blogs + sites

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.

Unique, Cheap, Full-of-Wonder Last Minute Gift: Improvised Life

If you’re looking for an instant, inexpensive, totally unique last-minute gift that is full of wonders, give your brilliant someone a subscription to Improvised Life: a month —$1.99— or a year —$18— of view-shifting tools and ideas…

Debra Rapoport’s Powerful 111-Word Philosophy of Living

We haven’t got a thing to add to artist Debra Rapoport’s perfect, powerful 111-word philosophy of living (except to make a big loud sign out of part of it):

Listening to Scents, Falling Asleep to Their Descriptions, Laughing

Deciphering the fragrance notes in the perfume samples I order from Twisted Lily is akin to listening with every sense. It is incredibly fun, as is reading their dreamy descriptions, and the New Yorker’s brilliant riff.

The Value of Objects I Can’t Afford

One of the most curious, charming and compelling blogs I’ve come across lately is Objects I Can’t Afford. The title page says “Welcome to my on-going wish list of things that are juuust out of my budget”…It’s an amazingly clarifying head trip.

Improvised Life’s Very Quiet Birthday Celebration

July 4th was Improvised Life’s birthday, the day, eight years ago I pressed PUBLISH and took the site live in what seemed like a giant leap. How the 4,000 articles in its archive has come remains something of a mystery…

My Favorite Sandwich via ‘What’s Your Favorite Sandwich?’

When I was invited to share my favorite sandwich on Your Favorite Sandwich podcast, my personal history of sandwiches flew through my head. Then I landed on a doozy.

Wake to MOVING Calder Mobiles

At museum exhibitions, it’s been rare that Calder mobiles are put into motion as they were meant to be see, languidly, wondrously, seeming to float on currents of air. Until now. You CAN experience them in motion, this very minute.

Home is Your Canvas, Finger Paint It

Watch this slideshow by photographer Margaret Courtney-Clarke and imagine yourself painting your walls, floors, houses, textiles with your fingers…

Finding Your Fuel

Having just turned a BIG birthday, I’ve been thinking hard about what fuels me, and what I pursue that is not powered by good strong fuel. Fuel to me equals meaning, as well as pleasure. Taking stock is useful; it’s simple process, really, that you can do throughout your day.

The Challenge and Wonder of Boxhood (Emil Ferris)

Emil Ferris, creator of the breakout graphic novel, My Favorite Thing is Monsters, writes eloquently about the misunderstood notion of thinking outside the box. She knows what she’s talking about; she’s navigated extraordinary challenges with aplomb.

We’re Not Advertising Anything, Damn It!

We found this cartoon while we were leafing through The Complete Cartoons of the New Yorker, perfect, relaxing bedtime reading. Drawn in 1966 by Charles E. Martin, it’s even more timely today.

Catalogue of Possibilities and Very Cool Tools

We’ve found that reading catalogues not only relaxing, but makes our brains sparkle with unexpected ways to use materials. Our favorite catalogue of all is Cool Tools, a catalogue of possibilities that EXPANDS our view mightily.

Here’s Your Joy Permit!

As we passed a Police/Fire Emergency alarm on 123rd Street, we noticed an official looking bright yellow form taped to it. We walked by then turned back to read it; something didn’t look quite right. We discovered that it was a sort of makeshift dispenser of…JOY Permits,

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