Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, lessons for living, philosophizing, quotes, Thoughts on October 10, 2026| Leave a Comment »
Bertrand Russell on the Secret of Happiness – The Marginalian
“The secret of happiness is this: let your interests be as wide as possible, and let your reactions to the things and persons that interest you be as far as possible friendly rather than hostile.”
* * *
Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, cool science stuff, explainers, geology, space on October 9, 2026| Leave a Comment »
Here’s a little science for your Friday.
How Often do Asteroids Hit the Earth? Crash Course Geology #20
How worried should we be about giant asteroid impacts? In this episode of Crash Course Geology, we’ll learn how to tell an asteroid from a meteorite, what happens when space rocks approach the Earth, and how scientists track potential threats before they reach us.
* * *
Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, a good day, a little magic, Thoughts, unexpected joys on October 8, 2026| Leave a Comment »
Some days I am suddenly filled with a low-level feeling of joy. Everything sparks with at least a touch of beauty, the world has a bit magic to it, and it’s easy to find the best in all things.
Today, I’m happy to say, is one such day. (Is it a coincidence that I just delivered a big work project and can now take some time to smell the flowers? Perhaps not.)
Hope your day has a little magic in it too!
* * *
Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, art, books, censorship, freedom, libraries on October 6, 2026| Leave a Comment »
Oh look, it’s Banned Books Week in the US.
Banding Together for Banned Books Week 2026
Banned Books Week, taking place October 4–10 this year, concentrates and amplifies the messaging of right to read organizations. Libraries, bookstores, and literary associations are hosting in-person and virtual events, featuring authors, educators, and advocates.
Interested in examples of books that have been banned this year? Here’s a list: Banned Books List 2026 – PEN America
In the near future, Offred is a handmaid in an authoritarian society who is not permitted to read. We’ll let that sink in.
And if you are a teenager in a library system that is banning books, Books Unbanned is for you.
A Books Unbanned library card gives teens across the United States free digital access to ebooks and digital resources, including banned and challenged books—no matter where they live. Books Unbanned helps ensure teens can read what they like, explore new ideas and form their own opinions.
Whether you support your local library, attend an event, read a book that’s been challenged to see what You think, or something else entirely, I hope you take a moment to appreciate the right to read without censorship. Because that benefits us all!
* * *
Posted in Other, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, life, Thoughts, work, Writers, writing on October 5, 2026| Leave a Comment »
In some ways, this quote expresses a very Monday sort of sentiment, but I like that you can flip it from “must do” to “get to.”
“No one can build you the bridge on which you, and only you, must cross the river of life.” — Friedrich Nietzsche
* * *
Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, data, history, humanity, storytelling, Thoughts on October 4, 2026| Leave a Comment »
Some days you come across something on the web that helps you remember why people thought it was a good idea in the first place. For today’s entry into that ledger, I present Any Human Ever.
Any Human Ever: one life from over 100 billion
So: what would happen if stories were drawn from actual data, randomized to give a valid representation of the human story? That’s the question that was stuck in my head, and that drove this project forward. If you could draw a life at random from all of human history, what would it look like? Roll the dice, and see a genuinely random life, depicted as well as the data allow. Do it again and again, and what kind of pointillist painting emerges from all those colorful drops of humanity?
I love this idea. Do statistics have their place? Absolutely. Is this perfect? Maybe not, but I spent some time in grad school arguing for the humanization of data, and that debate solidified my belief that one of the best ways to connect people to ideas is through stories.
Have fun exploring 100 billion of them.
* * *
Posted in Other, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, Thoughts, Writers, writing on October 3, 2026| Leave a Comment »
Oh look, I’m way behind today. Did I plan to get lots done? I did. Oh well!
“l often come back to a story I love about a wave panicking as it neared the shore, afraid it was about to disappear. Then, a smaller wave reminds it: You’re not a wave—you’re water. Plans will change. Your path will shift. And that shouldn’t be something to fear.” — Melinda French Gates
* * *
Posted in Other, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, community building, creativity, inspiration, librarians, libraries, unsung heroes on October 2, 2026| Leave a Comment »
You probably know that it’s the 250th anniversary of the United States, but did you know that this year is also the 150th anniversary of the modern American library system? I didn’t!
To mark the occasion, and to get a better understanding of what life is like for librarians today, reporters went to the annual American Library Association conference in Chicago this summer and interviewed almost 50 librarians about their work. What is it like to be a librarian in America today?
Librarians Discuss the Challenges and Triumphs of Running a Library Today
A lot has changed since the American Library Association was established in 1876 — even just over the past decade. The library has gone from a building full of books to arguably the most versatile civic center in any community lucky enough to have one… But most of all, they want you to know what the library really is: a safe place for people to gather around books, ideas and one another.
The work these often under-appreciated folks do touches so many communities in so many positive ways. Which reminds me, it’s about time to donate to my local library again!
“The misconception about libraries to me is that they feel irrelevant because we’re in a digital information age, but I would say they’re more relevant now than ever before because we’re conflating content with information and information with knowledge.” — Sam Helmick, Iowa City, Iowa, Iowa City Public Library
* * *
Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, #MacFellow, art, awards, constructive creativity, creativity, Genius Awards, inspiration, MacArthur Fellows on September 29, 2026| Leave a Comment »
The 2026 MacArthur Fellows have been announced, and this year’s class is an interesting mix. From climate scientists to fiction writers, historians to chemists and more, the list provides a window into just some of the work being done by smart, enthusiastic, and creative people today.
These Fellows have found ways to capture some of the most important issues of our time, and it’s great to see such varied examples of constructive creativity, and to think of all the other people out there doing good work. Let’s hear it for flashes of genius!
* * *
Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, creativity, Thoughts, unique on September 20, 2026| Leave a Comment »
“No one is better than you, because no one else is you.” — Megan Bannen, The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam
* * *
You must be logged in to post a comment.