Rapp Strategies Rundown – October 2019
What we’re reading, listening to and thinking about this month.
Todd R.: The Gophers and Vikings together are 14-2, which has never happened in my lifetime – so that’s taking up some of my attention. My guilty pleasure lately is “Stumptown” on ABC (don’t hate me because I’m honest). I’m also planning to see The Irishman, a brand new organized crime movie from Martin Scorsese. And yes, I will be cooking a Thanksgiving turkey.
Alyssa: I’ve been reading Deepak Chopra’s latest book, Metahuman, and watching “The Righteous Gemstones” on HBO.
Todd Stone’s spooky Halloween home is ready for trick-or-treaters.
Todd S.: October is all about Halloween for the Stone family and, of course, making sure our house looks the part.
Rich: Golf season is over. My attention has turned to Vikings and Gopher football. I am also following the impeachment proceedings with great concern for our country and our institutions. However, I am optimistic that we have strong institutions, committed citizens and a strong Constitution. Therefore, I believe the country will emerge stronger than ever.
Sarah: I recently revisited a favorite documentary series, Somm. The first film, Somm, follows a group of Advanced Sommeliers studying to take the Master Sommeliers exam. The second, Somm: Into the Bottle (watch this one first if you aren’t an oenophile), will make you want to get on a plane and fly to wine country immediately. Stunning landscapes, fascinating interviews and master winemakers opening precious vintages on camera make for a great 90 minutes. The third, Somm 3, takes a deep-dive into the event that changed the world of wine: The Judgement of Paris. I’ve also been watching “Mom” as I pack boxes and get ready to move. My favorite thing on the internet this month has been MrBeast’s effort to plant 20 million trees. $1 = 1 tree. In just 5 days, nearly 9 million trees have been planted! Even (Tre)Elon Musk has gotten on the #TeamTrees bandwagon.
Anna: I finished reading the classic 1929 collection 101 Famous Poems, with a jumble of thought-provoking lyricism from authors such as Edna St. Vincent Millay, Robert Frost and Eva Rose York. I also watched the spooky Halloween-esque movie Arsenic and Old Lace after a night of pumpkin carving.
Quentin: It’s been a full month since I moved to Minnesota, and whenever there was few minutes to relax in between the never-ending unpacking, I found myself reading the latest restaurant, brewery, and community tidbits in Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Eater Twin Cities, and the Star Tribune. The city and surrounding areas are real melting pots of culture and I’ve tasked myself with checking off a long “bucket list” of Minnesota must-dos. I also fell down a virtual rabbit hole and watched all 53 videos in the My North YouTube series, a partnership between Mpls.St.Paul Magazine and Explore Minnesota that dives deep into the psyche of locals and why they call Minnesota home. Finally, I started a new goal to read all of the 2020 presidential candidate memoirs before Election Day 2020. First up: A Fighting Chance by Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and Shortest Way Home by South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg.