I read. A lot. In looking back through the books I’ve read in the past 5 years (yes, I keep a list), I see that I’ve read a number of very good ones. So, when I say a book is the most enlightening one I’ve read in 5 years, that’s saying something. “American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America” by Colin Woodard has completely changed how I see the…
I wanted to write a serious blog post tonight, but I spent so much time mowing lawn today that I don’t have the brain power for it. Instead, I only have energy for posting photos of my incredibly cute dog. (I could say I’m not biased in my opinion of him, but I would be lying.) Don’t dogs make great internet subjects? No worries about violating their privacy or offending them while poking a little…
I am avoiding doing dishes by writing a blog post. Don’t feel sorry for me. I haven’t done dishes in days, so I’m just using that as an excuse to write a blog post, although I really need no excuses to avoid the dishes or to write blog posts. I could also be folding laundry right now. Instead, I’d like to show you some pictures of leaves I took at the Como Park Conservatory just…
I follow Austin Kleon‘s email newsletter, through which he shares various internet pieces related to creativity. In the latest edition of the newsletter, there was a link to an article I found to be especially thoughtful. It contains excellent advice I wish I’d had when I was in high school or college. The article is called “Putting Work in Its Place” by Kate Kiefer Lee. In it she discusses how we don’t necessarily have…
When the Robin Williams movie “Dead Poets Society” came out in 1989, the phrase “Carpe diem” [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec8FOZvcPVM] became all the rage. It means, “Seize the day,” as in none of us is getting out of this world alive – we don’t know when our time is going to be up – it may well be as early as the next instant or tomorrow – and we’d better enjoy it while we can. I often see…