I love you, Bear Shaped Cotton Throw.
A Bit of Optimism | Simon Sinek & Brené Brown
A wonderful listen all around.
Be My Friend
This photograph by Taiyo Onorato & Nico Krebs hit me in the heart.
(via CreativeBoom / via Christopher)
Make It A Habit
“Make it a habit to look for what you are wanting to see.”
– Abraham
Anywhere Can Happen
I am completely mesmerized by Argentinian director Fernando Livschitz’s short film Anywhere Can Happen.
Going To The Woods Alone
“Ordinarily, I go to the woods alone, with not a single friend, for they are all smilers and talkers and therefore unsuitable… I don’t really want to be witnessed talking to the catbirds or hugging the old black oak tree. I have my way of praying, as you no doubt have yours… Besides, when I am alone I can become invisible. I can sit on the top of a dune as motionless as an uprise of weeds, until the foxes run by unconcerned. I can hear the almost unhearable sound of the roses singing… If you have ever gone to the woods with me, I must love you very much.”
– Mary Oliver
Stockholm Lover
Hell there, Stockholm Lover, you would look beautiful in my home. I shall wishlist you.
Hello. Again.
This hoodie made me look.
Kindness
Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth.
What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride
thinking the bus will never stop,
the passengers eating maize and chicken
will stare out the window forever.Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness,
you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
lies dead by the side of the road.
You must see how this could be you,
how he too was someone
who journeyed through the night with plans
and the simple breath that kept him alive.Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day to mail letters and purchase bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the crowd of the world to say
It is I you have been looking for,
and then goes with you everywhere
like a shadow or a friend.– Naomi Shihab Nye
Tea Uglow | My Trans Story 2021
I applaud Tea Uglow for sharing her trans story.
(A few years back, I attended an AIGA conference in Minneapolis. I walked out of a quite boring session to grab a coffee and as I stood in line, I noticed the stunning, tall, very very well dressed woman in front of me. As it was her turn to pay for her coffee, she seemingly turned her very stylish purse inside out, unsuccessfully, to locate her wallet. The barista didn’t budge. I stepped up, ordered my coffee and paid for both hers and mine. I smiled at her and said: Love your stylish outfit! About an hour later, I am in the main conference hall and who steps on stage? Tea, the stunning, tall, well dressed woman from my coffee moment!)
ESCAPE Bag
While perusing small shops in Saugerties, upstate NY today, I discovered this Forestbound ESCAPE bag. I gifted it to myself. As I was looking them up once I got home, I saw that you can get your own customized bag. What a fun gift.
(As a trained graphic designer I admit the shape of the P is killing me.)
Link Pack
That feeling when music touches you deep in your soul and is pure medicine. Jireh by Maverick City is that. And no, I don’t consider myself religious. I have my own version of church.
– Craig Mod shares Pizza Toast & Coffee — Japanese Cafe Short Documentary
– Learning to Respond Not React, by Tara Brach
– I am coming back to this song.
– Here’s your daily dose of funny animal photos. The cat wearing tiny plastic hands made me laugh out loud.
– I thoroughly enjoyed this episode of How We Built This with the founder of Hinge telling his story. I mostly loved the part where he tells his personal love story. (It was turned into a short movie!)
– In words, images and video, teens across the United States show us how they have met life’s challenges in the midst of a pandemic. (via Chris)
– LEGO Chocolate Cake. Funny. Show your kids.
– I don’t have a dog, but I have spent a good 10 min on this dog bed product page.
– Discover the first modern Kitchen–the Frankfurt kitchen-pioneered by the architect Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky (1926)
– How to avoid bad decisions. An excellent read.
– Wow! A ten minute, one-to-one concert.
– How to make cloud eggs. I need to finally give this a try.
– The We Work Documentary was released yesterday. Don’t think I have the stomach to watch it. I find Adam Neumann repulsive. If you have watched it, leave a comment below and let me know if it’s palatable?
– This 3D Printed vase is WOW!
– I am on an adventure to experience myself and my life sans alcohol for 90 days. (I am on day 42). I recently bought Good Drinks, a book with recipes for alcohol free drinks. Highly recommend.
– Not sure how I stumbled upon Kristen Lisanti on Instagram. But I am glad I did. I am intrigued by her Breaking Open, a six-week virtual course in what she calls applied mindfulness: meditating not just for our own peace of mind but to give us the tools to show up as safe people in the world. Registration is on a sliding scale, no one will be turned away for lack of funds. She is donating all proceeds to the Loveland Foundation and the AAPI Community Fund.
– Say goodbye to moth holes in your favorite sweaters with these Cedar Wood Houses Fabric Protectors.
– This slow motion video made me look.
– This is me, every time someone asks how are you doing?
– Plant pedestals? Yes, please.
– These are lovely bookends.
– The Extraordinary Life of Yayoi Kusama
– There are currently 2193 jobs listed on the CreativeMornings Job Board, 652 of them are remote friendly.
Signs of Emotional Maturity
Connections feel deeper
Your are not afraid to say no
No need to perform anymore
Well-being is your top priority
Radical honesty feels like home
No more jumping to conclusions
Boundaries are important to you
Pausing to think now feels normal
Signs of emotional maturity, by Yung Pueblo
Arbitrary Stupid Goal
A goal that isn’t too important makes you live in the moment, and still gives you a driving force. This driving force is a way to get around the fact that we will all die and there is no real point to life.
But with the ASG there is a point. It is not such an important point that you postpone joy to achieve it. It is just a decoy point that keeps you bobbing along, allowing you to find ecstacy in the small things, the unexpected, and the everyday.
What happens when you reach the stupid goal? Then what? You just find a new ASG.
– Tamara Shopsin
Seen here: Something to look forward to, by Austin Kleon
Are you a Highly Sensitive Person?
I am so grateful I stumbled upon Dr. Elaine Aron’s work around the concept of Highly Sensitive Person. I feel seen.
(Thanks Yvonne!)
Scenes From the First American Shopping Mall (1956)
In 1956, the Southdale Center in Edina, Minnesota, opened its doors and became America’s first climate-controlled indoor shopping mall.
Favorite Branding Agencies
Asking for a friend: What's currently your favorite branding agency?
— [email protected] (@swissmiss) March 25, 2021
Wow! I discovered so many new branding agencies I had never heard of in this thread. Thanks to everyone who responded.
Link Pack
(Thank you Chris)
– This is a beautiful, minimal Murphy bed for small spaces, guest rooms etc.
– Whoa! In 1930 the Indiana Bell building was rotated 90°. Over a month, the structure was moved 15 inch/hr, all while 600 employees still worked there. There was no interruption to gas, heat, electricity, water, sewage, or the telephone service they provided. No one inside felt it move.
– I’d be ok with owning a Ping Pong Door.
– “When I Realized My Friend Was White“, Keith Yamashita describes a child’s first encounter with racism.
– Something to look forward to
– This photo!
– A black bear discovers a hot tub. Made me smile.
– Be more realistic about the time you have.
– Thread: How to better navigate the online world with proper social media etiquette.
– I would love to taste a fried whole artichoke.
– This Spaghetti Belt Table made me laugh. (via)
– eco-friendly, low-maintenance deck boards use 2,250 plastic bags per board
– Monocle’s digital decency manifesto
– An important read: Helping Hands Need A Break, Too: How To Lend Support Without Burning Out
– Did you know eggshells can sharpen your blender blades?
– This puzzle made me laugh.
– Before you give your child their first phone, read this.
– I hear more and more folks I know rave about DNTL Bar. Who knew the dentist experience could be something people get excited about?
– After asking Twitter for pots and pans recommendations which resulted in an epic thread, I joined the All-Clad Club.
– I love love love my Onsen Bath Robe.
– Love these eco-friendly stools inspired by an iconic design.
– Did you know CreativeMornings has a job board?
– Did you know I regularly share uplifting, heart-opening tiktok videos over on Instagram in my Stories? Check out my Collections (circles above my photos) to see some past posts. The Dance, Happy and Animal collections are pretty fun.
– A big thank you to Caveday for sponsoring my blog this week.Caveday helps you focus by managing distractions (phones aren’t allowed) and teaching you to monotask. They lead the world’s most focused community.
The Esther Perel Love Lexicon
Esther Perel on the lifelong art of feeling worthy of wanting and worthy of receiving.
Indoor / Outdoor Planters
Loving these indoor/outdoor planters.