Humpday Recommendations 2/20/2024

Read: “Several Short Sentences About Writing,” by Verlyn Klinkenborg. I’ve just finished my fifth (maybe sixth?) reading of this inspiring guide to better writing. This thoughtful set of writing principles helps me notice what I notice, in writing and in life, and write more simply. – Willis

Hike: The Pekoe Trail. Two hundred years ago, British colonists established massive tea plantations across Sri Lanka’s cool, humid highlands that still produce some of the finest brews on the planet. Now, you have the opportunity to hike through the jaw-dropping landscapes of tea country thanks to a recently opened 22-stage, 300 km track between the sacred city of Kandy and the mountain resort of Nuwara Eliya, built with support from the EU and USAID. Hurry over for the best experience before the whole world catches wind of it – my travel buddy and I were the only tourists on the trail, and locals were delighted to bring us in for home-cooked meals and selfies with the school kids. – Matt

Play: “Alan Wake 2.” If you like video games with sophisticated storylines that also have the potential to haunt your dreams, then I highly recommend this one. It recently won a bunch of awards so I decided to give it a shot, and it is both captivating and terrifying. The game is a reality-bending murder mystery that requires you to solve a lot of puzzles and will repeatedly make you jump out of your seat. I would avoid playing this before bedtime. – John

Channel: Your inner Jackson Pollock. Last weekend, I surprised the family with a splatter paint session at a local mall, where we were dressed head-to-toe in plastic (think Ghostbusters) and set loose with a canvas, paint, and brushes. I threw streams of paint at my canvas, while my daughter and husband poured onto theirs for a marbling effect. It was messy, addictive fun, and we went home with three (not horrible) modern works of art to proudly display … in the guest room. – Tracy