Reruns + black holes + roller skates

Jun 5

May I recommend

Reruns.

There is nothing more comfortable than settling in with an episode of New Girl you’ve watched 45 times, or picking up a book you’ve read ten times. You know the story, there will be no unpleasant surprises. Jane is going to be sent to that horrible school, her religious friend with the weak lungs is going to die and for a long time she’s going to be QUITE suspicious about what exactly is happening in that attic, but once she spends some time with those stupid missionaries, she’s going to be blissfully reunited with Mr. Rochester and Reader, she’ll marry him!

turned off black television — Photo by Ajeet Mestry on Unsplash

A rerun is cozy and known and some guaranteed low-stakes enjoyment and in this topsy turvy world, don’t we all deserve a bit of that?

That being said, I’m bit busy this weekend, so this is a throwback post… Here are some good spring/summer recs from last year.

Window Air Conditioners

Vitamin D

Taking a break

The Honeybee Emeralds Playlist

Have you implemented any of my recommendations? Tells me about it in the comments below!

Programming Note: Summer is upon us and with it much travel and lolling about. As a result, Méli-Mélo will be going down to a twice monthly schedule. Catch you in two weeks, friends!

Black holes will save us

The Black Hole in the Middle of our Galaxy

The world is horrible and bad things keep happening. Let’s take comfort in the fact that there’s a massive black hole at the centre of our galaxy and hopefully one day we’ll fall into it.

The first image of the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, Sagittarius A*, was just released by astronomers. Technically, black holes are unseeable. They trap all light that falls in. That's why photographing one is sort of a paradox. This is actually a picture of the black hole's shadow—a dark circular silhouette set against the glowing matter surrounding the black hole.

Magic Roller skates

Perfect fit

This lady bought the same pair of roller skates, forty years later. It’s nice.

"It was a really great moment," he said. "It really filled my heart with a lot of joy to be honest."
Bond said it's funny to hear Forrestall say she felt like Cinderella putting on the glass slipper, because he and his girlfriend joked about how this story would make a good Disney movie.
Both of them believe there is something magical about their encounter.

I love my bike

Bicycles have evolved, have we?

I got a new bike and I love it and it’s reignited my love of cycling.

To ride a bike, Rosen points out, is to come as close to flying by your own power as humans ever will. No part of you touches the ground. You ride on air. Not for nothing were Orville and Wilbur Wright bicycle manufacturers when they first achieved flight, in Kitty Hawk, in 1903.

Motive Crime and Mystery Festival

If you’re in Toronto, you still have one day to toodle down to the Harbourfront Center for Motive Crime and Mystery Festival. Come and say “hi” - I’ll be at the Crime Writers of Canada tent signing books and worrying about my sunscreen application from 11am to 3pm today.

Wait, is one of my eyes bigger than the other? What is happening?

I had a ton of fun doing another book club this week and I’ve got a bunch more scheduled for June. If you’re interested in having me talk to your book club, lemme know!