Six Things, Volume 39

Lavash | Rivers | Mystery | Keaton | Owls | Numbers

Oct 14, 2023

Thing 1 – Lavash

There is always great pleasure to be found in watching people do things with skill – the kind of skill that comes from doing something many many times, to the point that it becomes as easy as winking. And as a part-Armenian whose struggles with all kinds of dough are cited in the Wikipedia categories ‘Aaaggghhh’ and ‘Walls, Cleaning Techniques’, the skills on display in this video about the making of lavash had me purring. I’ve tried to make lavash a couple of times. All I’ll say is it didn’t come out like this. Questions like ‘how does she do that without flinging it out of the window?’ And ‘how come it sticks to the side like that and doesn’t fall into the fire?’ might seem naive, but I asked them anyway.

Thing 2 – Rivers

I find these hi-res images of rivers, by Dan Coe, quite mesmerising.

For those wanting more, his Flickr albums have the images in portrait and landscape, as well as information about the rivers themselves.

Thing 3 – Mystery

If you played in a band at any time between 1970 and 1990, you likely have the odd cassette rattling around the place, the contents of which might, in an alternative timeline, have led to your fame and fortune. If so, it’s worth listening to this – The Most Mysterious Song on the Internet – just in case you recognise it.

Were you the lead singer? The drummer? The guitarist? The groupie slouched in a beanbag in the corner of the studio nodding along in a fug of smoke? If you were, no doubt legions of Reddit and YouTube users would be interested to know about it.

Thing 4 – Keaton

It was Buster Keaton’s birthday last week, but I was too busy celebrating Steve Reich’s birthday to register it.

But now I’ve caught up, and it’s worth taking a moment not just to appreciate the extraordinary audacity of his stunts, which remain as jaw-dropping as they were when they were first filmed, but also his influence on film-making.

Thing 5 – Owls

Owls, though. We love owls, yes? And I love this: 30 ways to describe an owl, according to Inuit artist Kenojuak Ashevak.

Thing 6 – Numbers

It would be a wild exaggeration to describe the rectangle of land a mile or so away from our home, and lovingly tended and nurtured to produce abundant and healthy crops of everything from agretti to zucchini, as “our” allotment. All the work, care and love is lavished on it by my wife Tessa. It is her allotment. But I do, from time to time, lend a hand.

This morning, having dispatched my manure-lugging duties, I had a bit of a wander and took some photographs. The result is this – A Partial Typology of Allotment Plot Numbers.

The variety of numbering styles is also reflected in the variety of approaches to an allotment plot, all butting up against each other. You have your space – now grow stuff. Some grow just one crop; others as many as they can; others still transform their sheds (within the parameters laid down by the allotment association, with whom you do not mess) into what almost amounts to a second home.

This, I learn from Bluesky user Gary Parkinson, is what Stewart Brand would call ‘low road building’.

The things you learn on the internet.

I’ll be going into Unnecessary Detail tomorrow evening (Sunday 15th October) as part of the excellent Festival of the Spoken Nerd’s Evening of Unnecessary Detail.

The evening will also feature excellence from stand-up maths guy Matt Parker, sciencey dude Steve Mould, and ukulele-toting self-proclaimed geek songstress Helen Arney. I’m looking forward to it a lot.

In-person tickets are all but sold out, but for the first time they’re live-streaming the show, so you can watch it from the comfort of your own [whichever room you watch things in – I’m not judging]. You can buy tickets here. If you’re buying a streaming ticket, you need to do it before the start of the show (7pm UK time), and you can watch for up to two weeks afterwards.

Six Things