1. No Sparklers for These Folks on The New York Times. “Whether because of crowds, politics or a loss of patriotism, some Americans are conflicted about celebrating the Fourth of July.” I feel this — it’s hard to celebrate “independence” and “freedom” when there’s so little of it, so many without.
2. The Work of Happiness: May Sarton’s Stunning Poem About Being at Home in Yourself. This is so gorgeous and true.
3. NYT Ethicist’s Weight Stigma Problem from Ragen Chastain.
4. “July Had Tried to Kill Them” from Robert Jones. Jr. “That is what I believe my smile and my happiness are: a tiny form of resistance; a kind of healing. Despite all of the energy expended by the powers-that-stole to guarantee my imminent destruction, here I be: finding moments to escape their treachery and dodge their tyranny to fully remember and fully embrace who I am and who I come from such that my lips can’t help but part and frame my teeth with love. As long as I’m alive, there is a chance to do something that eases, that improves, that inspires, that loves.” Also from Robert Jones, Jr. Please Help Adanne Bookshop Relocate: “A Black woman-owned bookstore is in need of our help.”
5. Epiphany 4: Blessing in the Chaos.
6. Drawing This Changed My Life. It can change yours too. from Danny Gregory. (video) “For 25 years, I’ve been drawing the same subject. It’s expanded me in so many ways. You should try it too. I’ll explain why and how in this video.”
7. Lucian James on weirdness: “Weird is often a controlling label to pathologize those who depart from conformity, a marker to tag them as problematic. But when you own your own weirdness, you become yourself. When you dare to be your full weird self, you’re fully original, and that’s what leaves a legacy.”
8. (Zen Garden) Raking wave patterns in the sand at the garden of Ryoan-ji Temple. (video) “I had the opportunity to film the raking wave patterns in the sand at Ryoan-ji Temple, the most famous Zen Garden in the world.”
9. Becoming a Buddha – A Shingon Buddhist 10-step Program. “Kūkai returned to Japan in 806 to found Shingon Buddhism and to spread his teaching of “becoming a Buddha in one’s current body” (Jpn. sokushinjōbutsu). ..Here, I would like to focus on his outline for becoming a Buddha in 10 steps described in his ‘Ten Mindsets’ (Jpn. Jūjūshinron). In this text he uses his system of ‘ranking the doctrines’ (Chn. panjiao) to map the way from ignorance to wisdom, from suffering to liberation, and from hiding to manifesting Buddhahood.”
10. On Unlearning. I was reminded of the Mary Oliver poem Just as the Calendar Began to Say Summer because Hugh Hollowell shared it in his recent Life Is So Beautiful newsletter. I Googled to find the text, a post where I could link to the poem, and came across this lovely blog entry from Rachel Ishiguro Yoga Therapy and loved what she had to say. Hugh’s newsletter also reminded me of the You Are Not Alone Murals project.
11. Cognitive Dissonance from Jena Schwartz’s Monday Dispatch. “The planet may be on fire, but that doesn’t mean what we do and who we are doesn’t matter. If anything, it means it matters even more.”
12. At the Market, a poem by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, which reminds me of Small Kindnesses by Danusha Laméris.
13. The Power of Unplugging with Tiffany Shlain, the latest episode of The Conversation with Amanda de Cadenet. “What does technology amplify in your life, and what does it amputate? In her book, 24/6: The Power of Unplugging One Day a Week, Tiffany Shlain shares how her family unplugged one day a week and how you can achieve digital wellness. Terms like ‘digital detox’ and ‘internet addiction,’ were developed to identify the problem a device can play. In addition, Tiffany explains what her family calls a ‘technology Shabbat.’ So, where do you want to place your time and attention?” (podcast)
14. Signs you’re a ‘highly sensitive person’ — the missing personality type, according to some researchers. “When you understand that your brain processes the world and stimulation around you differently, you can do everything possible to give yourself compassion and also set up your life in a way that enhances your traits instead of challenging it.” In related news, Being a Highly Sensitive Person Doesn’t Make You Weak.
15. Why Introverts Might Get the ‘Weekend Blues’ — And How to Cope.
16. Oh, your heart from Patti Digh, “what having a heart attack taught me about heart health.”
17. From Lion’s Roar: The Healing Power of Feeling (“‘The way to find freedom from difficult emotions is to find it right within the feelings themselves,’ writes Andy Karr in his new book, Into the Mirror. Here, he shares a practice for locating and working with difficult feelings in the subtle body to ultimately heal them) and The Life-Changing Words of Mary Oliver (“The beloved late poet Mary Oliver Oliver was known for her poems that contemplate the relationship between nature and spirituality. Rick Bass looks at Oliver’s poem ‘The Summer Day,’ which asks, ‘What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?'”).
18. For Whites Only: Affirmative Action from Frederick Joseph. “The Supreme Court continues to be a tool for white supremacy.”
19. Wellness Didn’t Save Us. Neither Will Productivity. “Dr. Pooja Lakshmin explains why ‘life hacks’ are actually part of the problem.”
20. The Restaurant of Mistaken Orders. (video) “A story about an unusual Japanese pop-up restaurant that serves a lesson along with food.”
21. The Beauty of a ‘Walk and Talk’ on The New York Times. “Taking a stroll with someone is a wonderful way to strengthen your social connections.”
22. 19 Creative Ways to Get a Little Self-Care Outside.
23. Deciding to Let Go. “What misconceptions hold you back from releasing what hurts you?”
24. Being With Loss, a practice and teaching from Upaya Zen Center. (video)
25. ‘Choose drugs?’ 30 years after he wrote Trainspotting, Irvine Welsh says life is tougher now. “People can’t get jobs. People will never buy a house. They can’t buy nice things. Everything is fucked even if you’re not on drugs,” he says. “It [the book] almost becomes some kind of inspiring clarion call: let’s do fucking drugs, man. We’re fucked anyway. Let’s just go for it.”
27. It’s never too late to become a strong swimmer. Here’s how to start.
28. ‘There is no trust now’: Student loan borrowers respond to Supreme Court decision.
29. Is gun violence an epidemic in the U.S.? Experts and history say it is.
30. 4 tips to help you cope with climate anxiety.
31. 50 Wholesome Memes And Posts That Remind Us The World Isn’t All Bad. A large percentage include cats. Coincidence? I think not.
32. Does Everyone Have An Imagination? “How do you know if you have a ‘mind’s eye’ or not, and is it good or bad if you don’t?” Eric has this, so I’m always interested.
33. Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Great ‘Indiana Jones’ Adventure on The New York Times.
34. “Yes, But”: 35 Illustrations That Depict Our Society’s Contradictions.
35. In ‘Soil,’ Colorado poet Camille Dungy embraces the beauty of an ‘unruly’ yard.
36. Social media can be a tough place for diet choices. (video)
37. Bighetty & Bighetty. “Four brothers — and their Cree-speaking puppets — show the joyful side of Indigenous life.”
38. Murray Hill is ready for drag kings to finally have their crowning moment. “The ‘Drag Me to Dinner’ host shines a spotlight on drag kings.” In related news, Murray Hill Is Ready to Share His Personal Life on The New York Times. “‘I’m really inspired by the younger generation to be more open,’ said the famous drag king, who shared photos from his very busy Pride month.”
39. Recipe I want to try: Blackberry Loaf. In related news, The Best Veggie Burgers ranked by America’s Test Kitchen. My favorite is still the original Gardenburger. 😦
40. 75 Years Ago, ‘The Lottery’ Went Viral. There’s a Reason We’re Still Talking About It. on The New York Times.
41. Incredible ‘bird feeder’ photos give a whole new perspective on our feathered friends.
42. 35 Times People Went Out Of Their Way To Make Their Gardens And Yards Unique But Ended Up With These.
43. New photography exhibit puts a century of queer men in love on display.
44. Maps, Everyday Ephemera, and Watercolor Drawings Record José Naranja’s Travels with Fantastic Detail.
45. Alison Bechdel: ‘The Bechdel test was a joke… I didn’t intend for it to become a real gauge’. “The US graphic novelist on having her landmark comic strip, Dykes to Watch Out For, turned into an audio series, growing up in a funeral home, and her famous women-in-film test.”
46. The Hobbies I Tried During Lockdown | Bobby Dazzler | Sarah Millican. (video) I love her so much.
Open Space Practice, (AKA: A Thousand Shades of Gray) 
Umm, I think I have aphantasia. 🤣
I love Murray Hill.
I love these posts so much. Off to read…