1. Three Reasons to Go More Gently from Satya Robyn on Going Gently.

2. ‘Tis the season, “To embrace radical acceptance and set gentle intentions” from Rita on Rootsie.

3. The year of connection from Garrett Bucks on The White Pages. “We can and will accomplish so much together, but there will still be more work to be done after we are finished. The world is on fire, quite literally, and we may very well exhaust the capacity of our buckets and hoses, but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t keep filling them with water.”

4. A Portrait of the Artist as an Amazon Reviewer. “Between 2003 and 2019, Kevin Killian published almost twenty-four hundred reviews on the site. Can they be considered literature?”

5. 21 Ways to Make Your Holidays More Sustainable.

6. 52 random facts I learned in 2024.

7. Live a Happier Life By Releasing These 10 Things and Habits from Courtney Carver on Be More With Less.

8. Lit Hub’s 38 Favorite Books of 2024. In related news, Readers’ Favorite Books of 2024 from the 16th annual Goodreads Choice Awards. In other news, The 10 Best Movies of 2024 and The 50 Best Albums of 2024.

9. We Can Solve Our Care and Housing Crises, Together.

10. How To Write Words And Make Art In This Dire Era of Clowns and Cowards from Chuck Wendig: Terrible Minds.

11. Guide to Being an Ally to Transgender and Nonbinary Young People from The Trevor Project.

12. I am on my way with the necessary equipment from Patti Digh.

13. What does it actually mean when we talk about the American ‘working class’? by Rebecca Solnit. “Everyone I asked gave a different definition – and when a concept is so nebulous, it becomes a political cudgel.”

14. The ChatGPT secret: is that text message from your friend, your lover – or a robot? “People are turning to chatbots to solve all their life problems, and they like its answers. But are they on a very slippery slope?”

15. Saplings from vandalised Sycamore Gap tree will spread ‘message of hope.’ “The 200-year-old tree had become one of the most photographed in Britain and was a beloved feature of the Northumbrian landscape at a dell on Hadrian’s Wall. It was chopped down illegally in an act of vandalism in 2023, provoking a global outcry of sadness and disbelief. The National Trust announced in September it would create a legacy for the tree by gifting 49 saplings – one for each foot of the sycamore’s height – to communities around the UK.”

16. 10 ways to relate to others (and yourself) in a positive way this Christmas.

17. The Shadow in Me. “How my life changed forever when my mother left our family.”

18. Dave Eggers just opened a library of books written entirely by children.

19. Is the Dull Men’s Club actually… quite interesting?

20. Illness and the Myth of Strength: What a Yoga Class Got Wrong About Resilience from Andrea Gibson.

21. “Give me darkness when I’m dreaming, Give me moonlight when I’m leaving” from Amy Marie Turner.

22. 5 Practical Suggestions for Getting Out of a Funk. “Ideas to help reset your mood when you’re feeling low.”

23. Looking for ‘Glimmers’ Is Our New Favorite Mindfulness Practice.

24. Season 1 of “Art in the Twenty-First Century” on YouTube. “At the dawn of the 21st century, American artists are taking self-expression and the artistic process into uncharted territory. Today’s artists are engaging the world and their audiences in vital and surprising new ways. They use an enormous variety of media and draw on sources ranging from pop culture and politics to ethnic heritage, classical models, and deeply personal life experiences. Season 1 features 21 artists that represent a cross-section of contemporary art practices and philosophies, and hail from different regions of the United States.”

25. Word of the Year picks: ‘Brain rot’ named Oxford Word of the Year 2024 and ‘What many of us feel’: why ‘enshittification’ is Macquarie Dictionary’s word of the year.

26. Pete Rush, Sculptur, on Instagram. His work with driftwood is particularly beautiful.

27. Recipe I want to try: Apple puff pastry doughnut. (Facebook reel).

28. How to Be Patient in a Hectic World: 3 Tips and a Story that Changed Me from Courtney Carver on Be More With Less.

29. A poem for those brokenhearted on the holidays from John Roedel.

30. Visualized: Top Streamed Song on Spotify Every Year, 2014-2023. I got my Spotify Wrapped, and while the podcast stats are accurate, it’s hard to know with the music because I use Spotify when I’m teaching, so the first and last artists on the list are more about that than my own preferences or awareness.

31. Associated Press 100 Photos of 2024: An epic catalog of humanity.

32. Bad influence. “One Amazon influencer makes a living posting content from her beige home. But after she noticed another account hawking the same minimal aesthetic, a rivalry spiraled into a first-of-its-kind lawsuit. Can the legal system protect the vibe of a creator? And what if that vibe is basic?”

33. Land Artist Jon Foreman. (Facebook reel)

34. Am I allowed to be funny?’ Ashley Storrie on acting, autism – and grieving her mum, Janey Godley. “The Scottish comedian received two Baftas last month, just after the death of her mother. She discusses secrets, sadness, success and how comedy sustains her.”

35. True Colours, a poem on Facebook from Becky Hemsley.

36. An Instagram reel about Jasmin Paris. “I think I cried 20+ times making this video. tears of pure inspiration & awe. what Jasmin did at the Barkley marathons is beyond comprehension of pure grit & determination. grit that most of us will likely never reach the depths of in our entire lives. but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t strive to fight through the pain & failure, when we face hardships, whether that’s in a marathon, or your daily job. and… to all the women out there watching this, I hope this incredible achievement takes you forward. you decide what’s possible.”

37. Give a Girl from Brittany Moore. (Facebook reel) I love this song, so much — obviously.

38. And finally, this collection of random things I saved on my phone this week.

1. How to Live a Miraculous Life: Brian Doyle on Love, Humility, and the Quiet Grace of the Possible. “This is what I know: that the small is huge, that the tiny is vast, that pain is part and parcel of the gift of joy, and that this is love, and then there is everything else. You either walk toward love or away from it with every breath you draw. Humility is the road to love. Humility, maybe, is love.”

2. Revealed: the best Christmas gifts you’ve ever received. “Looking for festive gift inspiration? Then take a cue from Positive News readers, who reveal the most meaningful Christmas presents they have received.”

3. Underrated ways to change the world. “How to get a good heart unstuck.”

4. Poetry: Yellow Roses by Julie Barton, and One on Thanksgiving and Letter to the Parts of Me I Have Tried to Exile from Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, and A Prayer for Every Day from Julia Fehrenbacher. And, this poetic wisdom from Christian Wiman when he was editor of Poetry Magazine, “Let us remember…that in the end we go to poetry for one reason, so that we might more fully inhabit our lives and the world in which we live them, and that if we more fully inhabit these things, we might be less apt to destroy both.”

5. Defying Gravity: Wicked and the Weight of Social Justice from Frederick Joseph. “A spoiler-free reflection on Wicked, fascism, Black womanhood, and white feminism.”

6. Pep Talk from Maggie Smith, “On Taking a Red Pen to Your Life.”

7. “Thank you” is a complete sentence from Seth Godin.

8. The 25 Most Influential Cookbooks From the Last 100 Years on The New York Times. (gift article) “Chefs, writers, editors and a bookseller gathered to debate — and decide — which titles have most changed the way we cook and eat.”

9. An I.V.F. Mix-Up, a Shocking Discovery and an Unbearable Choice on The New York Times. (gift link) “Two couples in California discovered they were raising each other’s genetic children. Should they switch their girls?”

10. Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD podcast with Abigail Rose Clarke. “In this episode we dive into Abigail’s new book, Returning Home to Our Bodies: Reimagining the Relationship Between Our Bodies and the World. Abigail shares tips and tools for finding grounding and support within our very own bodies, especially during times of overwhelm, stress or turmoil. Abigail and I explore the power of awe and curiosity, we discuss what it means to be in relationship with the world around us, and Abigail offers tips for how we can stay rooted in love, even when our lives are challenging.”

11. When No Thing Works with Norma Wong on How to Survive the End of the World Podcast. “adrienne and Autumn sit down with great teacher, Norma Wong, whose new book, When No Thing Works: A Zen and Indigenous Perspective on Resilience, Shared Purpose, and Leadership in the Timeplace of Collapse, was released the day after the election. Wong brings her years of organizing, electoral work, and spiritual practice to bear on this moment of collapse, with wisdom, wit, and deep care for all life.”

12. Interdependence is a Survival Skill, But Shouldn’t Feel Like Building a Bunker. “Channeling urgency into commitment, not panic.”

13. I Want You To Be Both Gentle and Tough With Yourself from Jamie Attenberg. “I want you to be both gentle and tough with yourself. I want you to notice what you need and then take care of it. I want you to love yourself and challenge yourself. And I want you to make your goddamn art.”

14. Episode 126: Creativity in Dark Times on Emerging Form. “How does creativity help us meet a difficult time? In this episode, co-hosts Christie Aschwanden and Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer talk about ways that creative practice can nourish us, how it can help us envision a way forward, how it helps us to widen the lens and see beyond the moment, how it helps us embrace paradox, opens us to connection, and more.”

15. Healing, Grief & Learning From The Bees: Michelle C. Johnson – Into Healing S2, Ep.7. “Michelle Cassandra Johnson is an author, activist, spiritual teacher, practitioner, racial equity consultant, and intuitive healer. In this episode, she shares her powerful journey through grief, healing, and transformation. Michelle explores the deep traumas rooted in societal injustices and offers insight into the spiritual practices that have guided her work with individuals in crisis. She emphasizes the vital role of community, nature, and ancestral wisdom in personal and collective healing. With a passion for beekeeping, Michelle draws meaningful parallels between the lives of honeybees and human experiences, reflecting on adaptability, collective responsibility, and the quiet strength of selflessness. Through her story, she invites listeners to reflect on the importance of communal healing, spiritual connection, and the unseen ways we contribute to a better world.”

16. 6 Ways To Be Kind To Your Body During The Holidays.

17. Bye, Bezos: People Are Leaving Amazon’s Goodreads For A New Book-Reading App.

18. 100 Notable Books of 2024 on The New York Times. (gift link) In related news, NPR 2024 Books We Love.

19. After Beloved Pilot Dies in Crash, 2 Rescue Dogs Rescue Themselves on The New York Times. (gift link) “Seuk Kim was transporting three rescue dogs from Maryland to Albany, N.Y., when his plane crashed in the Catskill Mountains. Two of the dogs managed to survive.” In related news, The life and work of Seuk Kim, pilot and animal rescuer.

20. In The Fight Against Tyranny, Don’t Let Your Happiness Depend On Big Wins.

21. Ira Glass admits he plays a ‘nicer version’ of himself on the radio.

22. 15 LGBTQ+ Movies With Guaranteed Happy Endings. “From Big Eden to Bound, we curated a list of films that won’t leave you in tears. The sad kind, anyway.”

23. My friend was a popular, promising artist – how did he end up on the streets of Portland, addicted and dangerous? “When I first met Evan B Harris he was fizzing with talent and kindness. So I was shocked to hear he had become homeless and out of control. What happened to him is a story playing out in cities across America.”

24. Rare Interview ⭐️ Charlie Mackesy on ‘The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse’ 5th Anniversary. “Bestselling author and Academy Award winner Charlie Mackesy joins the Chris Evans Breakfast Show with The National Lottery for a very rare interview about the special 5th anniversary edition of ‘The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse.'” 

25. And finally, this random collection of things I saved on my phone this week.