Why do we need heroes? To be better versions of ourselves.
Scientists Discover That People Act Way Better When Batman Is Present
After making a guy dressed as Batman stand around in a subway car, a team of researchers found that the behavior of people around him suddenly improved the moment he showed up.
I call this the “see better, be better” school of human behavior. And I like it!
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Posted in Other, Science! | Tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, heroes, inspiration, social science, Thoughts | Leave a Comment »
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 »
“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 »
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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Posted in Other, Writing | Tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, hope, inspiration, Thoughts, Writers | Leave a Comment »
The flood of AI art has led to a lot of commentary, some thoughtful, some otherwise, by pundits, tech gurus, and artists themselves.
Here’s cartoonist Matthew Inman sharing his perspective on why he finds AI art problematic.
A cartoonist’s review of AI art – The Oatmeal
…I need you to know from one artist to another, that every mark you make on a page even a squiggly, imperfect one is still beautiful.
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Posted in Writing | Tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, AI, art, artists, creativity, persistence, Thoughts | 1 Comment »
“Young people will have the seeds you bury in their minds, and when they grow up they will change the world.”
— Jack Ma
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Posted in Writing | Tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, creativity, inspiration, Thoughts, writing | Leave a Comment »
Today, a free fiction short from Colby Devitt and the Grist Climate collection:
On the morning of April 8, 2200, Lake Ballona went missing. A pair of hikers ventured down from the Hollywood Hills on a day excursion into the Tongva Wetlands. Where the area’s largest body of freshwater met seawater to create a brackish habitat, they discovered an empty crater. Lake Ballona was gone. Vanished overnight. Only muddy puddles remained where the lake had swelled the day before. There were no signs of violence.
Excellent opener. I hope you enjoy the rest!
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Posted in Writing | Tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, climate fiction, free fiction, Writers, writing | Leave a Comment »
Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate today! Even if this isn’t your holiday, I hope you have a moment to remember the good things in your life.
The Right Attitude to Gratitude – The Atlantic
Gratitude is so effective that if you could bottle it, you’d be a billionaire. But as with so many beautiful parts of life, gratitude is not something you can market like a drug or nutritional supplement: It happens to be completely free—but not so easy to attain. Thankfulness requires neither payment nor subscription, just a commitment to stand up against your limbic system, which is lying to you with its negativity bias—saying that this lovely morning is actually pretty annoying, and that everyone is dissing you.
And if you want to learn more about overcoming your all-too human negativity bias, check out the full article. Because while evolution may be good for the species, it’s focused on survival. It doesn’t care if you have a good day.
Unlike me. Have a happy Thanksgiving!
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Posted in Holidays | Tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, Thanksgiving, Thoughts, ways to be happy | Leave a Comment »
Today is officially a crazy day. By that I mean a mad scramble to get day job work done, including the projects I expected and the three others I did not expect. Lots to juggle, and while I may have bobbled one tiny little thing, it all worked out fine in the end.
I also managed to get up early and write a very (very) short story before all the craziness began, so I’m calling it a win!
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Posted in Writing | Tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, take the win, work, Writers, writing | Leave a Comment »
“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, and more complex. It takes a touch of genius — and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.”
― E.F. Schumacher
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Posted in Writing | Tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2024, #365Ways2025, creativity, Thoughts, Writers, writing | 1 Comment »
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