Links for December 12, 2021

🪲 Get Back — Disney+

I'm only halfway through Peter Jackson's three part documentary series on The Beatles, but I can barely put it down. Culled from 60 hours of archival footage, any randomly selected ten minute segment of the documentary would've gone viral on its own, and the entire series clocks in at just under eight hours.

The intimacy of the footage is captivating, and Jackson employs a light touch in how it's presented. There's no narration, just occasional supplementary text and images to provide context to the scenes that unfold.

It's a must-watch for anyone engaged in any kind of creative work. The messiness of the creative process is on full display, and the band's conflict, infectious playfulness, and brilliant music combine to form this cultural gem and insightful look at the bestselling band of all time.

"The Beatles: Get Back" is a three-part documentary series that takes audiences back in time to the band's intimate recording sessions during a pivotal moment in music history. The documentary showcases the warmth, camaraderie and creative genius that defined the legacy of the iconic foursome, compiled from over 60 hours of unseen footage shot in January 1969 (by Michael Lindsay-Hogg) and more than 150 hours of unheard audio, all of which has been brilliantly restored. Jackson is the only person in 50 years to have been given access to these private film archives.

You can dive straight into the full series on Disney+ or start with the following clip. This is what a #1 hit single being born looks like:

This is something that will never be captured on film ever again.

The most successful song-writer of all time, Paul McCartney, composing one of his #1 hit singles out of thin air, at only 26 years old:pic.twitter.com/nYZmWTfe8T

— The Beatles (@BeatlesEarth) November 30, 2021

👃 How Long Does a Loss of Smell and Taste Last After Coronavirus? — Prevention.com

Did you know that smell training is a thing? I'm just getting over COVID-19, and the temporary loss of taste and smell was unsettling. For folks who have trouble regaining their smell, there are research-backed exercises they can do to improve it.

(As an aside, COVID-19 left me bedridden for days, even as a healthy, young, fully vaccinated person with no underlying conditions. If you have access to booster shots, go get yours!)

Smell training is the process of exposing yourself to various strong smells over a period of time in hopes that it will help bring back your sense of smell or, at least, improve it. “We have a very specific guide for how to do this based on literature that’s been published,” Dr. Holbrook explains.

🐦 Two tweets about Chicago

No matter where you live, you'll find that both of these tweets are truly inspirational:

It’s that time of year folks pic.twitter.com/vjYBLIN1dP

— Chicago Numtot 🚇 🚌 🚲 🥑🏳️‍🌈 (@chi_numtot) December 7, 2021

Chicago / Northern Lights / Milky Way. Best ISS photo ever.

[image: NASA] pic.twitter.com/7ByMbMvKxk

— Tim Urban (@waitbutwhy) December 10, 2021