Just launched The Practical Utopian V3: <practopian.org>, and I’m pretty pleased with the way it turned out. Built with Notenik.
For Mac users, there’s a new release of Notenik out, and a new blog post (on Notenik.net and on Medium) about Using Notenik in some Trendy, Cool Ways. Can anyone say Zettelkasten?
Snowpocalypse ‘21 has descended upon us in Seattle. However Hank, our 90-lb Golden Retriever, seems unperturbed. Here he is enjoying his after-breakfast chew in our backyard, as he does every morning.
I felt more going on yesterday than just a changing of the political guard, and more even than renewed hope for our democracy… it felt to me like A Resumption of our Humanity.
A great day, not just for America, but for humanity: to witness the transition from a leader whose only conception of human relations was of leader and follower, to a set of leaders demonstrating so many dimensions of what it means to be part of a rich human community.
If we want to end The Big Lie, then perhaps it’s time to acknowledge The Big Truth.
A teaser from my latest post, The Clown Coup: “For both Trump and his dedicated followers, however, (and perhaps for much of our society in this third decade of the 21st century), there seems to be little cerebral differentiation between play-acting and the real thing.”
I’m really enjoying my new daily subscription to “Letters from an American” by Heather Cox Richardson. Not too long, but detailed enough to provide useful historical context to the day’s events.
And here’s the Little Free Library with its first load of books: A few I had laying around that were good enough to share but not destined to become part of the Permanent Collection.
Pauline and I got our Little Free Library installed yesterday. We have many in our neighborhood, but ours was the first on our block, and I’m looking forward to seeing the flow of books in and out.
As the result of work on my Mac app Notenik this year, I received a novel blessing from a user : May Allah increase you in your capacity for good. This feels like an apt sentiment to carry forward into the new year, and so I extend it to all of you as well.
Listening to the latest album from Sarah Jarosz this morning: World on the Ground. She’s been a favorite of mine ever since I enjoyed a performance of hers at the Tractor Tavern a few years back. Newest CD does not disappoint.
Digging into Doughnut Economics after the holidays, and loving it so far. Well-written, and thick with interesting information and ideas. 📚
Seattle has its share of coffee-lovers, but I’ll venture a guess that I may be the only one this Boxing Day who is enjoying a cup brewed with beans roasted in Mechanicsville, Virginia! Thanks to my brother Ken for the Christmas gift.
Even though we only made one batch of egg nog this year, apparently it was still enough to fuel grandma’s storied run-in with the reindeer…. <music.apple.com/us/album/…>
I was happy to find these quotations about peace while out looking at Christmas lights a couple of nights ago.
I’ve published a list of 20 of my favorite Xmas tracks. I’ve included lyrics for each song along with a brief write-up of the song’s history and why it’s a favorite of mine. Enjoy! <practopian.org/blog/hbow…>
Another holiday gem, observed on our walk around the neighborhood yesterday. Notice that Hank is keeping an eye on the big fellow – that wasn’t based on any direction from us.
Passed the Greenwood Santa Snow Globe yesterday while we were out for our walk. Santa was out to lunch at the time, which is why there wasn’t a well-spaced line of kids stretching out to the left.
Trimming the tree with my younger brother, more than a few years ago.
Notenik Turns the Big Five-O! Notenik version 5.0.0 has been released, closing the books on 2020. So this feels like a good time to take a breather and look back on the path we’ve traveled, along with new routes yet to explore. Read more on the Notenik Blog
Happy Holidays! A piping hot cup of joe from my favorite Christmas mug…
Posting Practical Utopian appreciations for my favorite Christmas songs, starting with “The Rebel Jesus” by Jackson Browne: <practopian.org/blog/hbow…>
There’s a new post out on The Practical Utopian: Diving Back Into Our American Muddle, in which I share thoughts concerning Dashiell Hammett, Ted Lasso and our American situation (among other related topics).
Finished watching Ted Lasso last night. I liked it a lot. It struck me as very Capraesque in many ways. Very much a “Mr. Lasso goes to England” sort of story, right down to the cynical reporter being won over by our hero’s idealism.