Over/Under #68 with David A. Jamieson

This week my guest is David A. Jamieson , the blogger behind the blog Forkingmad, but also a blog about short fiction.

From his social media profile, David is:

• technologist
• culinary conjurer
• drinker of wine
• crime fiction junkie
• thinker of thoughts
• sarcasm peddler
• Tudor history consumer
• and a blogger

You can follow him on the Fediverse at @daj@gofer.social, and also subscribe to his RSS feed.

Today, I have these topics for him ⤵️

Journaling

Underrated.

There’s a lot to be said for writing about your thoughts, feelings, and activities. It’s often mistaken as a simple daily diary, but I believe it is a powerful tool for self-improvement and clarity. I’ve read many books on the power of routine and how important it is to so many of us, in varying degrees. The rhythm of having an intimate dialogue with yourself fosters more stable emotions.

I wish I did more of it, or more regularly. I admire those who journal on a daily basis. I struggle with the where to. I love paper notebooks, and have quite a collection I scribble in. I use them every day for work or play. Jotting down tasks, or things I want to remember. It helps with future recall as I have an eidetic memory for the pages of notes. I can recall the topic at a later date as I can see in my mind where I wrote down the note on the page.

I’d like to keep a regular journal but I’m not keen on the idea of writing it on analogue media, as it can be picked up easily by other people. The natural progression is towards digital, but I’d never trust any online service to protect my thoughts. I’ve dabbled in self hosting a simple journaling tool, but so far nothing has engaged with me enough. Maybe one day.

Watching TV

Overrated.

I despair at the number of people who spend hours staring at the flickering box in the corner. I’ve never been a huge TV consumer, even as a child. However, as I have got older my tolerance for TV continues to dive. The News is generally depressing, repetitive, and competitive. If the channels are not competing to get the story first, they are sensationalising a story and scavenging out the smallest detail to fill hours of TV-air. If you sit back and analyse any news story, most of it is speculation and debate. Just give me the facts. I now consume all my News online as I can read at speed and move on.

Soap Operas are a car crash of doom and gloom. Fly-on-the wall reality TV shows are an embarrassment to humanity. Kids are exposed to this at an early age, resulting in unrealistic expectations of body image, social behaviours (or lack of), and a desire to be like the TV ‘stars’, with little other ambition.

Clearly I generalise a lot here, but I believe TV offers little of quality.

If I do watch TV, it will be a documentary (assuming it is not hyperbolic). I have the attention span for about 30 minutes, but can push to one hour if it is very interesting.

Generally I can have several days without TV. It’s challenging as my other half is a TV-aholic, so the box is on all day. I’ve learned to tune out of the noise.

Notifications

Overrated.

In March 2024 I turned off email notifications on my phone – I was a slave to my emails. It was the best thing I ever did. I had already turned off social media notifications several months before, so it made sense to complete the loop.

I’m sure I speak for many when I say that as soon as the phone or PC pings, your curiosity gets the better of you and the urge to read it is overwhelming.

Since then I have been liberated. I now decide when to read messages (be it email, or whatever). I can give it the time it deserves and not be driven by others.

Try it. Your mental health will benefit from being in control. I am now over two years notification free; it has never caused an issue to me or anyone needing me. If something is life threatening or urgent someone will call me!

Fountain pens

Underrated.

Let’s keep this brief. I love writing with a fountain pen. There’s something very comforting and carefree as you etch the words onto the paper. Also the practice of filling the ink reservoir in the barrel and the graceful motion as you scribe.

I have several charming fountain pens, but my absolute treasure was hand made for me.

Beaujolais

Overrated.

Did someone mention wine? Yes please!

I enjoy a nice wine. I have no time for wine snobs. If you like a wine, enjoy it; don’t be told that it’s rubbish or inferior.

Over the years I’ve progressed from white into red. Now I struggle with white and enjoy many a red variety.

Perhaps I am a bit unkind to overrate the wines of the Beaujolais region. They are a good starter to red, with a general lighter body. I’ve moved on, and enjoy wines from the Pinot Noir grapes as they are generally more medium-bodied. Initially a French wine, from the Burgundy region, but now also grown all over the world.

My absolute favourite wines come from the Rioja region of Spain. Recently I have discovered some charming white riojas. A perfect summer-evening drink in the sun.

(I’m sipping a cheeky Pinot Noir as I type this)

Imagine that ICE officers are at your door to seize all your books. You have the opportunity to save two. Which two would you pick?

Firstly, I’d ask if they were lost. Secondly I’d say get back to your own feckin’ country, and add various expletives and disparaging remarks about their morals.

Back to the question….Probably none. I’m not materialistic so I don’t get attached to things. I can enjoy things, but in the heat of the moment I’m not sure I would save any books.

Question from the previous blogger

Wow, that’s a difficult one. I am rarely wrong! And I do not mean that in an overinflated ego way. I will generally not offer advice, or form an opinion on something, until I know the facts. Being wrong means you have insufficient information and have therefore made assumptions or offered a work of fiction!

After much cogitation, I am going to say: changing to an electric car. The other half was very keen; I was less convinced. Eventually I gave in to the idea and we went all-electric three years ago. I was (initially) correct; it’s a pain in the ass! But then I got used to it and have to admit I was wrong. It’s a different way of thinking and planning. Especially a long journey as you need to factor in juicing-up for an hour rather than stopping at a petrol (gas) station for two minutes. However, I’d never go back to a combustion engine. And right now we are reaping the benefits as petrol (gas) is so expensive.

What you would like to ask the next blogger?

If you could be transported back in history to a period of time, when would it be and why?

And my replies ⤵️

Journaling

Underrated. Nowadays, many psychologists encourage people to write down their thoughts. While it has many benefits for self-improvement, that isn’t the reason I started doing it.

I’ve been writing daily since November 2019. I wanted to document our family life as a father. I thought it would be nice to relive those years with my kids.

Even though I missed some days over the years, I try to write regularly. If I miss a day or two, I catch up the next day and write down as much as I can remember.

A friend of mine lost his father and discovered that he had been writing about their lives for almost 30 years. Those notebooks made him think back to a lot of happy memories, and he was happy to have them.

I hope my children will love them, too.

Watching TV

Overrated. Mrs Hyde doesn’t like the object on display in your living room as if it were a trophy.

The poor quality of programmes, movies, cartoons and documentaries that the different channels broadcast makes me unwilling to watch the TV.

When my Sony Bravia died. We never bought a new TV. Instead, I bought a video projector, the XGIMI Horizon Ultra. I choose what I want to watch. I don’t depend on their poor programming.

That big screen I can have now changed how I watch the NBA, or the #EuroKino movies. And, the best, Mario Kart on that big wall is just great with family, and friends.

Notifications

Overrated. I dont need them.

I deleted them from my phone years ago, along with all the other useless apps that squander your time.

Emails were never on my phone. I don’t have the necessity to check them on that device that already used to take too much of my time.

As David mentioned, usually if it’s really urgent, people know they have to call me.

Fountain pens

Underrated! I love them! They’re the kind of pens you can keep your whole life. I have three of them and absolutely love using them.

Recently, I discovered two more beautiful pens:

• A Vermeillon model from Namiki.
• The Cigar Aka-Tamenuri from Nakaya. A minimalist pen with no branding, but so gorgeous.

Handmade, they are the Leica of the fountain pen world.

Beaujolais

Overrated!

I’ve never liked the Beaujolais, or even worst “le Beaujolais nouveau” which is a freshly made one.

Wy favourite are red wine from Bordeaux like the Saint-Estephe, the Pomerol or a Margaux.

I can drink some white, but not really my thing. Same thing with the Rosé. Not at all my type of wine.

Recently, I discovered a fourth type of wine, the Orange one which is a mix of making techniques between the white and red. Many aren’t good, but I had the luck to find 3-4 really good.