This was a week for getting reminded of unconventional freedoms — and unconventional Outlawry (though some might call it just plain criminality). First, we got fascinated with Christopher Knight (aka the Maine Hermit), whose solitary life some found irresistible. Imagine speaking only one word to another human in 27 years and sleeping outdoors through 27 northern winters. Imagine doing that, yet remaining so un-resourceful that you think stealing from a camp for handicapped kids is a legitimate way to survive. Then yesterday afternoon, NPR interviewed Mike Brodie — not their usual sort of book author. At 27, Brodie is a…
Category: Books and Movies
Thanks to the good idea and good offices of MamaLiberty, our collective (is that a bad word?), in-the-works short story “Tansy Shrugged” now has a home at The Mental Militia. ML was even kind enough to pin it at the top of TMM’s Writers Block. So if you’re interested in seeing the tale continue, or even if you just want to read it again without comments interspersed … have at it. This will be a lot better than trying to work in a comment section that has to close after a short while to discourage spammers. If anyone has trouble…
Good news and think pieces only today. How mindfulness (aka meditation) might improve brain power. (H/T. JB) Young goldendoodle saves pregnant woman and her unborn baby. (H/T ML) Also, while this “news” isn’t new, it’s a nice v*te of confidence for bully breed dogs. (One of my neighbors has the most gorgeous, most sweet pit bull/American bulldog mix — aka aka Bullypit or Colorado bulldog. I could fall in love.) “Why I’m getting rid of most of my stuff.” By the inimitable (and slightly crazy) James Altucher. (I can identify. I’ve been in an accumulating mode since buying this house;…
I sorta forgot to keep the “Tansy Shrugged” story thread alive. Which means WordPress’s spam settings cut off new contributions. Puptent was the only active contributor at the end. The story was going where I didn’t feel equipped to follow and perhaps that’s the way other contributors felt, too. Or maybe we all just got busy. But puptent was writing fantastic stuff and the story definitely had fans, including me (and Laird, it’s biggest cheerleader). So … should we open a new “Tansy Shrugged” thread to keep this thing going? (I liked MamaLiberty’s suggestion of taking T. and friends over…
Was growling over last week’s semi-useless disaster preparedness talk and pondering the wisdom of some of your comments. Then I came upon this: John Longenecker’s thoughts on why emergency management (EM) “experts” are having such a hard time getting through to the rest of us. (Tip o hat to the Dutchman over on Sipsey Street.) Longenecker says (in short) that the fact that millions are buying guns shows we’re more than willing to take responsibility and prepare for danger. We’re just not buying the elitist, top-down, “do it to us” (as opposed to “do it with us”) approach to disaster…
I’m always getting these ideas for the openings of stories. Then I either don’t know where to go with them or (more likely) don’t have enough ambition to figure it out.
So here’s one I’m tossing at you.
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Not having a TV has led to complete, catastrophic cultural isolation. As an example of this savage, self-caused social disconnect: I never learned to pronounce the name “Duchovny.” And now I cannot tell you whether the name “Kutcher” is sounded like more “crutch-er” or “cooch-er.” It’s a tragedy of unfathomable proportions. After first giving up the telescreen, I even had to forego watching great commercials. Since they are among the great creative gems of our time, it was nearly an unbearable loss. Somehow I soldiered on. Eventually the miracle of YouTube brought the Budweiser clydesdales — and those wonderful Dalmatians…
You know, it takes a lot more brainpower to write long, thoughtful, personal posts than it does to toss out a little news (maybe accompanied by a bit of snark or righteous indignation). So while I continue working on the “Perspective” Blog Tome, news (and one really good laugh) it is for today. “Anonymous has left the building.” “The logic of surveillance.” (H/T JG) This isn’t exactly nooz. It’s from last month. But it makes me proud that the Northwest is a national center of anti-surveillance activism. You go, monkeywrenchers! This pertains to yesterday’s “Perspective” blog. Gretchen Rubin of The…