1. Poetry: To the Sea by Tracey Knapp and “I came here to be a poet …” by Michael Montlack on poets.org, “World Leaders Praise Pakistan as a Mediator” by Khushrooh Kasi and I Never Pushed My Daughter by Tom C. Hunley and The Armrest by Terry Jude Miller and Kind of Poet by Tony Gloeggler and The Lull of Tuesdays by Krystle Herdy on Rattle, The Miracle and Instructions for Myself and Consider the Dandelion by Julie Barton, Accepting the Risk by James Crews (as much as I adore James’s poetry, I absolutely love how with each poem, he shares the backstory and a related prompt), The Waiting “for everyone who’s waiting for something” by Jena Schwartz, A Place for Everything by Maya Stein, and 12 New Recommended Poetry Collections by Orion Magazine Staff.
2. Good stuff from Patti Digh: I would rather live with failure than with regrets (“There is a particular kind of knowledge you only get on the other side of action”) and I read books the way some people start fires (“In praise of generally arguing with books”).
3. To Get Happier, Make Yourself Smaller. “Self-esteem is overrated. The better path to enlightenment is through contemplating one’s insignificance.”
4. Wisdom from Meghan O’Rourke: “When you lose someone you were close to, you have to reassess your picture of the world and your place in it. The more your identity was wrapped up with the deceased, the more difficult the loss.” I’ve really been feeling this, having essentially lost three out of four parents in the past 2.5 years.
5. Good stuff from Satya Robyn: This Is Who I Am (“On reading my old diaries & ‘progress not perfection'”) — I really felt this, “What I read shocked me. The themes – from ten, twenty, thirty years ago – were so familiar. I circled the same dilemmas, had the same complaints about myself, had similar insights over and over again,” as I see the same thing when I read through my old journals, and Trying to Tame the Lion of My Phone Addiction (Again) (“And what helps me to be kind to myself”).
6. Good morning, Grief, you shameless bastard. “The Lament of the Middle-Aged Orphan” by Elissa Altman on Poor Man’s Feast. *sigh*
7. What is here? “Bimblings is changing and I need your help” by Josie George. I feel almost every word of this, in particular the way change happens so slowly, so quietly.
8. The definitive study of seed oil and health, an important reminder from Seth Godin.
9. Everything is Just Happening by Laurie Wagner. “And what might we say? I love you, I’m sorry. Which covers a lot, and will often seem inadequate…”
10. Writing against the rot, “And other difficulties” by jeanette winterson.
11. 1440 Findings on The Novel, “Hours of research by our editors, distilled into minutes of clarity.”
12. Woman who never stopped updating her lost dog’s chip reunites with him after 11 years.
13. Were We This Brave at 17? “A high school open mic—and Hrishikesh Hirway on change” on The Isolation Journals with Suleika Jaouad.
14. If we avoid sadness in life, why do we seek it in art? “Philosophers and psychologists have puzzled over the allure of tragic art. New findings show how sadness can be a comfort.”
15. Strangers answer a mysterious red telephone on a bridge. “The project, called ‘A View from a Bridge,’ launched in 2023 and saw Bloom place old-fashioned handset telephones on random bridges in London. When strangers would pass by and if they picked up, he’d be on the other end ready to chat.”
16. “Soft Socializing” Is the Gen Z Trend That’s Making Low-Pressure Hangouts the New Normal. “Think cozy hangs, early nights, and no pressure to drink.”
17. What Do Authoritarians Fear Most? People Who Stick Up for Each Other. “The most reliable form of resilience is not individual wealth or distant institutions, but solidarity.”
18. The urgency of temporary things, “Not all urgency comes from fear” by Jasmine on The Tiny Joy Project.
19. Always in crisis mode? You might be catastrophizing – here’s how to stop on The Guardian. “When your boss asks to meet, do you assume you’re about to get fired? Experts explain this common pattern.”
In related news, other good stuff on The Guardian: ‘They’re all junk, and should be banned’: the trouble with at-home food intolerance tests (“A multimillion-pound industry has sprung up promising it can detect sensitivities to certain ingredients with a simple remote finger prick test. But the results can be misleading – and even dangerous”) and Socialising, work, exercise: what makes a good day and is there a ‘formula’ for making it better? (“Researchers have figured out which activities, and in what volume, are linked to people reporting having a good day. We challenge three writers to follow the blueprint for improving their daily grind”) and Art, sex, nature: why is everything sold to us as a means to an end, rather than an end in itself? (“How a reductive worldview is stripping meaning from our most valued activities”) and Start small, grow what you like and be realistic: how to start a vegetable garden (“You don’t need a yard or balcony to get going. We asked experts for their advice on how to grow your food”).
20. Calling from the Slopes, “United in our descent” by Kent Kosack on Short Reads.
21. Movievia. “If you are struggling with what to watch, Movievia is your ultimate solution. Instead of endless scrolling, our smart Movie Generator instantly finds the best similar movies and TV shows based on your exact psychological mood (like Adrenaline, Tension, or Feel-Good).”
22. And a few random things I saved to my phone this week.
Open Space Practice, (AKA: A Thousand Shades of Gray) 