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Nov 27, 2023
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Mark Leidner's avatar

Yes, parkour is visually and metaphorically rich, so long as you don't mind the nerdiness penalty referencing it imposes. Casino Royale is my favorite Bond movie and it's opening scene is famously parkour-inspired: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZxNbAwY_rk

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Nov 26, 2023
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Mark Leidner's avatar

Mentally parkouring off this comment like Mario bouncing on the same koopa shell over and over to get infinite lives.

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Jason Howell Hamilton's avatar

interesting mind at work

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Mark Leidner's avatar

honored and humbled by your comment Jason!

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Jason Howell Hamilton's avatar

Who are your big writers, Mark?

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Mark Leidner's avatar

Let me think:

My favorite fiction writer is probably Philip Kerr (for his Bernie Gunther mysteries, set in Nazi Germany, not for the faint of heart, but nowhere have I found more thrilling and gritty and heartbreaking mystery-writing).

While he's not my favorite poet per se, perhaps the most influential contemporary poet on me is James Tate (he has a new selected that just came out, by the way, and I highly recommend it for any poetry reader or writer: https://bookshop.org/p/books/hell-i-love-everybody-james-tate/19731409?ean=9780063306073).

My truly favorite writer transcending all is Shakespeare. I could read almost any of his plays over and over and never get tired of it. Other poets that I would read anything by: Chelsey Minnis, Zach Savich, Bashō, Hera Lindsay Bird, Mary Ruefle, off the top of my head. But really I enjoy almost any poet I sit down and take the time to read. I'm currently reading Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, and if you like poetry, history, and scientific non-fiction all blended, it can't recommend it enough.

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Jason Howell Hamilton's avatar

Mark, thanks for sketching that out. Mary Ruefle is a name I know. Actually have a letter from her somewhere. She's quite the entity. ... But this gives me much to look into. I appreciate it.

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Maddie's avatar

Parkour!

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Mark Leidner's avatar

amen 🙏 here's a dude parkouring to mega man 2 music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TAMplavXCY

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