As PR professionals, facilitating media content in many forms is a big part of our daily life, so it’s always fun to take a step back and share what we’ve been consuming in our personal time. We hope this not only helps you find something inspirational, humorous, or thought-provoking to add to your list but also gives you a little more insight into our multifaceted team.
What I’m Reading
Tim Nooney
I’ve been working to read all of Kurt Vonnegut’s published works for years now. I began with “Breakfast of Champions” and “Slaughterhouse-Five,” which is how I imagine most folks start. The whole thing really escalated when I found the “Kurt Vonneguys” podcast hosted by two funny and well-read comedians, Alex Schmidt and Michael Swaim. Then I stopped for a while.
I’m finally picking it back up. “Timequake” is Vonnegut’s 14th novel. (My 13th, if you’re counting.) It’s also in his top five bests, if I’m ranking. It’s really not much of a novel. It’s more like a man amusing himself in a comfortable chair with ramblings and clever punchlines that tend to be quite touching.
This isn’t a criticism. In fact, isn’t that sort of the whole point? Perseverating over some creative project that ultimately amounts to as much as a chuckle, even if it’s just to yourself.
Imagine how much Kurt would appreciate a clever email subject line in outdoor PR.
Vonnegut is on full display here, bringing back some of his best recurring characters, best lines, and riffing on wild short story concepts before literally binning them. As it happens, that is actually how I came upon my copy. If you’re in a reading slump, try this one. It won’t fix everything, but it’s a start!
What I’m Watching
Maggie Stahley
The past few weeks, I’ve been rewatching “Peaky Blinders” in anticipation of the sequel movie that just dropped on Netflix, “Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.” It’s one of those rare series where you pick up something new every time you watch it. In my opinion, it’s one of the best shows ever made (and no, I’m not just saying that because of Cillian Murphy’s piercing blue eyes), but the writing, characters, acting, and historical backdrop all operate at an absurdly high level. And the soundtrack? I don’t think there is a single miss on the soundtrack to the entire series or film.
That said, I do have a bone to pick with some of the creative choices in the film.
I almost wish I hadn’t watched it and could’ve just sat with the original ending. Without getting into spoilers, some of the plot points don’t quite line up with who Tommy Shelby was throughout the series. If you know, you know.
I have also found myself, after finishing the entirety of the series, needing to tone down my inner monologue, now spoken in a British accent, featuring a generous increase in F-bombs, and paired with an unshakable craving for a pint of Guinness in a dimly lit pub.
What I’m Listening To
Coral Darby
If you know me, you know I’m a Prof G obsessive. Scott Galloway is obnoxiously direct and admittedly arrogant, but he’s also genuinely warm and deeply human, and he delivers intelligent reasoning on all his podcasts. Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett is equally on rotation, and both are permanently queued up in my Spotify library. Recently, Scott sat down with Steven, and having two of my favorite podcasters in the same conversation felt like a gift!
Each brings a distinct lens: Scott’s sharp, no-BS market intelligence and Steven’s thoughtful, deeply curious, and gentle interviewing style, which meld together in one awesome conversation. They go deep on market realities, talk straight about AI without the panic (glass half full here), the GLP-1 revolution, and finding your passion. Near the end, they arrive at the most unexpected and beautiful place, discussing the intersection of grief and love. There’s also real, practical advice for young professionals trying to find their footing right now. Love these two and this special episode. Listen here.
Have something we should add to our lists?