1. Thich Nhat Hanh, Monk, Zen Master and Activist, Dies at 95 on The New York Times. “A monk with global influence and an ally of Martin Luther King, he championed what he called ‘engaged Buddhism,’ applying its principles in pressing for peace.” In related news The Life of Thich Nhat Hanh on Lion’s Roar. “Lindsay Kyte tells the story of what is perhaps Thich Nhat Hanh’s greatest teaching — his courageous life.”

2. We asked how you are finding joy in the pandemic. Here are 12 surprising ideas.

3. 100 Millionaires And Billionaires Sign Open Letter Pleading For Higher Taxes. Yes, please. I’m not sure how anyone who cares about other people, wants to ease suffering, is even able to accumulate that kind of wealth, especially when helping feels SO much better than hoarding.

4. Animal shelters flooded with donations in honor of Betty White’s birthday. You know she would have loved this so much.

5. 20 Famous Writers on Being Rejected. Rejection isn’t a failure. It’s part of the process. Rejection also doesn’t necessarily mean what you submitted isn’t good. It might only mean it’s not the right fit for that particular spot. Try again.

6. The Rest Principle: On the Necessity of Recovery, in Fitness and Writing.

7. You’ve heard of Wordle — now get ready for Sweardle and Absurdle. In related news, Meet Lewdle – the dirty version of the viral word-guessing game Wordle, and Play This Autostraddle-Themed Spinoff of Wordle for a Good, Gay Time, and The Rot of Candy Crush and The Rest of Wordle.

8. The 3 things you learn after your mother dies.

9. Life, in Dog Years. “My father always pampered his pets. So when he fell ill and moved in with us, it was no surprise that his corgi came to rule our home. What I didn’t expect was for Trilby to care for me after Dad was gone.”

10. How you can help—or get help—after the Marshall Fire.

11. How to Reuse N95, KN95, and Other Disposable Masks. Also, in case you hadn’t seen this yet, The Postal Service is now taking orders for free COVID-19 test kits.

12. Losing a Father to the Mountains. “In a new documentary, ‘Torn,’ Max Lowe grapples with the death of his dad, and the presence of the man who replaced him.”

13. People Are Hiding That Their Unvaccinated Loved Ones Died of COVID. “It’s a classic control mechanism, like our knee-jerk desire to know if someone who died of lung cancer smoked, or if someone with liver disease drank: If so, we can believe they were responsible for their own fate, and because we’re making a different choice, that fate won’t befall us. But of course that belief comes at the price of blaming and even vilifying the deceased … As a result, survivors might sacrifice honesty in order to protect the loved one’s image, at potential cost to their own emotional needs.”

14. 22 tips for 2022: Get creative, even if you aren’t feeling inspired.

15. 11 Podcasts for Poetry Lovers. I think they forgot one: Poetry Unbound with Pádraig Ó Tuama.

16. With Somebody Somewhere, Comedian Bridget Everett Finally Gets Her Breakout Moment. “After years of stealing scenes as a foul-mouthed sidekick, in ‘Somebody Somewhere’ Everett finally has a vehicle that takes full advantage of her talents.”

17. Before Macro Photography, This Scientist Used to Illustrate His Microscopic Findings.

18. 40 Movies People Praise As Great But Too “Emotionally Traumatizing” To Be Watched Again. I think it says a lot about me that I’ve seen all of these (some more than once), except for Hachi: A Dog’s Tale, which I KNOW I couldn’t watch even one single time.

19. Aspiring Neurosurgeon to Have his Medical Illustrations Showing Black People Published. Representation absolutely matters.

20. Tender Embroidered Portraits by Ruth Miller Are Tinged with Expressive Colors. The amount of hours, effort, and patience it would take to finish just one of these is mind boggling.

21. How I Freed Up Time to Daydream on The New York Times.

22. What Is Love? A Tender and Poetic Illustrated Celebration of the Elemental Human Quest.

23. 42 Comfort Food Vegetarian Recipes.