Adderall, money, 'bookpecker,' herbs, and more
Seven thin(g/k)s I explored this week
Hello dear reader,
Spring has me particularly excited this year—there is warmth in the air, and sprinkles of rain here and there at the moment, which made for perfect pockets in the day for reading once I wrapped up baking weekend brownies and the week’s sourdough bread. I grabbed hold of Dostoevsky’s earlier (and shorter) works, one of which is White Nights, and I am enamored with its tenderness. Do give it a peek if you are in need of a reading slump recovery.
In March the earth remembers its own name.
Everywhere the plates of snow are cracking.
The rivers begin to sing. In the sky
the winter stars are sliding away; new stars
appear as, later, small blades of grain
will shine in the dark fields.
And the name of every place
is joyful.
-- Mary Oliver
Here are seven links to bits of the world I explored this week, shared with the hope that you will find them to be an inspiring springboard for deeper thinking.
Chronicling the grip of money (both having it and not having it) in the writing world:
“The few writers I knew who hadn't gone to fancy schools could be spotted because their careers were advancing more slowly, as mine was. I would have been so much better at everything, I thought, if I had been raised in a family with more money—until, in a feat of self-help, I began to insist to myself that the reverse was true. It was better to have come from less, I decided; it was both more interesting and undoubtedly purer to be poorer. I soon started applying these upside-down values to everything: I preferred dysfunctional organizations, friends who showed up late, skin with wrinkles, the unsuccessful, the awkward, the backward, the ill. The correctness of these renovated judgments seemed so clear, and I held to my new beliefs so doggedly, that I was surprised every time I encountered someone who didn't agree, someone who professed to appreciate success, grace, timeliness, health.”
It felt like reading what can visually be described as a circle, with two opposing starting points (poor, rich) coming full circle from different ends to a mutual point of contact/worldview:
“The rich and the poor collude in believing that the amount of money you inherit or make means something about your moral fiber, the quality of your art. What will we do when we find out it doesn't?”
The completion of my bedding sitch is almost at the sweet finish line. A couple of weeks ago, I upgraded my bed to a minimalistic, elegant, dreamy up-in-the-clouds but low-to-the-ground platform bed, and the quality of sleep skyrocketed and was matched only with the help of a mattress upgrade. I ditched the toxic non-natural fibers and materials and the only missing piece of the puzzle is narrowing down on organic cotton bed sheets, and then sleep will be what dreams are truly made of. Swoon.
America’s cultural addiction to adderall — flying at “prescription-grade speed” through schools, workplaces, etc. — has reached critical mass, and it’s scary. I still remember casual disclosures from law school classmates who proudly flaunted its use. Suffice it to say once I found out what was fueling robot-like annoying behavior in lecture halls, my morale plummeted.
Finding the co-architect of one’s shared future, with the idea being that, “‘warm, intimate relationships are the most important prologue to a good life.’”
Herbs that make you feel alive — and a nod to Simon & Garfunkel. The arrival of Eastertime brings with it the stunning flavors and smells of one of my favorites, tarragon, which pairs beautifully with boiled eggs and lavash for a delicious Easter breakfast.
If you’re like me—equal parts fascinated by live orchestra music and confused about the role of a conductor from the eyes of someone not well-versed in rhythm—here’s a great video summing up what a conductor actually does.
Laughed hard at the name of this website—bookpecker—that summarizes popular books in five bullet points. I don’t think I saw fiction on there (thankfully), but for the non-fiction books I’ve been eyeing, and for someone as indecisive as me when it comes to picking up the next “right” book I’d be in the mood for, I’m glad there exists a place like this.
See you soon!
Warmly,
Ani
Enjoyed this round up!!