J.R. Johnson

Story for a Monday

December 8, 2025 by J.R. Johnson

Emily Bressler is helping you recognize, reflect on, and reject hypocrisy with this story at McSweeney’s:

I Work For an Evil Company, but Outside Work, I’m Actually a Really Good Person

I love my job. I make a great salary, there’s a clear path to promotion, and a never-ending supply of cold brew in the office. And even though my job requires me to commit sociopathic acts of evil that directly contribute to making the world a measurably worse place from Monday through Friday, five days a week, from morning to night, outside work, I’m actually a really good person.

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Posted in Writing | Tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, free fiction, humor, self reflection, Writers, writing | Leave a Comment »

A Happy Writing Life

December 7, 2025 by J.R. Johnson

What does James Patterson, one of the world’s top authors, have to say about leading a creative and happy life? Here are three suggestions that resonated with me:

James Patterson’s Maxims for a Happy Life

2. Pay attention to process rather than outcomes.

3. Excellence is less about talent and inspiration, more about hard work and persistence.

5. Focus on what’s getting better, rather than fretting over what’s getting worse.

For the full list, check out the article above, or listen to the full podcast with Arthur Brooks.

In the end, “how does Patterson find the work of writing? ‘I love it. I love it. I love it. I love it.’”

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Posted in Writing | Tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, creativity, Thoughts, Writers, writing | Leave a Comment »

As You Are

December 6, 2025 by J.R. Johnson

“Be like the sun for grace and mercy. Be like the night to cover others’ faults. Be like running water for generosity. Be like death for rage and anger. Be like the Earth for modesty. Appear as you are. Be as you appear.”

― Rumi

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Posted in Other, Writing | Tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, philosophizing, Thoughts | Leave a Comment »

Lesson for Today

December 5, 2025 by J.R. Johnson

Today’s minor bit of wisdom, gained from an hour standing in line at the post office with increasingly cranky people:

Try not to let someone else’s bad day ruin yours.

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Posted in Other | Tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, frustrations, Thoughts | Leave a Comment »

Persistence Pays Off

December 3, 2025 by J.R. Johnson

I taught an octopus piano (It took 6 months)

This video is refusing to embed for some reason, but if you are impressed by clever and creative displays of persistence (by humans and others!), it’s worth checking out. Start at the 3:00 minute mark if you want to go straight to the training process, or at 15:00 if you want to skip to the piano performance.

Note: this video contains a lot of swearing. Which, as someone who has trained their cat to sit and jump (but definitely not play an instrument), I completely understand!

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Posted in Other | Tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, creativity, inspiration, persistence | Leave a Comment »

Giving Tuesday Workout

December 2, 2025 by J.R. Johnson

“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.”

― John Holmes

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Posted in Other | Tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, charity, donations, inspiration, kindness | Leave a Comment »

Magic and Meaning

December 1, 2025 by J.R. Johnson

Now this is exactly what I need on a Monday.

How John Green Fights Despair Every Day | The Interview – YouTube

I mean the problem with hope is that it feels like a very easy word. You know, it feels like very convenient and sort of kumbaya. But I’m interested in the kind of hope that holds up to scrutiny. The kind of hope that does hold up to the worst things that happen to us, that holds up to our worst days. That’s the kind of hope that I’m interested in.

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