Web Miscellany: Compilation #64

Hello there, and happy holidays! Is it just me, or is this one of the strangest Christmas seasons on record? Today, we will be taking part in two curbside Christmases, where we will set a box of gifts in the driveway outside each Christmas gathering, wave briefly, and then drive home to a house devoid of twinkling pine, the rich smells of gluttony, and beloved family members. Right now, I’m okay with the arrangement, but I suspect that by tonight I may feel a bit sad. I hope that you are and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy. I wish that for you more than anything this holiday season.

I am off from work until the new year, so I’m planning how to spend the time. I’ll likely do some goal-setting, and perhaps some creative writing and sewing. My boyfriend and I are planning a day trip to an yet-unknown destination for some light hiking and quiet time in nature. Do you have any free time over the coming week and, if so, what are your plans?

I hope you have a cozy holiday weekend, whether with or away from family. Here are a few links from around the web. Feel free to share anything interesting you’ve stumbled upon in the comments.

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1. “I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re Doing Something. So that’s my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody’s ever made before. Don’t freeze, don’t stop, don’t worry that it isn’t good enough, or it isn’t perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life. Whatever it is you’re scared of doing, Do it. Make your mistakes, next year and forever.” ― Neil Gaiman
2. So much beautiful wisdom from Hope Hall. I’ve revisited this several times over the last few days.
3. The Ordinary Miraculous from Cheryl Strayed. On the moments that hold deep meaning, but only months and years after the fact.
4. Times are tough now, but the end is in sight. If we hunker down, keep our families safe during the holidays and monitor our health at home, life will get better in the spring. Here’s how to get through it.
5. Why Our Most Valuable Gifts are Memories. I can relate very much to this. With a few exceptions, I don’t remember many Christmas gifts. What I do remember is time spent with family, and that’s what really matters.
6. I am neither Jewish nor left-leaning, but happened across this Jewish Currents piece on Morman mommy culture, which offered a captivating glance into the lives of wealthy, middle-class stay-at-home moms and hints of the pain just below the surface of their polished lives. I was equally intrigued by this piece on Bro culture and masculinity. People-watching by proxy, I suppose?
7. I hadn’t yet though about the long-term psychological effects of the pandemic and quarantine. This is a sad reminder that even when it’s over, it won’t really be over. Drive-by burials and FaceTime farewells: Grief in the Covid era will weigh on the American psyche for years to come.
8. “Some people hesitate to share an idea because they’re worried it will be stolen. In general, these people are afraid of success, not failure. An idea unspoken is a safe one, which not only can’t be stolen, but it can’t be tested, criticized, improved or used in the real world.” Hiding Ideas from Seth Godin. Guests, hosts and landlords is also worth a read.
9. Wisdom from Anne Helen Petersen: “…you really just need to give yourself a fucking break. Whatever you’ve done this year in your personal or professional life, it’s enough. You are beloved and worthy of rest. Not because of your capacity to work, or your relative capacity to subsist on fumes. You are beloved and worthy of rest because you are human, not a robot. This year has emptied us. Give yourself permission to continue to seek fullness.”
10. For those interested in privacy but unsure where to begin, download the Signal app. They just added support for encrypted group video calls.
11. Last week, my sister and I exchanged a poem a day, which was a truly beautiful experience and gave insight into where were each are in life. Apparently, the below power made the rounds on social media at one point, so I may be late to the game, but Two-Headed Calf by Laura Gilpin shook me and I can’t stop thinking about it.