Molly Guard

Old-school computing has a term “molly guard”: it’s the little plastic safety cover you have to move out of the way before you press some button of significance.

(via Chris)

The Thinking Game

The other day, Tim and I watched this documentary. (It’s free on Youtube) We were enthralled by the inside story of the AI breakthrough that won a Nobel Prize.

Instructions before visiting Earth

In the event that you wake up
and find your soul separated from source
and manifest into material form, don’t panic.
Your condition is only temporary.

You have been selected for the opportunity
of human incarnation.

This 3D simulation is designed
to break up the monotony of eternity
by giving you a fully immersive experience
as a distinct ego identity.

Your body will serve
as your physical avatar
as you navigate a dense and dramatic reality.
There will be many distractions
causing you to forget your true nature and origin.
You will experience a range of emotions
from joy to loneliness to despair.

But remember – no matter
what trials and traumas you encounter,
your soul remains perfectly safe.

At times you may feel lost or afraid.
This is totally normal.
If you ever need guidance,
simply slow down your busy mind
and bring your awareness
to the quiet place
inside yourself.

On this planet, nothing is permanent.
People and things will come and go.
You will fall in love and form sentimental attachments
only to lose everything you hold dear.

So cling to nothing too tightly, even yourself,
and when it’s time to let go, let go with grace,
for nothing is owned, only borrowed.

As you walk among
the people on the planet,
try to be a good guest.
Tread lightly. Remember
that you are only visiting.
Don’t make a mess.
Listen more than you speak.
Give more than you take.

Don’t keep your soft heart
locked inside a glass cage,
protected from wear and tear.

You’ll never make it out alive
and time passes quickly.
So come back with some battle scars
and good stories to tell.

James McCrae

Thinking Is The Enemy of Creatvity

“Doing is being.”

Our Greatest Strength

” I think it is more difficult these days to define what makes a good citizen than it has ever been before. Certainly all any of us can do is follow our own conscience and retain faith in our democracy. Sometimes it is the very people who cry out the loudest in favor of getting back to what they call “American Virtues” who lack this faith in our country. I believe that our greatest strength lies always in the protection of our smallest minorities.
– Charles Schulz

Letter to a 10-year-old fan, 9th November 1970

Via What we have got to have in this world is a change of heart

(Thank you Ruth Ann)

The Siksika Hierarchy of Needs

The Siksika Hierarchy of Needs is an Indigenous framework from the Siksika (Blackfoot) Nation that reimagines human needs from a collective, relational, and land-based worldview, rather than an individualistic one like Maslow’s hierarchy. Community, culture, and land come first — individual fulfillment is not possible without collective well-being. Yes please.

Grace Farms

Grace Farms in New Canaan Connecticut is a truly inspiring space, both aesthetically as well in their mission. Would love to bring CreativeMornings to this venue. More billionaires like this, please.

The Case for Making Art When the World is On Fire

The Story of Maggie Doyne

My dear friend Maggie Doyne is an embodiment of love and without a doubt the most remarkable woman I know. I love her deeply. She just made her documentary, Between the Mountain and the Sky, available for anyone to see. (Her CreativeMornings talk cracked my heart wide open.)

Creative Work Is Always Perfect

20 Years of This Online Garden

20 years ago today I started this blog, with this quote.

That was Tina v1.0; No kids, single, hadn’t started any businesses yet. This blog opened doors. Forever grateful.

I have been a bit quiet recently, but I am still here.

A warm thank you to everyone of you who stops by occasionally.

Words That Don’t Exist in English

I enjoyed the replies to this question: People who are bilingual in English and another language, what’s a word that exists in your other language that you are surprised doesn’t exist in English?

Peanuts Tattly

These Peanuts Tattly make me happy.

Make Differently

“The ultimate, hidden truth of the world is that it is something that we make, and could just as easily make differently.”
― David Graeber

4 Years

Last week, I hit 4 years of no alcohol. 2-21-21

(I have written about my journey before.)

The Antidote to Doom

“The anditode to doom is curiosity.”
Ezra Klein

This Energy for 2025

Instead of my traditional start-of-the-year-birthday-intentions-post, I bring you this girl. May we all channel her energy and confidence in 2025.

(My intentions post for 2024 and 2023)

People I Want To Meet

Switzerland based Software Design Toni keeps a List of People he’d like to meet on his personal website. This is wonderful. Thank you for the inspiration!

(via Chris Glass)

Map of Reddit


Wow! This is magical: a map of the Reddit. Each dot represents a subreddit. Two dots within the same cluster are close to each other if multiple users frequently leave comments on both subreddits. Created by Andrei Kashcha.

Integrity

The use of the word integrity is in decline.

No Excuse Hour

Wow, I love the concept of the No Excuse Hour. It seems basic as a concept, yes I have tried getting the big and important stuff done first in the mornings. For some reason, naming it the NO EXCUSE HOUR hits differently.

1/ The “No Excuse Hour” is the first hour of my day.
No distractions.
It’s one hour of pure focus on the things that have to get done.
No emails, no scrolling, no chatting. It’s just me vs. my top priority. Why?
Because the rest of the day will throw distractions your way.
Get the important stuff done first.

Full thread by “Walker

The In Between

“I don’t think we talk enough about the in betweens. The part when you know you want to change something but don’t yet know how, don’t yet feel strong enough, don’t yet know what your first step is. So to the people in the in betweens, don’t be disheartened, don’t give up. You’ve done the hard part. Now just take it one small step at a time.
allyislia

An Age of Inelasticity

Thank you Roxane for giving words to this feeling we are all feeling: an age of inelasticity.

Freedom

“I think freedom, ideally, is being able to choose your responsibilities. Not not having any responsibilities, but being able to choose which things you want to be responsible for.”
Toni Morrison