Welcome to the return of the Isolation Diaries, Volume 43. With the latest two-week lockdown, we thought we would get the (socially distanced) band back together to share the things that bring us joy, motivate us and help us unwind from the comfort of our homes. What have you been up to?

Described as the original ‘people’s poet,’ Dr John Cooper Clarke’s beat poetry, scatter-gun words are funny, cutting and political—his words are just what we need right now. We are digging deep into the annals of The New Yorker to read The Power of Names by Adam Alter, where words convey symbolic ideas beyond their meaning. Raven Smith’s exploration of the minutiae of everyday modern life and culture is unique and painfully relatable.

While we were outside, we missed the release of Formula 1: Drive to Survive S3, and the latest Movistar soigneurs on the wall documentary, ‘Least Expected Day’, following the wins and losses of a COVID-ravaged 2020 cycling season. Out of puff, check out Ricky Gervais’ Afterlife; it is pure, dark gold. Via Flicks we are rewatching the inverted entropy of Christopher Nolan’s epic Tenant. Does anyone really know the full meaning...? If so, please let us know.

KFC anyone? We are trying our hand at Korean Fried Chicken, viral tomato sauce, and if it all goes to mush, we are giving ShareWaste a second, or third chance.

Are you up for some herbalism and psychology? Listen to Organic Olivia’s healing, soothing and insightful What’s the Juice? with a new season dropping later this month. Ezra Klien has a new podcast series via The New York Times, and he goes deep into the disasters of AI. Crosby Stills Nash and Young re-release DÉJÀ VU, again

With fingers crossed... the Clear team make our annual pilgrimage to the home of the inverted cross. Our bags packed, flights booked, accommodation waiting, and tickets bought... only a pandemic can stop us now! If this fails, you will find us, exploring the Main Yarra trail while biting into one of Moon Cruller’s deep-fried choux-pastry rings. Hmmm, rebellious donuts.