blogs + sites

‘Beautiful News’: A Daily Hit of Positive to Antidote the Media’s Dark Worldview

Over half a century ago in 1967, John Lennon’s ‘A Day in the Life” nailed the feeling of hurried daily life infused with dark news that continues to reverberate today. Check out this antidote to the relentless daily barrage of bleak news…

Powerful Questions About Personal Expression Sparked by W.S. Merwin’s Garden Time (Consider Journal)

At #Consider Journal, a remarkable post ranges from W.S. Merwin’s last book to the “cyclical effect of nature and art” to the bigger question of how our expression might come to resonate in bigger ways.

The Best of Core 77’s Hilarious Weekly Roast of Really Bad Design

Core 77’s Weekly Design Roast gives our Annals of Bad Design a serious run for the money. Rain Noe deconstructs high-minded, idiotic design, channeling the hilarious design thinking behind it.

While We’re Away, Here’s How to See Everything Ever Posted on Improvised Life Over 10 Years

Although we’ll be back after Memorial Day, if you’re in need of illumination NOW, here’s how to scroll through everything ever posted on Improvised Life.

We Edited Our Instagram to Be a Tool of Illumination and Found Wild Poetry

Realizing we disliked Instagram for the “junkfood” feeling it gave us, we embarked upon a rigorous edit. Our criteria: whatever we follow must illuminate.

Combine Summer Camp Pleasures with Personal Growth (and Digital Empowerment)

One of the most magical places I know of to take stock of life and transform it is Omega Institute, a true catalyst for change and possibility thinking. I’ll be teaching a workshop there this summer…

Macfarlane’s Remarkable Twitter Feed: Flashes of Illumination about Landscape and the Human Heart

Though we’re not fans of Twitter, we are enthralled by British writer Robert Macfarlane’s feed for its remarkable ability to connect us to nature, landscape, heart…

The Slowdown: A 5-Minute Literary Once-a Day Multivitamin for the Soul

The Slowdown, a daily 5-minute long podcast from U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith, is remarkable in its power to truly slow down time and transport you OUT of the busy mulit-tasking present.

Jocelyn Glie’s Newsletter: Ideas for Finding Creativity and Meaning Delivered to Your Inbox

Among the email newsletters I subscribe to, From the Curious Mind of Jocelyn K. Glei is one where I always find something that challenges my thinking and/or makes my life better.

How to Find Nothing But Poems in the Course of Your Day

At poet Ocean Vuong’s tumblr, we found this mind-shifting post…

A Powerful Question that Cuts Through the Noise

We invite you to ask this question when editing your life down to what is really important, including where you spend your time —and money— online.

Breathe In Blessings (Anne Herbert)

Floating in the internet on an ancient, dormant site called yowow, we found the perfect Thanksgiving blessing by the late Anne Herbert…

Opened at Random: The Faraway Nearby by Rebecca Solnit

This morning we opened The Faraway Nearby by Rebecca Solnit at random and found this…

What to Eat When Hiking Naked and Other Essential Info

While reviewing Greenbelly Meal Bars, I also found a trove of useful information about navigating the outdoors with pleasure and ease. Even naked.

Find Your Address As It Was Millions of Years Ago (+ Other Perspective Expanders)

Type in any modern address to see it on earth millions of years ago, for a powerful shift of view. Then read what poet Gary Snyder has to say…

‘Nitch’ is Worth Checking Into Daily for Ballast and Uplift

The most refreshing and instantly illuminating site we’ve seen lately is Nitch, rich with unexpected little blasts of unique perspectives and ideas…

How to Be a Friend to Yourself (with Fab Tiny Playlist)

We really like School of Life’s potent little video, How To Be a Friend to Yourself, something MANY people we know have a hard time doing. We made a tiny playlist to go with it.

Birdsong Radio Wakes You UP in the Best Possible Way

How did we forget about the great birdsong.fm, the site that streams only birdsong. Listening to the music of birds first thing in the morning woke us UP in the best way possible. Our friend Josh Eisen described its mighty effect perfectly..

What Writing Scripts for AI Taught Her About Humans and Art

In describing what writing lines for AI like Siri is like, Mariana Lin nails what human to human communication actually does.

Get Your Financial Act Together with Mr. Money Mustache

We’ve discovered that, even with our very creative, non-linear artist’s brain, we can learn to manage our financial ecosystem IF we have the right teacher. Here’s a good place to start.

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