four things # 10

zeppelin's houses of the holy, kettlebells, shackleton's endurance, kipling's 'if'

Music:

Houses of the Holy by Led Zeppelin. Zeppelin is in my blood¹. This album sticks out for many reasons. The iconic album cover. The incredible name. But the real magic of the album of course is the diverse expanse of music contained inside. It’s one of their most dynamic and artistic efforts, and at the time their most sophisticated; stretching far past their blues rock roots and reaching into unfamiliar territory. It’s got it all: gigantic driving rock pieces, ephemeral orchestic ballads, a nod to James Brown, an attempt at rock/reggae (nailed it), a mystical and spirit-conjuring war cry, and the odd time pub-friendly romp, and more.

These dudes were in their mid-20s when they wrote and recorded this joint. What the hell was I doing when I was in my mid-20’s?

Physical Fitness:

A kettlebell. Besides your own bodyweight and a TRX, this is the most bang-for-your-buck fitness tool out there. It provides an assload of versatility and a full body bangin’ workout with minimal equipment. To start, you only need one. For men the recommended weight is between 16-24kgs (35-54lbs) and for women 6-14kg (13-26lbs). You can swing it, press it, squat with it, lunge with it. You can use it to destroy a wall or a floor if you’re remodeling. You can carry it in your car. I used to do micro workouts in my office. The possibilities are many, restricted only by your own creativity. My favorite moves: Swing, Turkish Get-Up, Clean & Press.

Book:

The Endurance by Alfred Lansing. Here’s the plot: Shackleton assembles a crew and heads to an Antarctica to be the first person to traverse the continent. Things get bad as soon as they arrive and this mission of exploration turns into a rescue mission. The story that ensues is incredible. It’s also a true story. Shackleton is one of my favorite people to read about.

Poem:

If— by Rudyard Kipling. Continuing on my fan-boy love for Shackleton, a few years back I read an article about his personal library onboard the Endurance (“Endurance” was the name of the ship). On the wall in his library was Kipling’s poem. I’ve loved this poem for many years, way before I learned about Shackleton.

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See ya next time,

Tyler

1. As a kid, I remember riding in the back seat of the family Jeep Cherokee, my dad mimicked the bombastic drumming of John Bonham on the steering wheel. Or his countless attempts at the feral wails and howls of Robert Plant. Or standing in line at a bank or grocery store, air guitaring Jimmy Page-style. And lastly, long discussions about how John Paul Jones was the cornerstone of the band, as well the most most classically trained musician of the four. It’s like each member had their own command of the essential elements: fire, water, wind, and earth. Like departed gods of some ancient polytheistic religion that exists now only in record-form.