Good Things to Grow Your Self

Looking for ways to stretch and grow at the start of another year? Try these three.

Thing To Listen To: CARM

Listening to music in new genres can stretch your sonic muscles quickly, especially when the music is as eclectic as CARM’s recent releases.

CARM is the musical moniker of CJ Camerieri, whose horn parts you’ve surely heard on songs like Sufjan Stevens’ “Chicago’. CARM is atmospheric and lush, featuring horns in lead roles where we’re not used to hearing them.

This is headphones on, lights off music to soak in.

Soft Night is a good place to start with CARM’s soundscape. Then move on to his collaborations with Sufjan Stevens, Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon and others.

Thanks to subscriber Wenda for helping me discover CARM recently!

Thing To Use: Spice Mixing Chart

I love to cook and I love to use spices. It never occurred to me that common spices I use (like chili powder) are actually blends of other spices. It turns out I can make those blends myself! A user on Reddit shared this chart from Women’s Health called 9 EASY DIY SPICE BLENDS and it shows you, clear as day, how to mix your own chili seasoning, cajun spice blend, italian spice blend and more. What’s for dinner?

Thing to Read: Lee Scratch Perry’s Manifesto

Jamaican artist Lee Scratch Perry made music with the likes of Bob Marley, the Beastie Boys and the Clash. He learned plenty about living a good life along the way.

WeTransfer recently shared his manifesto – 10 rules for living rendered in vivid colour.

Number 8 declares that “To be happy, you’ll need hope.” Number 4 warns that “if you do not ask, the answer will always be no!”

Find plenty more wisdom in this quick read – https://wepresent.wetransfer.com/story/manifesto-lee-scratch-perry/