Inspired by Austin Kleon’s 100 Things that made my year article last year, I actually managed to note things down throughout the year. Why don’t you try this over 2024, and let’s compare notes this time next year?
Film
All Quiet on the Western Front, Netflix
Luther, Netflix
Across the Spiderverse, possibly my new favourite film
The Little Things, Netflix
Saltburn, it’s weird, disturbing and brilliant
Godzilla Minus One, amazing on every level.
TV
Kaleidoscope, Netflix series. A brilliant hustle story (Violet, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, Pink, White)
Alice in Borderland, Netflix series. Following a similar theme to Squid Games, but better.
Gold, BBC. A dramatisation of the Brink’s-Mat robbery.
Drive to Survive, Netflix series
The Night Agent, Netflix series. It is a great Secret Service, White House crime drama.
The Diplomat, Netflix series. It’s another political drama with some realistic and comedic elements that add to the story rather than just being inserted on a whim.
The Sinner, Netflix series.
Lupin, Netflix series.
Fargo Series 5, Amazon Prime. Frustratingly, each episode is released weekly, just like old TV, but it’s brilliant and worth the wait.
Crime, Irvine Welsh, ITVX. Another disturbing, yet brilliant crime series.
Theatre
Best of Enemies. David Harewood, Zachary Quinto, and the rest of the cast delivered brilliant performances on a brilliantly designed set.
To Kill a Mockingbird. Aaron Sorkin’s take on Harper Lee’s brilliant story was outstanding.
Cycling
I’m still in love with my Ribble GravelAL. Every time I go out for a ride, a mini adventure unfolds. This is due mainly to my bike’s ability to cope with the local, poor-quality road surfaces. Also, being a gravel bike, it’s extremely capable off-road. This rewards me with much time outside in the natural environment, away from traffic and crowds. Cycling is such a great way to escape and recharge.
Basketball
My son is an avid NBA fan, so watching the BBC’s Ballers: Ball or Nothing about Scotland’s only professional basketball team, our expectations were not high. However, it’s a good little story. This spurred me into looking up our local BBL team, the London Lions—whose next fixture was against the Caledonia Gladiators the following week. It’s not far to the Copper Box for us, so with tickets booked, a bit of father-and-son time was set. We’ve been to three games at the time of writing, and I’ve become more animated and enthusiastic each time. The British Basketball League may not have the glamour of the NBA, but the enthusiastic, friendly crowd and fast-paced action make for a great night out.
Photography
Photo-walks. It doesn’t matter where you live; there is always something to photograph. It can be a way to journal your life, to tell a story or just an excuse to get outside. With the near ubiquity of smartphones, most people have a camera in their pocket, so take photographs and share your journey. I’ve shared some of my images throughout the year, but I could do better at this.
foto, for photographers, it is just about photography. Photographers appear to have a love/hate relationship with Instagram. Mainly due to the way it has followed the trend of focusing more on video and the masses. Personally. I don’t find it too much of an issue, especially considering the app is free. Many attempts have been made to create a photography-focused app without much success. However, this year Michael Howard set out to change this. The app is currently in (paid-for) private beta, but everything looks great. There should be another round of public beta accounts opening in early 2024, visit fotoapp.co for more details.
Writing
This website. Although I’ve slowed down more recently, over the year, I’ve enjoyed writing. From daily pages, journaling and longer pieces. Now, if I could say this to my teenage self, there is no way I would believe this.
Von Dirk is an outlet for all my automotive adventures.
Articles
Is My Toddler a Stochastic Parrot? It is a beautifully illustrated story considering AI/ChatGPT.
Books
The Manual of Design Fiction, Julian Bleecker, Nick Foster, Fabien Girardin and Nicolas Nova, in collaboration with Patrick Pittman and Chris Frey of No Media Co.
The Courage to be Disliked, Ichiro Kishimi, Fumitake Koga
The Courage to be Happy, Ichiro Kishimi, Fumitake Koga
The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday, Stephen Hanselman
The Creative Act: A Way of Being, Rick Rubin
Music
Snoop Dogg live at the O2
Good Morning Jazz playlist – this was the year I finally found an appreciation for jazz, and this Spotify playlist has a great selection to ease into the day.
Podcasts
Iterations, Jeffery Sadoris
Deep Natter, Jeffery Sadoris and Sean Tucker
On Talking Pictures, Bill Wadman and Jeffery Saddoris
Takona, Driving Mental Health Awareness through cars and coffee events and an automotive podcast that’s more about people than cars.
YouTube
More than just a lunchtime companion, YouTube has become my go-to entertainment platform. Here are some of my favourite channels
Alan Schaller, photography
Crafted Workshop, woodwork and renovation
Juliet Elliott, Cycling Adventures
Kyle McDougall, photography
Kym Illman, F1 photography and behind the scenes
Max Does Movies, film and film industry analysis from a smart young person
Modustrial Maker, renovation
Sean Tucker, photography
Ten Hundred, art and all-round creativity
THE RACE, F1 news and insights
Type 7, Porsche
Services
Substack, this newsletter service has become a regular morning read. Be careful; these Substack reads might just get you hooked.
Iterations from Jeffery Sadoris
Austin Kleon from Austin Kleon
Sustainability by Numbers from Hannah Ritchie
Photos, photographers and photobooks from Andrew Eberlin
Miro, I appear to live most of my working life in Miro, and I love it for its simplicity.
Events
Goodwood Revival – This year’s event was possibly the best motoring event I’ve attended.
Design
Von Dirk – Applying for and receiving the registered trademark for Von Dirk. I really have to pull my finger out now and start producing some items and artwork and get them out to the public.
Random things and stuff
Do One Thing Well, Hiut Denim Co