Web Miscellany: Compilation #76

Hello dear friend! How are you? How has you week been? For those in the US who are eligible for the stimulus, do you have any exciting plans for the funds? The reckless printing of more debt concerns me, so I will likely put it towards a tangible commodity like silver. So boring and adult.

What are your plans for the week ahead? I will be helping my mom plant her spring garden as part of her birthday gift. Since the little lawnmowers of bubonic plague devoured my garden, I am looking forward to get my hands dirty. Other than that, I will be laying low and maybe tackling a sewing project or some writing. I’m always open to suggestions and prompt if you aree a fount of creativity!

I hope that your weekend and the week ahead show signs of spring, and that you and your loved ones continue to stay safe and healthy. 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. Food for thought: “Conflict is to storytelling what sound is to music.” — Robert McKee
2. From the archives: The Importance Of Patience In Facing Chronic Illness. “Some moments it feels as if the life I once knew is over, but I believe in my heart that if I keep showing up fully each day, a new and fulfilling life will slowly emerge. I am starting to suspect that this storm will be followed by sunshine and an abundance of greenery, and I understand that cultivating patience is the single step I can take today to weather the downpour–drenched to the core and freezing, but perfectly content in the presence of new foliage and a brighter day.” This is a poignant reminder as I’ve been feeling especially fatigued lately, yet so much better than I was three years ago.
3. Service recommendation: I’ve been using Swan Bitcoin for several months to dollar cost average into bitcoin as a hedge against fiat money inflation and LOVE it. Smooth UX, recurring ACH withdraw and bitcoin purchases (daily/weekly/monthly), and automatic transfer to a hardware wallet. You will get $ 10 of bitcoin when you sign up (and I will too, if you use the above link). If you’re intimidated by bitcoin, check out the Swan Signal blog, which is a fantastic resource for those interested in learning more. Bitcoin is volatile and not for everyone but, after eight years of hesitation, I’m feeling bullish.
4. Nerd alert: This online etymology dictionary is too much fun! Did you know that the word mortgage comes from a French term meaning “death pledge” or that robot is derived from the Czech word for forced labor?
5. On later-in-life ADHD diagnosis: In David Cain’s most recent article, he discloses his recent ADHD diagnosis and What Raptitude Has Always Been About. It’s honest, touching, and somewhat relatable.
6. On Gen Z angst: “I just think the idea of being young and carefree no longer applies to our current reality. I feel old and weary. I often tell my boyfriend, a millennial, that I worry about the state of the world years from now when I am 30.” Spoiler: History repeats itself and the young people of today are experiencing the same things as previous generations, within slightly different context.
7. On community: “We recognize that systems of care and community are broken, and want to build them otherwise. We want dependability, we want intimacy, we want to spread burdens and celebrations across a wider swath of people. We want something else. But we have also been well-trained to resist inconvenience, even of the mildest sort: I want what I want, I want it this way, and at this cost, and I want it now.” From Anne Helen Petersen
8. On functionality + delight: “When we create something with practical elegance, we are investing time and energy in a user experience that satisfies the user more than it helps the bottom line of the company that made it. Ironically, in the long run, satisfying the user is the single best way to help the bottom line of a company that doesn’t have monopoly power.” Practical elegance from Seth Godin.
9. On writing simply: “I try to write using ordinary words and simple sentences. That kind of writing is easier to read, and the easier something is to read, the more deeply readers will engage with it. The less energy they expend on your prose, the more they’ll have left for your ideas.” From Paul Graham.
10. Goat Towers: I had no idea goat towers were a thing but, if I ever own goats, I am 100% going to install a goat tower. They look so whimsical and fun!