Five things for Friday #3: Peter Capaldi, pocketbooks and the Goblin King

Hello there!

It’s been a bit of a week for me as I had to head into hospital for a minor op which seemed to go well and I’m now sitting with my feet up recovering — which is giving me plenty of time to read!

But I still wanted to share some of my favourite things I’ve read, watched and listened to.

Let’s get stuck in...

1. Music: “Everybody remembers where and when they heard the news about Bowie’s death,” says Rob Sheffield in Rolling Stone. I was sitting in the Radio Bristol newsroom, waiting to go on the Breakfast show to review the morning papers, when the producer suddenly shouted: “Bowie’s dead!” A few minutes later, I was on air being asked to talk about Bowie’s legacy, completely dumbstruck and probably babbling nonsense.
   
   "How David Bowie redefined the art of saying goodbye" brought all that shock back, from the excitement of a brilliant new Bowie album to his sudden return to the stars.
   
   
2. Gear: I wrote a quick review about a little pocketbook system that has been making my stationery-loving heart sing while also offering a practical, rugged solution to tattered notebooks - the Lochby Mini Field Journal.
   
   
3. Extreme Editing: Some seemingly bonkers tactics for editing second drafts are to be found in “Rip It Up” by Mason Currey — although I have to admit that the Oliver Burkeman method does tickle my fancy! The question is whether I have the time to add it to my workflow – or maybe that's the point?
   
   Let me know in the comments if you fancy trying any of these or already do something similar! 
   
   
4. Radio: The Goblin King and Me is a magical radio play based on a real encounter with David Bowie. Yes, I realise this is the second Bowie-related recommendation this week, but it’s a wonderful bit of audio drama, is linked to Labyrinth (one of my favourite films) and is also the work of some good friends of mine: writer Paul Magrs, director Ken Bentley and producer Simon Bernard. Do yourself a favour and go listen!
   
   
5. Podcast: Being laid up meant I could indulge in some long-form interviews I've been wanting to watch, including this 90-minute interview with the great Peter Capaldi where he's remarkably candid about the pressures and joys of being Doctor Who, along with plenty of insight about his other great roles and his recent move into music.

Let me know if you check out any of the links — and feel free to share your recommendations in the comments below. You can also just reply to this email.

I’ll see you on Tuesday with a lesson I learned from Ron Swanson.

Until then, look after yourself and each other!