel. Not a great thing for a writer to say, I’ll admit. The performance filled me with a frightening cocktail of loss, futility, and anger, all wrapped up in a deep love for the things that matter.
I lied - I do have the words to describe it, but those words are for the ones closest to me.
Have a great weekend. See ya later.
