The MOO Goldmine: what we loved in January

Here at MOO, we love sharing recommendations with each other. Books, podcasts, movies… we want it all. And because there’s a lot of us, we’ve even dedicated a Slack channel to it. It’s called Goldmine – and we thought it was about time we shared it with you.

Each month, we’ll share what made us smile, inspired us or changed our perspective. Discover some of our favourite finds for January here.

Book Cheat

Barry Murphy is a merchandising & optimisation manager in London – but he’s also a podcast nerd (no offence, Barry). Amongst the many podcasts he recommended, Book Cheat seemed the perfect one to keep our New Year’s resolutions. 

This book club podcast is presented by Dave Warneke, who invites two special guests to tell them all about a classic novel or play so they don’t have to read it. “[It’s] funny summaries of classics, a book club with Aussie comedians. It allows you to stay connected to literature and have a laugh while working full time and juggling the hectic modern life.”

Eat like a fish

Matthew Rees is MOO’s director of manufacturing strategy in Lincoln. He’s currently reading Eat like a fish by Bren Smith, an account of his journey from traditional commercial fishing to restorative farming.

“I highly recommend it. It’s caused me to rethink how, where and what I’m sourcing within my food supply chain. Bren also creates a compelling narrative for companies looking to improve their sustainability missions to invest in restorative ocean farms through carbon offsetting credits.”

Hardspace: Shipbreaker

Adam Miller, associate engineering director in London, found the perfect video game for eco warriors. “It’s called Hardspace: Shipbreaker. It’s a game based on recycling! It’s a bit more exciting than it sounds. The premise is that you’re a Cutter, who works in orbit slicing up old spaceships for the raw materials.”

“The job is pretty hazardous though – these old ships have fuel pipes ready to explode, electrical systems ready to fry you and a nuclear reactor ready to melt down. And you have to handle all of them with care, while up against the clock. It has a subtle anti-corporate sense of humour and a cool art style reminiscent of the sci-fi art books of the 1970s and 1980s that I grew up with.”

His favourite part? “That it’s non-violent. Okay, you can die a violent death if you decompress a ship accidentally, but you’re trying not to – it’s about being patient and cautious while still under stress, with no killing. Sure makes a change from all the first-person shooter video games.”

Traindoodles

James North is our creative director in London. He was inspired by Traindoodles, an art project by Kevin Rooi. “It started as filling time when there was nothing to do during three hours of train rides and turned into a five-year passion project”

When asked why he found it so inspiring, James gave us an exact dosage: “Half for the commitment to building a habit and half for the sheer quality of the typography on every single page.”

Ted Lasso

Felix Ackermann, product designer in London, finds watching Ted Lasso to be the best way to relax after a long day. “By no means a hidden gem anymore, but I think we all could do with a little more Ted in our lives. It’s like wrapping yourself in a warm blanket on a cold day.”

This comedy-drama series tells the story of American football coach Ted Lasso, who gets hired to manage a struggling soccer team in the UK. As a company spread across two continents, this is a cultural shock we like to see.

Want more? Connect with us on LinkedIn to meet (or join) the MOO team.