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The Observe and Rapport Newsletter
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A weekly guide of my favorite books, articles, products, and lifestyle habits.
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July 29th, 2022 | by Kyle Brennan
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Like Stephen King's On Writing, Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird discusses how difficult the process of writing can be. Lamott puts a premium on discipline - the discipline of writing every day at a set time and trying hard to get the first draft out, no matter how bad it may be.
This message may not be news to most, but along with the added info that neurosis and writing go hand in hand, Lamott is not here to inform, she's here to encourage. She's a real teacher, someone who isn't just trying to show you how to get to where you're going, but also to help you restart if you've missed a step. She's also very funny and an excellent writer to boot so the book was an absolute pleasure to read. Pick it up when you're feeling down (about writing).
Rating: 4.6 / 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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"A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots."
It's so important to read history, and more importantly, different accounts of the same historical periods. So much of the history we learned in school is whitewashed only to portray the highlights. Once you dig a bit deeper, you uncover an entirely more chaotic and human world.
In 1776, the American army was suffering defeat after defeat at the hands of the British army. Through the leadership of George Washington, they were able to hold on by a thread. But the story you have in your mind about life in America in 1776 is very different from the reality of the time.
Rating: 4.0 / 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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This movie is a great reminder into how the inner workings of our global financial and economical system really operate. It's extremely intricate from the outside looking in, but when you take a close look, it's actually a lot simpler than you would imagine. Margin Call depicts the fateful day in 2008 when Bear Stearns realized we were on the brink of the total collapse of the global financial system. It follows the twenty-four hours of the analyst who discovered the error in plain sight.
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I can't get enough of stand-up comedy. I try to see it every chance I get. If you don't mind me getting on my soapbox for a minute, stand-up comedy is one of the most important aspects of free speech. It allows society's most observant people to poke holes in the sacred cows and speak to the utter ridiculousness of conventional wisdom.
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I first heard of Fahim Anwar @fahimanwar on Joe Rogan's podcast, and I found his creativity in thinking really unique and hilarious. I checked out his special on Youtube and was laughing just as much as I was just appreciating his view on ordinary things. He also has great dance videos on his Instagram.
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I talk time and time again about how Tim Urban (@waitbutwhy) is one of my favorite thinkers on the internet, with some of the most thought-provoking articles and tweets that completely change my perception of certain things or ideas. In this short and sweet article, Tim explains what makes a marriage work.
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- "I enjoy spending time with most of my friends—that’s why they’re my friends. But with certain friends, the time is so high-quality, so interesting, and so fun that they pass the Traffic Test. The Traffic Test is passed when I’m finishing up a hangout with someone and one of us is driving the other back home or back to their car, and I find myself rooting for traffic. That’s how much I’m enjoying the time with them. Passing the Traffic Test says a lot. It means I’m lost in the interaction, invigorated by it, and that I’m the complete opposite of bored."
- "According to John Gottman, 69% of a typical couple’s fights are perpetual, based on core differences, and cannot be resolved—and a skilled couple understands this and refrains from engaging in these brawls again and again."
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Peep the new bookshelf in the background. Coming along nicely.
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I love listening to non-traditional viewpoints, and Colion Noir (@MrColionNoir) certainly fits the bill here. He's about as pro-gun as you can possibly imagine, so I came into this podcast with an assumption that I would disagree with him on a lot. However, I actually found his conversation with Rogan incredibly insightful, refreshing, and civil. I still haven't quite established my viewpoint on gunrights and what is the right or wrong approach, but I definitely came away from this conversation with a new appreciation for the right to bear arms, and an understanding that banning assault rifles is not necessarily the smartest, or easiest solution to the many problems we're currently facing in this country with regard to gun rights.
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If you don't have three hours to spare listening to the full podcast, check out this 14 minute clip that highlights gun crime statistics in the US and why it's not what the media makes it out to seem.
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"With the past, I have nothing to do; nor with the future. I live now."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Kyle's Published Work
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33 Life Lessons on My 33rd Birthday
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Thirty-three was a big one. Mostly because I became a dad. Our daughter was born on New Year’s Eve — a fitting arrival for a kid destined to reset everything. It’s been a beautiful, if slightly sleep-deprived blur ever since. I’ve only been “Dad” for less than ten months, but if I’m being honest, I’ve been preparing for the role for over …
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Depth Over Downloads: Why Spending Time with Books Still Matters
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Everyone wants faster information. But no one asks if faster information leads to better understanding — or a better life. In the age of AI and tweet-sized wisdom, we’ve confused information with transformation. But there’s a massive difference between knowing what a book says and being changed by it. The Delusion of Instant Learning In a recent interview, political journalist Ezra Klein admitted he once believed …
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The Jack Reacher Approach to Never Being Caught Off Guard
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There’s no difference between a pessimist who says, ‘Oh, it’s hopeless, so don’t bother doing anything,’ and an optimist who says, ‘Don’t bother doing anything, it’s going to turn out fine anyway.’ Either way, nothing happens.” —Yvon Chouinard, Founder of Patagonia I don’t read much fiction, but I’ve always been hooked on Lee Child’s Jack Reacher. He’s not your typical …
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