Welcome back to the latest variety edition! Honestly, they're uninspired topics this evening, feel free to jump in the comments with requests for more edgy or controversial topics for next time!

I’m interested in social media marketing - how audiences are built on platforms such as tiktok or instagram or YouTube. Or reddit, for that matter. It is interesting from a perspective of understanding business models, but also understanding how the internet is influencing culture and the other way around. Even the way that democracy itself is impacted by social media is really interesting to think about, perhaps sinister, perhaps exciting - although I’m typically pretty cynical about it; it looks like social media allows targeted campaigning that could be antithetical to the sort of public discourse democracies rely on.

One of my favourite hobbies is swimming, not laps, in clear water. My favourite is fresh water, but to be honest, Australia’s rivers can be a little gross. The beaches, however, are awesome. I am a fan of rough surf where you can body surf or backflip in the waves. The most insane conditions I’ve swum in have been at Bronte, but I’ve seen some wild waves in Wollongong and also at Kilcare Beach. Snorkelling and free-diving to see the world under the surface is lots of fun. I had so much FOMO after watching the Avatar movie last year that I went swimming at the beach even though I had a broken foot and was supposed to be wearing a moon boot. I am even a fan of swimming in cold weather - it’s a shock to the system to get in, but it’s so invigorating that I never regret it afterwards.

Bushwalking is not always fun, but I really appreciate the grey noise of wind in the canopy (or rain), and the wholesome feeling of green and brown colours on my eyes. My favourite time of year to go bushwalking in the Sydney area is September, because everything is coming into bloom. I can enjoy bushwalks at any time of year, but if it’s summer, there better be a body of water along the trail to cool off! Whether it’s a camping trip, or just a bushwalking, I feel refreshed from spending time in nature.

Do you like to discuss culture, social trends, business and media? What about hiking and swimming?

Tbh, these are pretty boring topics to discuss in a r4r post, but I have plenty in my post history if you’re looking for sex, drugs and spirituality.