Something Good

7. Colorado Experience: Sand Creek Massacre. (video) “What would lead approximately 675 volunteer soldiers to attack a peaceful settlement of Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians in the Southeastern Colorado Territory? On November 29, 1864, Colonel John Chivington led a group to do just that, resulting in the deaths of over two hundred men, women, and children. This episode revisits the horrific events and uncovers the history 150 years later.”

8. Confession from Jeff Oaks on Short Reads, “a free literary magazine emailed every Wednesday morning featuring flash nonfiction.”

9. 50 Times People Found Things They Shouldn’t Have While Clearing Dead People’s Things.

10. Our Newest Wombat Joey | Australian Reptile Park. (video). “Say hello to Wilbur the wombat joey! The tiny joey was handed to the Park after a passer-by had discovered that a wombat had unfortunately been hit by a car. Seeing fluttering movements from the pouch, the rescuer found the baby wombat inside and quickly brought the joey to the Park to be cared for. Now he’s with Keeper Seleena receiving round the clock care.” Even though most people (even me) would say if I were an animal that I’d be a dog, but I actually think I’m probably more wombat.

11. Writing is a Verb from Patti Digh. “Tools are fun and distracting in that way we love to be distracted from the actual work of writing. But really, all you need is a brain and some consistency.”

12. Embracing Courage in a World in Crisis on Lion’s Roar. “When the suffering of the world knocks at our door, says Singhashri Gazmuri, we must be courageous enough to open it.”

13. “How To Succeed On Substack” from Summer Brennan. “Anxiety, ambition, professional jealousy, hot tips, vibe shifts, and other things that should make writers wary.” In related news, Yeah, I’m Trying to Make Money on Substack from Esmé Weijun Wang. “And it’s totally great if you’re not, or, drama happens & Internets gonna Internet.”

14. The Cracks and the Crevices: On Writing with a Full-Time Job from Jami Attenberg.

15. 5 Things Extroverts Misunderstand the Most about Introverts. In related news, For Introverts and Sensitive People, the Right Environment Is Magic.

16. Social Media Network Report Card (Translation: I’m On Threads Now?) from Chuck Wendig on Terrible Minds.

17. Gather in Poems, “a [FREE] virtual reading and end-of-year offering, an evening of readings by Academy Chancellors and beloved poets in the community, hosted in the spirit of gratitude and a shared hope for the upcoming year featuring Elizabeth Acevedo, Kwame Dawes, Oliver de la Paz, Denice Frohman, Kimiko Hahn, Joy Harjo, John Keene, Dorianne Laux, Ricardo Alberto Maldonado, Naomi Shihab Nye, Yasmine Seale, Yvette Siegert, and Afaa Michael Weaver.”

18. Meet the Winners of G&G’s Annual Good Dog Photo Contest. “The top sporting dog, the fan favorite, and the best in show—plus the runners-up.”

19. 100 Best Christmas Movies of All Time on Rotten Tomatoes.

20. I went to the forest from Amy Marie Turner. Such a gorgeous moment, AND gift ideas.

21. This poem from Hannah Ro Writes.

22. This important reminder.

23. Weight Loss Industry Big Think – Expanding the Market -Part 2 from Ragen Chastain.

24. Neil Gaiman’s Radical Vision for the Future of the Internet.

25. 10 Ways To Get Off Your Phone And Into Your Life from Tammy Strobel on Be More With Less.

26. 4 Therapist-Backed Tips To Stop Black and White Thinking—And Learn To Live Your Full Truth.

27. Wisdom from Sharon McMahon on Instagram: “The antidote to despair is action. When you feel overwhelmed by bad news, instead of thinking about it nonstop like a hamster on a wheel or choosing to ignore it because you can’t see a way to fix it and you’re only one person, do something small and imperfect.”

28. List of new artist opportunities in the form of grants, residencies, and more.

29. 7 Heavy Things To Leave Behind In 2023 from Courtney Carver on Be More With Less.

30. evidence of your joy from Karen Walrond on Chookooloonks.

31. American Symphony | Official Trailer | Netflix. (video) “It’s 2022 and musician Jon Batiste is at the peak of his music career while also embarking on his most ambitious challenge – composing an original symphony. In the midst of this meteoric rise, Batiste’s wife – best-selling author Suleika Jaouad – learns that her long-dormant cancer has returned. AMERICAN SYMPHONY is an intimate portrait of two artists and the healing power of love and creativity.” At the end of the trailer, Suleika says, “We’ve both had so many good things happening. And so many incredibly hard things. I honestly don’t know how to hold such extremes” and John, in an answer of sorts, says, “You have to confront the brutal reality…but at the same time, have completely unwavering faith.”

32. Subjective Guess Who? is the best way to play Guess Who? (video) So funny.

33. Leslie F*cking Jones: A Memoir. I am currently listening to the audio version that Leslie recorded, which includes so many extra moments that I suspect are not in the print version. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry. It’s SO good.

34. I spent 20 years studying foods 100-year-old people eat—and this is the world’s No. 1 healthiest breakfast.

35. Stunning bonsai trees with their leaves composed of hundreds of tiny paper cranes by Naoki Onogawa.

1. A vigorous imagination from Abigail Rose Clarke. “There are so many reasons a life-form as strange as us shouldn’t exist, and yet, here we are, for better or worse, in spectacular abundance. We are proof of the possibility of impossible things. And so when I am trying to practice the vigorous imagination required to believe that another world is possible, to practice the deep patience and presence required to hear her breathing, I remember that these are impossible times, but I am an impossible creature.”

2. Want to enjoy the holidays? Learn to Oversupport yourself. “For people who have experienced trauma and loss oversupporting yourself not only allows you to get through the holidays without fear of coming apart—with enough support holidays can actually be times of healing. You will have enough space inside you to both mourn the losses and take in the present—and by holding both you can feel more whole.”

3. You’re Dead, Now What? from Patti Digh. “Don’t leave behind a Chaotic Mystery Mess (CMM) for your family and friends.”

4. Y’all Are a Great Group of Folks! from Robert Jones Jr. “I’m not saying that I want to live in a bubble, bury my head in the sand, or pretend that the world is some kind of Pretty Pretty Princess™ fantasyland. I’m not saying that I never want to think or write about the enormously wicked things happening in the world. I’m saying that I don’t want to allow it to become a kind of addiction/obsession that clouds my thinking and my knowing such that pessimism doesn’t simply become an honest possibility; it becomes my only principle. I’m saying that for my own well-being, I require consistent antidotes to the ongoing malevolence of heartless, gutless, ruthless, truthless people who use their power and platforms in service to local, global, and inner ruin. And so joy, and the celebration of it, becomes revolutionary—especially for those of us whose misery is counted on.”

5. Activist Micro Action Dispatch: Grace from Omkari Williams. “So, this week what I ask of you is grace and curiosity. Grace for those who see things differently than we do. Curiosity about why and a willingness to consider that they may have something to offer that can strengthen our idea, our plan, our vision.”

6. Rachel DeWoskin Tells Us: About Wildness and Politeness, a series from Cheryl Strayed, “in which I invite an author to tell us five things—not only about their most recent book, but about their life too.”

7. As You Are – Debut Album + Book by Andréa Ranae on Kickstarter. “Exploring what it takes to wage love, get free, and create peace within our lives and our world.”

8. Being Boring Is the Bedrock from Jena Schwartz.

9. Meditation Is Making Friends with Yourself on Lion’s Roar. “Being our own best friend is a challenging feat. Kate Johnson explains how meditation can help us get to know our inner critics and prevent them from hindering our path to liberation.”

10. Living into All the Honey: Embracing Grief & Joy. (video) “‘What do joy and grief have in common?’ asks poet Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer. ‘…The ability to evoke feeling that pushes us and opens us and helps us to be compassionate and helps us fall in love.’ In this 10-minute video, she reads poems that span grief and joy from her new collection All the Honey. She speaks of what she knows now about grief she didn’t before her son died, of spaciousness and silliness, and how her new collection came to be.”

11. Good stuff from Seth Godin: After the meteorite, The network scam, Generosity and gratitude, and Long form AI.

12. How To Rest When You Don’t Have Any Time on Gentle Buddhism.

13. Words For The Weary from Frederick Joseph. “A few thoughts on progress and perseverance.”

14. 5 Slow Living Gifts To Enjoy (before the end of the year) from Courtney Carver on Be More With Less.

15. Let’s Go Community Shopping. “You know how I know people are desperate for a new way of organizing their lives? Apart from just selling a book about it? Well, the New York Times keeps reporting on it. Let’s take a look at what they’ve found (and I’ve gift linked all of these, so click away).”

16. Introverts, Is That Social Invite Worth the Energy? Here’s How to Decide.

17. Why I’m Thankful to Be a Sensitive Introvert (Even Though It’s Not Always Easy).

18. Journal-Keeping for Memoir Writers & Personal Essayists from Esmé Weijun Wang. “Practical techniques, effective methods, and opportunities for creativity.”

19. You’ve already done the hardest part. You got yourself here. from Andrea Scher.

20. Reader Question – Dealing with Diet Culture at the Holidays from Ragen Chastain.

21. How to Answer The Writing Question from Jami Attenberg.

22. Walking has plummeted across America. In related news, Eight ways to transform a walk in the forest into a wellbeing immersion and The nature cure: how time outdoors transforms our memory, imagination and logic.

23. Should America Keep Celebrating Thanksgiving? on The Nation. “Sean Sherman argues that we need to decolonize Thanksgiving, while Chase Iron Eyes calls for replacing Thanksgiving with a ‘Truthsgiving.'”

14. Moss, Pine Bark, and Roots Camouflage Tiny Refuges Among the Wild Swedish Forests and Farmland.

15. 99 Things Money Can’t Buy.

16. Easing Loneliness With Wonder, Awe, and Nature. “Even when alone, wondrous moments with wildlife restore our sense of belonging.”

17. “What to Say to Those Who Think You’re a Fool for Choosing Poetry” by Joseph Fasano.

18. 50 Boyfriends And Husbands Who Raised The Bar Too High For Other Men.

19. Colorful arrangements made of mushrooms by Jill Bliss.

20. Nature photographer of the year 2023 – the winning images.

21. You told us: how Positive News readers challenge rampant consumerism. In related news, 20 ways to shop more mindfully (and resist pressure to part with cash).

22. Finding Refuge During the Holidays Guide from Michelle C Johnson. “A [free] downloadable PDF guide to offer some journaling prompts and practices for how you can find refuge amid all that is swirling inside and around you right now.”

23. 50 “Pictures Of The End” That Raise More Questions Than They Answer.

24. I talked to 263 of the world’s longest-living people—their 9 ‘non-negotiables’ for a long, happy life. In related news, Doing these 8 things now could help you live a long, healthy life, say scientists who study centenarians.

25. What to know about treating Seasonal Affective Disorder.

26. In Frybread Face and Me, a Navajo Boy Finds His Queerness — and His Culture. “Billy Luther’s feature debut follows two Navajo cousins during a summer on the reservation.”

27. Impressive contemporary wood, metal, and stone sculptures by Jaehyo Lee.

28. Stunning hyper-realistic foliage paintings by Jelena and Aleksandar Paunkovic.

29. Realistic digital portraits by Alexis Franklin.

30. Surrealistic organic-inspired vessels by Carol Long.

31. This prayer from Laura Jean Truman.

32. You’re Not Crazy, You’re Just Dealing With a Narcissist | The Mel Robbins Podcast. This is so GOOD. As I unravel myself from this situation AGAIN, it was helpful to hear the reminder that not engaging is the right thing.

33. How I Added More Time to My Life.

34. 10 Things That Fill Introverts with Joy.

35. 10 Ways To Get Off Your Phone And Into Your Life from Tammy Strobel on Be More With Less.

36. On Being with Krista Tippett | Nick Cave: Loss, Yearning, Transcendence. “As a human and a songwriter, Nick Cave is an embodiment of a life examined and evolved. He sat with Krista in the On Being studio in Minneapolis, and the gorgeous conversation that followed is woven in this episode with his gorgeous music.”