I’m Christian Payne, observer and participant. Who are you?
In this weekly dispatch I seek out novelty, explore the relations between things, how we share, what we share and consume, plus where we might be going. Thanks for loaning me your attention.
#TheAction
This week I was walking the dog and half way along an old drovers road she just lay down in a sunbeam and appeared to rest. I asked her what she was doing and she ignored me. So I sat down next to her in the grass. In the same sunbeam streaming through the trees.
It was beautiful. There was only the sound of the light breeze in leaves and birdsong. I’m not sure I should attempt to understand the mind of a dog, but I did wonder. Was she stopping to appreciate the beauty of the moment, or simply felt she needed a rest?
She never does this. When she is tired or thirsty she usually just pants. When on a walk, she sniffs, does her business when the time is right and plods on without stopping.
But there we were, in the middle of a beautiful morning. In what felt like summer’s swan song. Just appreciating the moment.
In other news… There is a big hoo-ha in regards to the DST (Digital Services Tax) as America wants to stop paying it. This could potentially cost the UK £5bn in revenue.
As a thought experiment I contemplated what it might mean should I boycott some of the online places I use that are based in the US. Pretty sure it would never happen but it looks like I’d have to remove myself from Discogs, Foto, Apple Music, LinkedIn, Apple Mail, Strava, Gmail GoodReads, FarceBook, Swarm, Chat GPT, Flickr, Untappd, YouTube, Birdsite, Reddit and Substack
Looks like life would be a lot quieter, as i’d mostly be left with Mastodon, Audioboom, Letterboxd, Vivino and Wire as they are not US based. If I wasn’t being strict I could also use Bluesky and Signal as they are not-for-profit.
[If you’d like to connect on any of the above, my profiles are linked. If you’d like to connect on Signal ask me for a link.]
Of course if I wanted another option for Reddit I could always use Lemmy which is federated. If I wanted a replacement for LinkedIn it might be Xing. I’m always looking for a replacement for Substack and Ghost, ButtonDown or Wordpress. Peer Tube is a bit like Youtube, I think I already have an account on Pixelfed the decentralised version of Flickr, MusicBrainz can do the work of Discogs, Komoot for Strava, OwnTracks for Swarm and Pint Please instead of Untappd.
You get the gist.
After spending time thinking about which online places I want to be in and which I don’t, I realised something. I’ve been focusing my attention recently on technology that just does what I want it to do. There are so many places and spaces online that don’t do that. So this retreat away from the algorithm driven platforms we love to hate has me turning to things like chainsaws, screwdrivers and hammers et cetera.
It’s not that I’m turning away from technology altogether, but that I’m drawn to the kind of tools, digital or physical, that are simple, reliable and let me get on with what I want to do.
Speaking of which… the shed is finally lined with insulation and wooden panels, but my mild OCD has me thinking I now need to swap out that rear corner panel for the spare piece. Just so the wood pattern matches all round.
I have also spent way too long looking at hard wearing floor tiles, but am now thinking i’ll just varnish it and stick a floor protector where the motorbike will be. Any advice on flooring materials or decent varnish will be much appreciated.
#ThePictures
While listening to Dylan’s album Blonde on Blonde this week, I wondered how the album got its name and how the blurry image made it onto the cover. A search told me the album was named after an inner sleeve shot where Bob is lighting a Blonde cigarette from another one. Hence ‘Blonde on Blonde’. Another search delivered this video explaining that although some speculated the blurry image was meant to be a reference to LSD it was in fact just freezing cold and the photographer Jerry Schatzberg got camera shake.
Remind me never to delete any blurry portraits of famous people. Just in case they prefer them.
Everything you probably would rather not know about one of my least favourite companies… Palantir.
#TheWords
Ever feel yourself going down a rabbit hole on the web? If so, you will appreciate this article
I’ve been dipping into a Chris Bonington book entitled Quest For Adventure.
It's an account of some of the greatest expeditions of the 20th century, but rather than focusing on his own climbs, he profiles a range of adventurers, from alpinists, to polar explorers, to sailors and balloonists. He writes pretty well and doesn't shy away from the failures and tragedies.
It's inspiring with its insight into what compels people to venture into hostile places and has me wanting to pack a bag and do something old school adventurous (while still keeping my fingers and toes).
I got to meet him once. It was in Bedworth civic hall after he had given a talk.
He gave me a signed poster of Everest on which he drew the route he took. I wish I still had it. A few years later my dad took us way up into the Alps and there I was, in my crampons crunching snow like the great explorers. I even got to see an avalanche up close.
From a small child until now, Chris Bonington has always been an inspiration. That spirit of adventure he instilled in me took me to the most amazing places.
The book had me wondering if I had missed the chance to thank him and I found a recent news article discussing his recent Alzheimer's diagnosis. Sad news. But I also found his email address and have thanked him for all he’s given the world of adventure and those of us who followed his life with awe.
At 91 with all he has done, if the true measure of a life is the adventures we dare to live, then he has conquered the greatest summit of all.
#TheSound
I was gripped by the audio documentary series The Trip on Radio 4 and BBC Sounds, I watched all 10 episodes throughout the day. Tim Hayward spent 14 days in a coma and experienced vivid, unpleasant hallucinatory visions and got curious about why today, many people are deliberately pursuing similarly altered states through psychedelics. He goes on to investigate this rapidly changing field, looking at the growing body of research into psychedelics and their therapeutic potential for mental health etc.
I was fascinated to discover that psychedelics like psilocybin, LSD and MDMA are currently being studied for their ability to temporarily reopen or enhance neuro plasticity. Effectively putting the brain into a state more like the 'open state' of childhood learning.
This ‘Short Cuts’ podcast ‘Someone to watch over me’ had me flashing back to when around 16 years ago I had a brief stint working as a Private Investigator. I was hired for my photography skills by an old-school security company called Burton International. Initially I was asked to do surveillance, but as I was the only one who knew how to operate miniaturised recording gear, I got to branch out into more interesting work.
The guy who recruited me was also a Knights Templar Priest. I have never been a member of or affiliated to any masonic order, but I kept getting invited. I think they thought I was related to Hugues De Paynes.
Here is a chat I had with my former employer. Now deceased.
Now Playing… I thought this was a protest song written recently. ‘No Voice Was Raised’ by the Castanets.
#TheConsumed
Haggis on toast is big in these parts.
#TheThings
I remember teaching my eldest how to play Magic The Gathering.
Now I don’t stand a chance.
I still play though. Anything to pry them away from a screen :-)
I had two friends stop over at the weekend. Gordon and Andy, I took them to a local brewery called Bear Claw where a patron brought in this tankard.
It weighed 9 kilos. Empty!
I was worried about smashing my teeth in. My mumbled outburst has me saying “That’ll be me after 10 pints.”
It’s so ridiculous, but I wish I had seen it on Kickstarter as they are worth a lot more now.
I saw that Apple had released a new iPhone. Sleeker, faster, with a slightly better camera. Thankfully, it didn’t stir any cravings.
With the steady analogification of my life, the question I find myself asking is what’s the greater luxury? Owning the latest device… or owning the choice not to keep looking at it all day?
‘Early adopting’ and showing off new tech to those interested in the latest advancements was (and still is) occasionally fun. But now that everyone has a slice of technology in their pocket, I’m finding more value in the freedom from it.
There’s no complete escape, my attention is still a currency. But I feel i’m freer to choose where to spend it.
It’s hard though. As you well know, I’m a sucker for a podcast or soundtrack. Especially while working outdoors. So an upgrade to my AirPods arrive next week. ;-)
#TheThanks
This bit… is where I thank the supporting subscribers that pay $5/month to get all the content I share into this feed. Thank you! You are the best.
And this bit… is where I b̶e̶g̶ ..I mean ask you to please upgrade to become a paid supporter.
Or if you prefer ‘PayWhatYouLike’ you can do that via PayPal or Monzo and i’ll give the same value (plus some) in full membership.
If none of this is possible right now, a like and a share are always appreciated.♥️
#TheWeb
There is still demand for cathode ray tubes.
Have you added yourself to the Documentally community map?
Good luck getting your head around all facets of this thought piece on the holy grail of physics.
Some resent research on Psychedelics and neural plasticity
This place helps me sustain my own voice, flesh out ideas and stay in touch with a community (when you remember to comment ;-) ) Here’s more on a changing literary culture.
England’s rewilding movement is gaining steam
Some of my other places include these and the ones linked above and supporting subscribers get access to a Discord server. Message me for a link. 👍🏽
But i’m mostly outside walking, working, watching and wondering.
#TheEnd
Thanks for reading. I have a list of to-do’s as long as time but the sun is out so I’m going to pffft a beer and sit in the garden for a bit. (Check Bluesky for evidence).
Have a great week!
“Life is full of cruel subtleties that demand more courage than the obvious dangers of climbing. True endurance isn’t found on the high slopes, but in the city. Where dreams are quietly crushed, childhood ambitions surrendered and daily routines grind us into tiny cogs in the vast machinery of civilisation.” — Unknown climber
Refuse the cog, break the wheel and carve your own path.
See you out there.
Over…
Don’t forget if you want to leave the American stuff behind you could always get the MC02 from Punkt, for email use privateemail or even the punkt Apostrophy.ch services, Swiss based.
And regarding that I’m sometimes tempted.