Month: December 2021

Crate of Curios part 63

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And here we are with the last Crate of 2021 – the next one will already belong to a new year, 2022 – the year we openly hope will be better than the current one and secretly fear it’ll be the same or worse. However, there’s no telling these days when predictable future has sunk to a horizon of the following week – any longer-term plans seem to be a folly – too much can change within a span of a few days. But enough of the pocket philosophy – it’s time to open the last Crate of the year.

  1. “Ladies who would be alluring to men should surround themselves with cats… I never look at men only at women–they have, each one such marvellous possibilities of beauty. But unfortunately most of them have not developed these possibilities because they have not learned the lessons cats can teach…” – Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita, the artist more famous than Picasso in 1920’s Paris, loved both – women and cats.

2. Apparently it’s not that difficult to become great at something. One simply has to be good at it, repeatedly.

3. “What I envy about men, it isn’t what you think—it’s pockets. I want a makeup that you can carry in your pockets”. Way before second-wave feminism was a thing, Isabella Rossellini created a makeup line for it.

4. Christmas has already passed, but Christmas sweets are still around…

5. Here is one and half minutes of joy that you didn’t even know you needed.

6. And to finish off for this week and this year – a little comic by Slaughterkeys.

And that’s it for this time. Happy reading and until next week!
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If you want to receive the Crate to your mailbox, you can subscribe here at Substack.

Crate of Curios part 62

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Winter is here, Christmas markets are here, freezing temperatures are here – at least they feel freezing although on the thermometer the numbers are still well above 0. I’ve had my first warm spiced wine of the season and still… yes, still haven’t heard ‘Last Christmas’ this December. The rumours are in the air about more restrictions post-holidays, but no point in thinking about this now – as now it’s time to open the next-to-last Crate of 2021.

  1. “Men’s roles seem to give them a great deal more freedom, AND I WAS RESOLVED THAT FREEDOM WOULD BE MINE.” Niki de Saint Phalle was a notoriously uncategorizable integral part of postwar art scene in France and the author of the giant Tarot Garden in Tuscany.

2. Photos are little glimpses into history and John Alinder’s portraits show us Sweden from 100 years ago.

3. Austin Kleon compares the spread of ideas to the spread of plague.

4. Think you know British English? Very interesting.

5. How good are you at guessing languages? LingYourLanguage will help you find out.

6. And to finish off for this week – a science cartoon by Rich Tennant.

And that’s it for this time. Happy reading and until next week!
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If you want to receive the Crate to your mailbox, you can subscribe here at Substack.

Crate of Curios part 61

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Today was the glorious day, when I finally caught a glimpse of heating, touching a radiator by chance and noticing that… it was warm! If I also could change roles with my cat for a few days, staying curled up in the warm bed, when she goes to work instead, it would be simply brilliant. Alas, as it’s not likely to happen, tomorrow is a workday again, so let’s get this week’s Crate opened without further ado.

  1. “I found myself, I made myself, I said what I had to say.” – Suzanne Valadon, a model-turned-successful-modernist-artist is finding her way back to art history from years of obscurity.

2. As I already mentioned the desire for winter hibernation, here’s a beautiful meditation on sleep.

3. Like storytelling and Hollywood? In this case ‘You Must Remember This‘ podcast is waiting for you.

4. This…. is a meat loaf.

5. The self-help book from 400 years ago – “The Anatomy of Melancholy” has been decoded.

6. And to finish off for this week – a little procrastination cartoon by Ellis Rosen.

And that’s it for this time. Happy reading and until next week!
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If you want to receive the Crate to your mailbox, you can subscribe here at Substack.

Crate of Curios part 60

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A rainy sleepy weekend is coming to a close, the Christmas lights are on in the city and Christmas is approaching in leaps and bounds. Oddly enough I haven’t heard ‘Last Christmas’ a single time so far. This weekend though there was no need for Christmas playlist yet, as one of my favourite podcasts had a slew of new episodes that I hadn’t heard. That said, let’s get to our usual business of opening this week’s Crate.

  1. “Nobody believes me but it is true. […] What I paint are volumes.… I am interested in volume, the sensuality of form.” Fernando Botero ‘the most Colombian of Colombian artists’ is still a somewhat controversial figure in the art world.

2. How to keep buildings cool in a hot summer? Soon by painting them with this special white paint.

3. Love the food in Studio Ghibli cartoons? Then check out Sylvia Wakana’s TikTok for the recipes.

4. Three stages of a career.

5. Praise is good for self-esteem, right? It depends.

6. And to finish of for this week, a little comic about dressing for success. (by Extrafabulouscomics)

And that’s it for this time. Happy reading and until next week!
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If you want to receive the Crate to your mailbox, you can subscribe here at Substack.