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Readtime: 12 min
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When Rob Thomas quipped, ‘Outside it’s stopped raining,’ he may well have been predicting this weekend’s weather. After a long and soggy few months, Sydney’s skies have opened and let the bright glow in. It’s a warm welcome from the Man of Many team and to make things better, we’ve compiled a few rays of sunshine ourselves. Here is Man of Many’s Staff Favourites for this week.
Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time
Nick Hall – Editor-in-Chief
As a writer, I’ve always struggled to find the balance between overtly serious and playful banter. Some authors do it remarkably, able to walk the line with trapeze artist-like precision, and I admire, with great aplomb, the challenges that represents. To me, there is no greater proponent of this skill than American novelist and cultural commentator Kurt Vonnegut. Effortlessly funny, his writing oozes fantastical wit underpinned but great tragedy and seriousness. One moment you are laughing at the concept of space anuses and the next, you are brought into the cruel reality of modern warfare – it’s spectacular that he manages to find cohesion within his chaotic literary world.
My wife is a big fan of Vonnegut, and this week, she encouraged me to sit down and watch the 2021 documentary on his life, Unstuck in Time. Created by director Robert B. Weide, the film features never-before-seen interviews and personal videotapes collected over 40 years, providing an unparalleled look at the life of one of America’s greatest-ever writers. As a documentary, Unstuck in Time isn’t particularly remarkable, but it does a great job of letting Vonnegut’s unique and quirky personality shine through. It feels more than a chat between friends than a deep-dive and you really get the sense that Vonnegut and Weide were great friends.
Throughout the film, you watch as Vonnegut laughs and smiles in the face of tragedy, chain-smoking his way from war-torn Germany to the lofty heights of American fiction. If you are a fan of Vonnegut, or literature in general, I highly recommend checking this one out.
Favourite Article of the Week: I Tried Dyson’s Radical New Headphones. I Have Thoughts.
A Few Small Life Hacks
Scott Purcell – Co-Founder
Believe it or not, I’m typing this from a crowded flight to Queenstown! I’m heading away with a group of mates to go skiing on around a 20cm base of snow (which is likely to be melted by the time we get there) – it sounds like it’ll be more sinking schooners than hitting diamond blacks for this trip. As I have been travelling, I don’t really have a product to review this week. I feel like I’ve got all of my ‘daily drivers’ sorted; I know what works for me when I travel and don’t need to try anything new, but I did want to share a few lifehacks that I wish I had known earlier.
- Did you know that if you pay for Spotify, you also get access to free audiobooks? I’ve been trying to get back into reading for years, but sometimes, life just gets too busy. Being able to access these for free and listen while I’m driving in my car has been a game changer, particularly for business books I’m reading.
- Secondly, stick a Tile, Apple Tag, or Samsung Tracker in your luggage to track it when you travel overseas. If it gets lost or doesn’t arrive, you know exactly where it is.
- Finally, if you own a Kindle, you can send Word documents, articles or text to it to read in a Kindle-friendly format by going to Microsoft Word > File > Export > Send to Kindle. You can also use your Kindle email to send documents there to have some distraction free reading without access to the internet or social which can quickly get you off track.
That’s it from met this week but hope everyone is having a good 2024 and thinking about their goals for the second half of the year!
Favourite Article of the Week: I Tried Dyson’s Radical New Headphones. I Have Thoughts.
OMA Instrumental Hip Hop Covers
Frank Arthur – Co-Founder
Discovering OMA’s YouTube channel has been a game-changer for my work and chore routines. This four-piece band from Manchester delivers instrumental hip-hop covers that perfectly blend nostalgia, relaxation, and focus. I’m a big fan of their ultra-chill, lo-fi beats, whether they’re covering Dr. Dre’s “2001” or mixing classic 90s hip-hop tracks. Beyond the music, their videos are a visual delight, featuring stunning single-camera shots that showcase the band against impressive backdrops, making each performance a captivating experience and a must-watch for any hip-hop fan.
Favourite Article of the Week: I Tried Dyson’s Radical New Headphones. I Have Thoughts.
Canon MAXIFY GX2060 MegaTank
John Guanzon – Head of Social
I have a confession to make. I haven’t owned a home printer since I lived with my parents. For the longest time, I’ve been fulfilling all my printing needs by making trips to Officeworks or HR, and I keep scrolling printing at work. But recently that all changed when we decided to upgrade our home office with the Canon MAXIFY GX2060 MegaTank printer. A month after the initial set-up, it’s become an indispensable part of our home.
One of the standout features of the Canon MAXIFY GX2060 is its “MegaTank” technology. The high-capacity ink system not only saves me from the frequent trips to the store for replacements but also drastically reduces printing costs.
Call me late to the party (keeping in mind that I haven’t owned a home printer for more than a decade), but I was mindblown at how effortlessly easy wireless printing is. I could be instantly printing documents in the office straight off my phone while sitting in the lounge room without even getting up (because I’ve asked one of my kids to collect it for me).
Another aspect I love about the GX2060 is its durability and robust build. It’s designed to handle high-volume printing with ease, and an intuitive touchscreen interface adds a modern touch, making operation nothing but straightforward. If you’re looking to stop making last-minute trips to Officeworks whenever you realise you need to print something, the Canon MAXIFY GX2060 MegaTank is a worthwhile investment that won’t disappoint.
Favourite Article of the Week: Why ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’s Director Keeps Working with Ryan Reynolds.
Sea Salt Spray
Ben McKimm – Journalist
Price: AU$18
Maybe I’m a little slow at recognizing hairstyling trends, but this week, I got my hands on sea salt spray for the first time, and it’s fundamentally changed how I style my hair. You spray this stuff in your hair and blow-dry it, adding all the texture you could ask for before applying the product. It’s simple stuff, but I can finally achieve my desired hairstyle. Before using sea salt spray, I always lost volume from shampooing and ended up with flat hair, but that’s changed now, and I’m infinitely happy I found this stuff.
The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce)
Alex Martinez – Media Sales and Brand Partnerships
The GOAT Eminem is back with an outrageous and absolute banger of an album. The best news for OG fans is it feels like the old Eminem is back with raw and unhinged lyrics we fell in love with. The beats and wordplay are high energy, fast-paced and uniquely irreverent whilst taking shots at absolutely everyone. Just like the South Park sound bite Eminem uses in “Habits,” he’s great at making acute observations about broader society, the rap scene and woke culture (regardless of where you sit on the matter).
This album will be received with a wide range of reactions, from extremely offended to cementing Eminem as one of the greatest rappers alive. It’s a reminder that Eminem isn’t afraid to shake things up and keep everyone on their toes. Do not listen if you are easily offended.
Favourite Article of the Week: I Tried Dyson’s Radical New Headphones. I Have Thoughts.
The 2024 NFL Season
Marcus Hurley – Sales and Partnerships Manager
The NFL season unofficially kicks off this week with players reporting to their team’s training camps in the lead-up to preseason on August 2. As an avid fan of all things NFL, this is glorious news. At the end of every season, as the champions hoist the Lombardi trophy, I am left feeling a bit empty, wondering what I am going to do with my early Monday mornings for the next six months. This feeling of emptiness quickly dissipates as life takes over, but always, in the back of my mind, I am counting down the days.
To me, watching the NFL is like watching a blockbuster movie, slowly unfolding over the course of three months. The stories, the characters (some savoury, some not so much), and the overall Disney-level production value make for must-watch television.
As a struggling Seattle Seahawks fan, I often find that the course of my week is directly correlated with whether my team won that week or not. If they lose, my week is filled with listening to podcasts and watching YouTube clips covering the whys and whos contributing to their loss. If they win, it is much the same; however, it is accompanied by a false sense of self-worth for being very loosely associated with a winning team in a sporting league conducted over 12,000 km away.
After shooting my shot in the office and inviting my Man of Many colleagues to join my NFL Fantasy team and not receiving much interest (shout out to Editor-in-Chief, Nick Hall, for being the only one to join…), I invite you to join me in my love for all things NFL and join my league “Man of Many touchdowns” on the NFL fantasy app. Bring on the 2024 NFL season, and Go Hawks!
Favourite Article of the Week: 2024 Porsche 911 GT3 RS Review
Breville Oracle Jet Coffee Machine
Dayna Aspite – Branded Content Associate
When I say this machine has changed the way I view my mornings, it’s no joke! This machine brings barista-grade coffee home with a touch of elevation. Not only does it look sleek, but it guides you through making the perfect coffee just the way you like it. With every step being customisable, it really is all about adjusting it to your own perfect coffee.
With Breville being renowned for its innovation and high quality, this machine is no exception to brilliance! If you’re in the market for a new coffee machine, or in the market to spoil yourself, I can’t recommend this machine enough!!
Favourite Article of the Week: Best Online Games to Play With Friends
The Man With 1,000 Kids
Dean Blake – Journalist – Tech, Entertainment & Features
This week my partner and I watched the Netflix doco The Man With 1,000 Kids, and to say it was a trip would be an understatement. I’m not really the kind of viewer that yells at his TV or audibly gasps when things happen – I’d be terrible on Gogglebox – but this three-part series had me literally squirming in my seat. It’s the true story of a Dutch man who serially donates his sperm, through clinics and through private donations, and who, as the title gives away, ends up with a lot of kids. Like, too many. So many that it is actually illegal.
The show follows the mothers of these kids as the reality of this man’s actions dawn on them and as they seek to stop him from having any more. The guy is unhinged and pretty unlikeable, honestly, but man, is it an interesting watch. I’d highly recommend it.
Favourite Article of the Week: Best Fried Chicken Spots in Sydney
DJI Osmo Pocket 3
Beatrix Boon – Social Media Producer
Having just joined the MoM crew, I’ve been trying out all our cool gear, some of which has been new to me. This little pocket treasure has been a lifesaver over the last couple of weeks, being more easy to use than any other camera I’ve owned. Now that I’m getting the hang of things, I’ve been researching more into how to get the most out of the pocket 3 to take my videos to the next level. Youtubers like Airbazoo and The Drone Creative have been so helpful to me in exploring the full capabilities of the DJI Osmo Pocket 3… I’ve taken it home for the weekend – let’s make some magic!
Favourite Article of the Week: ‘This is My Little Brainchild’: G Flip’s Juicy New Project is a Little Outside of the Box
