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Do Your Best

“This life is filled with inescapable moral compromises. We should do what we can to avoid the easy ones.” ― Gabrielle Zevin

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Write what you love to come upon. —Anne Lamott 

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“Your fans, the ones that exist and the ones you have yet to make, will appreciate that what they get from you is from you. That’s what people mostly want from art: Entertainment and connection. You will always be able to do that better than ‘Al.’” — John Scalzi

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The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away. — Pablo Picasso (attr.)

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It’s understandable that a lot of beginners at any art want rules for how to do it. But there comes a time when one has to make one’s own choices about how one’s art is structured, how it’s executed, what you want it to do. There is no rulebook that will help you with that, you just have to step up and decide. That’s scary! But there’s no getting around it. — Ann Leckie

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“The fundamental misunderstanding of humanity is believing that we can achieve all our desires without limitation.” — Momofuku Ando

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I have decided that it is time for me to go to finishing school. Not the kind that includes (I assume) lessons in how to curtsy, choose wine for a meal, or keep feuding families from disrupting a wedding.

The kind that helps me tackle the unfinished projects that have been piling up around me. 

Perhaps you have this issue too? Fortunately, there is very real joy in crossing things off a list and I intend to dive right in. 

I’ll be tackling some writing, some baking, and a bit of art, as well as some house and life maintenance. 

And who knows, I might even learn how to curtsy.

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Don’t overthink it, do something, and repeat. — Arnold Schwarzenegger

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Recently, Neil deGrasse Tyson visited Stephen Colbert to talk about aliens and his new book Take Me To Your Leader: Perspectives On Your First Alien Encounter. He discussed aliens, why you probably shouldn’t shake hands, and how they might mirror what they see of humanity. 

It made me think of the story I wrote on that topic, and how I hope that humanity does more good than not. I’ve re-posted before but I like the story, so here it is again. Click through for the full piece.

We Are Mirrors | J.R. Johnson

You and Yours

I came from the stars to meet you. I was happy. Excited, even. First contact with your verdant world. Think of all that we could share with you.

“You” could have meant a lot of things. I started with one of the most populous. An insect.

I remember little of what it was like, a flash of light, a warm wriggle in a puddle after rain. The feel of wind in my wings.

It’s embarrassing to say this now, but I was promptly eaten.

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May the Force be with you, today and every day.

“That’s how we’re gonna win.

Not fighting what we hate, saving what we love.

— Rose, The Last Jedi

And because I can’t help myself:

What do you call a pirate droid?

Arr-2 D2.

Heehee!

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