John Du Cane

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Hi All!

Here is the current issue of my weekly “Sunday Share,” a list of what I have been engaging with, excited by or otherwise found intriguing.

What I’m reading —
Atomic Habits: An Easy and proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones by James Clear

This is a book I wish I had been forced to read when I was 12 years old then encouraged to re-read every year after. And because the book only came out a little over a year ago, I am in regret-mode for all the waste in my life engendered by NOT following the extraordinarily practical and most certainly proven advice that fills every page.

I hadn’t realized just how disorganized I was until I absorbed the wisdom here. I have already started making many of the shifts Clear recommends. A next step will be doing a review of what really matters to me so I can re-organize my life to be so much more fulfilled in the years to come.

No question, Atomic Habits is a life-changer. I am sure I will read it at least another couple of times through. All I can say, just get it! You’ll be thanking me…J

What I’m putting into my body —
Terrasoul Cacao Butter Wafers

After reading a sales letter extolling the exotic health benefits of Peruvian Criollo cacao beans — but at an absurdly inflated price — I went on Amazon and found Terrasoul Cacao Butter Wafers. Oh my, do I feel like I lucked out! Their marketing promo describes this unheated/unprocessed butter as coming from the “ richest and most decadent part of the cacao bean.” Most decadent! Who knew that buried within the Criollo bean was this decadent essence just begging to slip into my mouth? And who knew that the marketing hype lived up to its claim? But, yup, after just the first few sips of my Criollo-laced espresso (aided and abetted by some heavy whipping cream) I was making some serious internal oohs and ahs…

As an unrepentant ketoist I appreciate the 130 calories I get from one tablespoon of these wafers. Add the divine taste, and I’m a happy, satisfied soul right now.

Newsletter I’m glad to open every week —
3-2-1 Thursday

As you read above, I was blown away by James Clear’s Atomic Habits. His newsletter, 3-2-1 Thursday is also a must-have, must-open in my world. His promise here is one that he delivers on:

“The goal of each 3-2-1 email is to share the most wisdom per word of any newsletter on the web. While my long-form articles allow me to explore one idea in-depth, these emails will cover a wide range of useful ideas each week.”

Have you checked out my new book The Illustrated Wild Boy yet? Here’s a nice review about it from a reputable source:

“An absorbing memoir perfectly complemented by exquisite art.” — Kirkus Reviews

Thoughts, comments, wishes, suggestions? Hit me up by email at johnrducane@gmail.com

It’s free. No spam. Unsubscribe whenever you want.

Hi All!

Here is the current issue of my weekly “Sunday Share,” a list of what I have been engaging with, excited by or otherwise found intriguing.

What I’m reading —

The 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan Peterson

Any author who describes Dostoyevsky as the greatest novelist of all time gets an immediate thumbs up from me. As a teenager, I would exhaust flashlight batteries under the covers until 3am, illicitly reading Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov and The Idiot when I was supposed to be fast asleep. In fact I chose to go to Churchill College, Cambridge to study directly with George Steiner the author of Tolstoy or Dostoyevsky. Sort of like “The Rolling Stones or the Beatles?” You guessed it, I’m a Stones guy. Can’t stand the Beatles… way too saccharine… Stones equals blues, Beatles equals British music hall which is most definitely not to my taste.

Then the next thumbs up from me for Jordan Peterson was his ability to get me to ascribe value to the Bible, the Old Testament in particular. While I was sent to Anglican schools in England, the language and the whole vibe of Christianity just didn’t ever resonate for me. But give me Buddhism or Taoism and I’m your friend for life. Peterson helped open my eyes to the hundreds of thousands of years of empirical wisdom and insight that the Old Testament summates—if still not in the kind of language I can easily tolerate. I feel more open-minded which is always a good thing.

As I continued to read The 12 Rules, I was struck over and over by the sheer practicality of the advice. Peterson helps me want to be a better person, plain and simple. And he lays out an inspiring package of mindsets/blueprints to make it happen.

As big a contribution for me—and this is the area where he has got into hot water—is his nuanced breakdown of and warnings about the perils of totalitarianism, whether from the left or the right. It is always a salutary reminder of just how close humanity always is to slipping into chaos and mayhem. And we appear to be heading into another era where Hitlerian dishonesty is laying the groundwork for mass-havoc to be unleashed on the world yet again, if we don’t act quickly to prevent the slide.

What I’m listening to —

Tulku

I have been in the mood to be transported into rapture recently, so I’ve returned to a wonderful couple of favorites from Tulku, Season of Souls and Trancendence. Both of these put me into that relaxed, inspired place where haunting melodies and sensual rhythms evoke the deeper reaches of the soul and hint at ecstatic mysteries beckoning to be revealed. I need that in my life right now!

Have a listen and let me know what you think.

Have you checked out my new book The Illustrated Wild Boy yet? Here’s a nice review about it from a reputable source:

“An absorbing memoir perfectly complemented by exquisite art.” — Kirkus Reviews

Thoughts, comments, wishes, suggestions? Hit me up by email at johnrducane@gmail.com

It’s free. No spam. Unsubscribe whenever you want.

Hi All!

Here is the current issue of my weekly “Sunday Share,” a list of what I have been engaging with, excited by or otherwise found intriguing.

What I’m watching —
The Rise of Jordan Peterson

When I told a good friend I was reading The 12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson my friend became very alarmed indeed. I was cautioned to think twice about publicizing my admiration for the book. Well, I knew nothing about Jordan Peterson before finally listening to his book on audio so approached him with a clean slate. 12 Rules had been recommended to me by an artistic, soulful lady after she went through a wrenching alcoholic relapse and had found the book immensely helpful in her recovery.

I will discuss the 12 Rules further next week, however for now I will just say that the biggest word I associate with it is “integrity.”

After reading 12 Rules, I saw a recommendation from Tim Ferriss to check out this recent documentary about Peterson and I found it fascinating. What stands out most to me is that Peterson is anti-ideology, whether it be from the far right or the far left. His greatest caution is that we slip back into the kind of blind totalitarianism that resulted in the tens of millions of innocent people murdered by fascists and communists alike.

If you have been put off by his stand against certain elements of political correctness then I would recommend you check this out for a balanced portrait of a very complex and deep thinker.

What I’m listening to —
The Best of U-Roy, Super Boss

Quick quiz for you: Who is considered the “father of rap”—and why? I’ll bet dollars to donuts that hardly one of you would name the Jamaican Reggae legend U Roy. Was I correct? Hard to say for sure, but his toasting had a big impact on the early hip-hop pioneers also.

In my early twenties in London, Reggae became essentially the only music I would listen to. Well, some African, but really it was Reggae, Reggae, Reggae. Because Reggae’s combo of raw sensuality, hypnotic rhythms and passionate spirituality resonated more deeply with me than any other music on the planet. And before Burning Spear came to my attention, the singer who I found myself listening to more than anyone else was U-Roy.

Have a listen on Spotify or wherever and let me know what you think.

What I’m reading —

The Light Years: A Memoir by Chris Rush

John Waters recommended The Light Years on his Amazon page as one of the best books he had read last year and I am so glad I followed up on his recommendation. The poetic prose in this book often almost defies belief for its subtle, evocative beauty. Over and over, I found myself pausing and asking myself “did he really just write something that skillfully beautiful?” And the answer was invariably “yes.”

What is all the more amazing is that this is artist Rush’s first book. I am both deeply envious of his achievement as a writer — while thoroughly thrilled and entertained by his masterly memoir.

What I am putting into my body —
Golden Seal

As a wave of fresh paranoia about a new “killer” virus sweeps through the internet, I am reminded about an old standby of mine that I have used on and off for around forty years. That would be the ancient Native American remedy, Golden Seal. Originally I would glug it in tincture form and I am sure would overdo it, being the compulsive type I am. In fact, I remember getting fairly high on it in a spacey, yinnified kind of way…

While I am not sure how much Golden Seal would truly help against the coronavirus, I have turned to it frequently if I feel a cold coming on and it helps reduce symptoms very quickly.

Here’s a couple of customer reviews from Amazon that I would agree with, based on my overall experience with it over the years:

“I take it 5 days a week and 2 days off. Goldenseal should not be taken every day for very long. It’s a great antibiotic type herb. I take it for inflammation and respiratory, but it’s been helpful for many health issues: Goldenseal is also used for the common cold and other upper respiratory tract infections, as well as stuffy nose and hay fever. Some people use goldenseal for digestive disorders including stomach pain and swelling (gastritis), peptic ulcers, colitis, diarrhea, constipation, hemorrhoids, and intestinal gas.”

“This actually does clear up mild infections for me, such as UTI or an ear infection. Pretty amazing what our forebears knew.”

So, if it looks like the coronavirus is going to go nuclear on us, perhaps a bottle or two of Gold Seal may help stack the immune deck in your favor…

Have you checked out my new book The Illustrated Wild Boy yet? Here’s a nice review about it from a reputable source:

“An absorbing memoir perfectly complemented by exquisite art.” — Kirkus Reviews

Thoughts, comments, wishes, suggestions? Hit me up by email at johnrducane@gmail.com

It’s free. No spam. Unsubscribe whenever you want.

Hi All!

Here is the current issue of my weekly “Sunday Share,” a list of what I have been engaging with, excited by or otherwise found intriguing.

What I’m watching —
Pressure Cooker

I just love gritty, soulful, searing, moving, inspiring documentaries about hyper-real people triumphing against all odds in their struggle to make something of themselves in their lives. Pressure Cooker checked all of those boxes for me.

A hardass disciplinarian teacher at a Philadelphia school in a disadvantaged neighborhood administers tough love to a disparate group of chef-wannabees in her culinary arts class. I have been feeling stressed and sorry for myself more than is healthy recently but when it comes down to it my problems involve a threat to my usual comfort more than an existential struggle for making it in a world that is stacked against me. So Pressure Cooker was a loving slap in the face for me to stop with the self-pity and go be wonderful instead.

What I’m publishing —
The Illustrated Wild Boy by John Du Cane

Well, yes, this is by me and I am actually fairly bashful when it comes to plugging my own stuff. Instead I will leave you with a couple of review excerpts and a fun endorsement from a fellow author:

“Well I am jealous — the blending of your text with the vibrant, comic book motif illustrations struck me as fabulous — stylistically Judit is more Crumb than Steadman – still, the perfect blending of radical images with sparse text hit me like HS Thompson and Ralph Steadman back in the prime days of Rolling Stone — it was a perfect melding — she amped-up your tales and your words gave context to her abstractions — synergy personified.” — Marty Gallagher, The Purposeful Primitive

The Illustrated Wild Boy features Judit Tondora’s beautiful color drawings which embellish a literary story collection that captures different memories and experiences. The surprising blends of autobiography, philosophy, spirituality, and cultural investments in wild times, wild feelings, and different forms of horror and growth are wound into a story of media explorations and artistic investments to create a unique graphic novel-style memoir.

Unlike typical graphic stories, this collection blends a healthy degree of literary writings with colorful visual backgrounds. Where graphic productions typically promote brevity over explorations, John Du Cane centers his adventures firmly in written observations that embrace metaphor and reflection with equal depth and insight.

Irony, critical observation, artistic expression, counterculture trends, and social and family influences craft a series of thought-provoking, lively, engrossing short works that are not just about Du Cane’s world, but about how readers interpret these visions and revelations.

It’s rare to find a multifaceted short story collection of vignettes whose tales are equally well rooted in artistic, personal, and social observation.

Hungarian illustrator Judit Tondora’s lovely backgrounds bring Du Cane’s adventures to life. The result is a creative and involving work of art, language, and social inspection that will delight readers looking for literary works strong in spiritual and social revelations. — D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

“An absorbing memoir perfectly complemented by exquisite art.” — Kirkus Reviews

What I am putting into my body —
Keto Genius

Haha, when I was browsing the nutrition aisles searching for a quick keto fix, this container called Keto Genius leapt at my eyeballs, drilled into my brain and found whatever pleasure center was waiting to have its craving fulfilled. What can I say other than to admit the choice to marry Keto with the word genius was… marketing genius… at least when it comes to psychically vulnerable ketoists like me?

Now truth be told, after my first enthusiastic dosing (“yay, I can feel the buzz!”) I now tread lightly with Keto Genius because it does pack a punch.

If you are intrigued then here’s some information from the product’s page on Amazon:

• Elite Keto Brain Booster – This is the perfect ketogenic supplement for individuals looking to live in a state of peak performance. Sustain ketosis & ignite elite cognitive function with research verified exogeneous ketones (BHB Salts) and synergistic nootropics (alpha GPC, TeaCrine & Dynamine)
• The Next Evolution Of The Keto Diet (Live In Superhero State) – When people get in ketosis, they often experience another level of mental clarity & a dramatic reduction in brain fog. The keto diet is a focus factor in its own right but we’ve supercharged the entire concept with our ground-breaking formula
• Zero Carb, Zero Problem – Hack the Keto Diet and avoid all of the drawbacks of low carb. Beta hydroxybutyrate (BHB) Salts have been shown to lessen appetite while dynamine has been shown to improve mood & focus by activating dopamine receptors
• Results You Can See & Feel – Yes, it works and you will notice that when you consume your first drink. This is a max strength formula for true biohackers to drive productivity and establish a new base for neuro & physical performance

Thoughts, comments, wishes, suggestions? Hit me up by email at johnrducane@gmail.com

It’s free. No spam. Unsubscribe whenever you want.

Hi All!

Here is the current issue of my weekly “Sunday Share,” a list of what I have been engaging with, excited by or otherwise found intriguing.

What I’m watching —
Better Call Saul

I don’t watch TV as such, so it takes some insistent jostling from friends and relatives to persuade me to buy or rent a show. Madmen was a case in point. Hugely up my street and I adored every minute, but it wasn’t until the show was well-finished that I watched its entirety. Then came Breaking Bad. Equally astounding…

And now I am immersed in the brilliant shenanigans of Better Call Saul. I just love the nuanced complexity of the character development and am amazed over and over again by the creativity and skill of the writing. I oscillate in mood while watching between grim despair, chuckling appreciation and agape shock. Not going to say more or give anything away, other than to recommend it to you without reservation…

What I’m reading —
How to Draw Without Talent by Danny Gregory

How could I not want to immediately buy and read a book with such a great title?

I envy two other kinds of artists greatly: musicians and cartoonists/illustrators. I envy musicians because of their ability to create immediate beauty and pleasure for both their fellow musicians and their audience. It’s love making in sound. Believe me, I’ve tried: saxophone (inspired by John Coltrane), drums including the djembe and even the didgeridoo. The results were not pretty or pleasing, damn it…

And God, I wish I had a dollar for every time I have imagined myself drawing some maniacally cutting/witty cartoon or painting a brilliant illustration. But no in-born talent I have had myself believe… The closest I have come is to work with artists who can help translate some of those imaginings for me into brilliant art. You will see that with the work Judit Tondora did in my upcoming The Illustrated Wild Boy…

Danny Gregory’s great book — and by extension his online Sketch Book Skool — puts the lie to those like me who have avoided creating in an artform by hiding behind the “No Talent” umbrella. It’s also a kind of coda for how to build any skill in life the way it always does need to be built: piece by little piece and with dedicated persistence.

What I am putting into my body —
Dynamine

If you have been reading my Sunday Share for a while you will have noticed that I am an avid consumer of nootropics. In fact, I have been for oh, at least the last thirty years. You can scoff at me if you like for the insecurity that has me scurrying to load up on cognitive enhancers whenever I am called to be creative — but I’ll take that ridicule while I enjoy the neural fireworks and language-play those nootropics reward me with.

And just when I think the researchers must have exhausted the trove of possible cognition boosters, I discover a new one to experiment with. Now it’s Dynamine, which is being touted for stronger workouts along with enhance focus. I have been using it intermittently now for a couple of weeks and feel that, yes, Dynamine lives up to the buzz.

YMMV, but here’s a summary of potential benefits:

Dynamine has made big splashes as a key component of pre workout stacks for elite athletes and weightlifters. It can help you power through grueling workouts with more focus and energy and it lasts up to 3 hours long, which is great for long training sessions or competitions. Unlike most pre workout products, it doesn’t cause jitters or stimulant elevations in blood pressure. It doesn’t have the dreaded crash of caffeine, sugar and other supplements, thus making it a good option for any time of day.

Many people report elevated feelings of happiness and contentment while supplementing with Dynamine. It activates dopamine receptors (D1 and D2) in the brain. Dopamine is known as the “feel good hormone” and influences feelings of satisfaction, drive, motivation and number of other sensations and positive emotions. Dynamine starts working very quickly after oral ingestion and is generally taken just before physical activity or when you need a cognitive boost or more mental focus.

Thoughts, comments, wishes, suggestions? Hit me up by email at johnrducane@gmail.com