Sunday Sum - 16th April 2023

Hey , welcome back to

The Sunday Summary

, a collection of insights and my behind the scenes from the past week.

💂🏻‍♀️📖 A London book I'm loving:London Made Us: A Memoir of a Shape-Shifting City - Robert ElmsIt’s like one of those conversations I have in the taxi. Picking up Londoners who all have their unique perspectives on how they see the capital.  What made “their” London, how London has changed. What’s incredible is how unique everyone’s perspective of London is. Elms opens with the story of his mother, how she lay dying in UCLH Euston but remarking on how it’s a London far different than she remembers, to the point that it was almost unrecognisable from the view she began with.  Even with my primitive exposure of London (I only began to explore London by myself in 2011ish) it’s mad to see how much my view and norm of the capital has changed.

📖 Another London-ish book:

Transport for Humans: Are We Nearly There Yet? - Rory Sutherland & Pete Dyson

One of those books that provokes endless thought. This covers lots of transport modes and mechanisms, delving deeper into the psychology of travel rather than the “how long will it take”.  From passenger data that shows that well over 50% of people on the underground picked the least optimal route in terms of time.  To exploring the sunk cost bias that many people have towards train journeys (I have a car that I have paid/paying for, therefore taking the train is an extra cost I shouldn’t have to pay).   Some things can’t be boxed into economical gain, often a better experience will trump a shorter journey.

📰 A blog post I'm pondering:

Less Cars, More Money: My Visit to the City of the Future - Mr. Money Moustache

Keeping with the transport theme...With the most envious lifestyle, Pete Alderney is someone I really aspire to. Is is a super rich and famous, nope.  He’s a guy who retired in his early 30’s (not through inheritance or a ridiculous salary, just some serious saving and lifestyle calculation) and now just lives an intentional and meaningful life.  I really respect this piece because it share’s his view on better designed towns.  Through his lens, I’m led to imagine “what would my ideal life, or dream town look like?”  i.e.  beyond work, how would you socialise?, spend time with your neighbours? engage with your local community? It’s less car usage, more cycle usage.  In many ways a bit of a utopia.  And then I try and apply this thinking to London.  This is the model that many of our city planners are trying to incorporate into Central London.  The big difference (and why I think it’s destined to fail in London), is that most of the super central zones (think Oxford Circus Piazza or Bank Junction in the city) aren’t thriving neighbourhoods.  They are places where transient populations filter through. I’m all for well thought out schemes that do manage to foster some kind of community.  I just think dumping plant pots in certain streets isn’t the answer.  Or for the case of Regent Street, widening the pavement then filling said pavement with plants?

📺 This week on YouTube

Who Knows London Better? - Taxi Driver vs. Tour Guide

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

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I'd love to know what you're up to or what you might be working on!

 📝😁

Have a great week everyone!

Tom

Just as a side note, any Amazon links featured that you purchase (or go on to buy another product from Amazon), I get a small affiliate revenue from. It all goes towards supporting my creative efforts, so thank you 😊