The Weekender: June 20th-22nd

The Weekender

The Weekender is your guide and open thread for the weekend, presented by the fine folks at Viva The Matadors. Things to quote, read, look, watch, and listen to for the weekend. Let's do this.

Create a vision board just like 50 Cent, photos from the first week of the World Cup, watch the Barkley Marathon and listen to John David Kent.

Quote

"Understand: people judge you by appearances, the image you project through your actions, words, and style. If you do not take control of this process, then people will see and define you the way they want to, often to your detriment. You might think that being consistent with this image will make others respect and trust you, but in fact it is the opposite—over time you seem predictable and weak. Consistency is an illusion anyway—each passing day brings changes within you. You must not be afraid to express these evolutions. The powerful learn early in life that they have the freedom to mold their image, fitting the needs and moods of the moment. In this way, they keep others off balance and maintain an air of mystery. You must follow this path and find great pleasure in reinventing yourself, as if you were the author writing your own drama"

--50 Cent (via Good Reads).

Read

Oh yeah, I have talked to my wife about doing a vision board. For real, it’s going to be great (via GQ).

For years now, the man who wrote Get Rich or Die Tryin' has been getting very rich indeed—off record sales, energy drinks, self-help books, exercise routines, headphones, you name it. His newest product? A comeback record, Animal Ambition. You see, 50 Cent is healthier than you and wealthier than you, but he also believes you can get there, too, if you follow his advice. GQ's Zach Baron spent a month as the hip-hop mogul's prized pupil, making vision boards, hitting the gym, and reorienting his consciousness, to see if he could get a little bit more like 50.

Look

Some terrific photos of the first week of the World Cup (via The Atlantic).

One week, and twenty games into the 2014 FIFA World Cup, there have already been some dramatic matches and surprising results, including the early elimination of Spain, the defending champion. Thousands of fans from around the world are in attendance in Brazil, while millions more are watching from home, setting new records in internet-video volume. Host nation Brazil appears to be living up to its obligations so far, despite early worries about readiness. Gathered here are images from the first few games, and some of the fans riding the emotional rollercoaster of cheering for their teams as they battle in Brazil.

Watch

Do not want. This looks utterly terrifying and intriguing all at the same time. A near impossible ultra marathan in Tennessee (via Gear Patrol):

While the ultramarathon circuit flourishes with more competitors and stars who are (almost) household names, one race remains an eccentricity — and that’s saying a lot for a sport that’s already at the fringes. The Barkley Marathons is a 100-mile race in Tennessee’s Frozen Head State Park consisting of five 20 mile loops that accumulate 62,680 feet of elevation gain, a formidable challenge in its own right; on top of that, there are no trail markers, or even a trail, for that matter. In 2014, filmmaker Brendan Young documented the race. His film, Barkley 100, covers everything from the early morning blowing of the conch shell to the lone finisher completing the race in just under 58 hours.

Listen

I really should be featuring 50 Cent, but I read the 50 Cent piece on Thursday morning and didn’t have time to find a good playlist for 50 Cent with his new album. We’ll do 50 Cent next week (those are words I did not expect to type on a blog). I have a good friend that is friends with John David Kent, my friend is also a quasi-musician. For those of you that recall, Radish was a 1990’s rock band that also featured Ben Kweller, and these guys were pretty much all from the Greenville area. Kent has moved onto country for a while now and he’s a good listen.  I also have a feeling that I've referenced JDK before, but don't worry about that.