Anyoung !

It's Korean for this week's greeting. Melbourne is definitely warming up and I hope wherever you're reading from, that it's a good weekend so far!

Also, this is a new newsletter and if you've enjoyed it or found any of it useful, please let your friends know so they can subscribe to it! And also, thank YOU for reading along too!

Onwards to the surprises this week!

Watch

Melbourne live streams

https://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/c-2614/web-cams-melbourne

Turns out, lot's of people liked the Melbourne Falcons live stream so I wondered if there were any others around Melbourne so that you could watch the city during lockdowns.

Turns out, there's a whole host of them! You can watch the penguins, zoo and even the skyline! Hope this helps get you (virtually) out of your 5km bubble!

Read

The Rational Optimist - Matt Riddley

https://amzn.to/34fLCuI

Given all that's going on the world, it seems like it's a terrible time for everyone. While it's a few years old, this books sets out on a quest to prove that modern times have been the best time EVER to be alive.

It might seem like hopeless optimism, but the book does lay out quite an argument and though I'm only just getting to the half way mark, it's been a comforting read in these uncertain times.

When things are gloomy, it seems just knowing that it could've been much worse in the past makes things seem so much better. My favourite little passage so far one where the author contrasts scene of a perfect family of old in the evening who have just eaten dinner and then goes on to describe the sounds and thoughts each of the members would have. It's both hilarious and telling just how many modern conveniences we have and take for granted when we look back nostalgically.

Listen

13 minutes to the moon

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p083t547

This podcast series was recommended by a work friend and has been a great one to listen to on runs. It documents the very unlikely and relatively quick story of how we landed on the moon and just how many things had to go right to pull this miracle off in a time where a lot of the technology didn't exist and Melbourne's average house price was $13000.

Going with the more "hopeful" theme of this week's newsletter, it's a nice reminder of what can be achieved once a collective goal is set and hard work is done to achieve it.

Gadgets & tech

WonderMachine: Slow Dance

https://wonder-machines-slow-dance.kckb.st/photosbyraffy

So this is something I haven't bought/ordered yet but damn it's getting hard to resist!

You may know that I have a thing for kinda random but well designed gizmos. This fits right in there with the floating lightbulb or a book that lights up.

Essentially it's a frame that takes slender objects and makes it looks like it's moving in slow motion like a living sculpture. I have a feeling I know how this would work, but even then, just watching it is mesmerising!

I'm resisting for now, but I'm not sure for how long. If you click through the link, it should apply 10% off from my affiliate code.

Must....resist....

SEE ALSO

Some people keep asking about previous recommendations etc so I'm going to link a few that have come up in conversation in the last week below:

• Stilform Magnetic Fountain pens - Super cool fountain pen with the best lid for fidgeters like me.
• Lumos helmet - These guys are nearly done with the crowd funding, so if you want one in some exclusive colours, time to get one!
• chargeASAP - This ones from a Melbourne/California based company that I have backed on Kickstarter. Tiny 100w charger and the one that's about the size of my current charger puts out 200w!!!

PxR & Kickstarter update

PxR Kickstarter sucessfully funded!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/photosbyraffy/sixty-degrees-south-antarctic-image-jigsaw-puzzle?ref=6nwuqk

WE DID IT! The Kickstarter was a success and it's all thanks to you all for supporting it! At the moment, I'm waiting for the local Victorian vendor to send through the sample puzzle before I make the final bulk order.

Hopefully, it'll be as good if not better than the previous version, which will mean that we can keep production within Australia and help support local businesses.

In the mean time, there's been a steady stream of photography print orders that have been coming through this year. Here's ones that got I sent out last week:

Because they're being a bit more common, I've slowly started working on an online store! It's live at the moment but only with the jigsaw. So if you have any friends that missed out, the link is https://www.photosbyraffy.com/shop

It's not even on the website menu yet! So it's definitely an early sneak peak.

Quote I'm pondering

"Keep silent, because the world of silence is a vast fullness."

―Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī

Rumi always brings the goods! I have found that during lockdowns that as tough as things have been, there is something fulfilling in not having so much of a rush in the every day.

It just seems like there's more to enjoy in the little things from enjoying that cup of coffee to even getting back to cooking, which I haven't enjoyed in a long time since it became a chore.

I think it's also worth noting the hedonistic adaptation here: even if you have a little or a lot, as long as the essentials are covered, there's always little things you can focus on. Find the little joys and it's a happy life. Focus on the little inconveniences and it's sad.

Truly random

How are you finding the random section? Would love feedback if you liked this.

Road trips around Melbourne

I'm making my list of places to go to once the 5km bubble and all this ends. This was a nice little guide to places nearby that I could take a day trip to. Might be worth checking in case you're after some ideas.

Random riddles

Here's one from Popular Mechanic that is a bit more wordy this week:

Jesse’s two grandmothers want to see him every weekend, but they live on opposite sides of town. As a compromise, he tells them that every Sunday, he’ll head to the subway station nearest to his apartment at a random time of the day and will hop on the next train that arrives.

If it happens to be the train traveling north, he’ll visit his Grandma Erica uptown, and if it happens to be the train traveling south, he’ll visit his Grandma Cara downtown. Both of his grandmothers are okay with this plan, since they know both the northbound and southbound trains run every 20 minutes.

But after a few months of doing this, Grandma Cara complains that she sees him only one out of five Sundays. Jesse promises he’s indeed heading to the station at a random time each day. How can this be?

Last week's riddle

"I am small but what's inside me is big. You have to lick me to keep me silent. You put me in a dark room until you discover me. What am I?”

Answer: envelope

Thanks again for joining me on yet another week of randomness!

Stay safe out there!

- Raffy

PS - what's your favourite Uber eats cuisine? I've been on an experimental binge lately and am feeling adventurous enough to try something other than Japanese. Let me know!

Sunday Surprise uses affiliate/referral links in the newsletter. While this does not influence the product recommendations or verdict, if there are any that are likely to lead to Photos by Raffy receiving any sort of compensation from, they will be marked in orange. Non affiliate links will appear as blue.