I love paper. I prefer to write longhand unless I’m writing something with real volume. I can type faster than I can write, and it feels like it’s easier for me to hit the zone, that sweet spot where the words are pouring out of you when I’m typing. But it’s not as enjoyable as having time with my thoughts, feeling a pen in my hand, hearing the tip of a Blackwing scritch scratching as I move it along some nice, toothy paper. The same thing with E Readers. I don’t mind them, but I prefer a physical copy of a book. I think a lot of it comes from me being in front of a computer all day for my boring desk job - “If I have to stare at a screen for one more second today...” I know that my iPhone has messed with my attention span. There probably is something to the idea of going paperless removing our paper trails. Something tangible like a book just feels so much more personal, so much more alive. Like the Oakland library that displays things found in books-there’s not really a way you can do that with E Readers or websites. Anything interesting that someone enters in there would most likely end up buried in the comments section. Not to knock E Readers-if someone is reading a book, physical or E, that’s good enough for me. But I do think we’ve lost a lot to the electronic world. Paper reminds me of being young and carefree with a book in front of me, content to enjoy the world of the story in front of me and not constantly thinking about all the negativity that I have instant access to on the super computer that now lives in my pocket.
If you are ever in Ohio, you should check out Toledo’s fossil park. It’s a former quarry where you can go and dig through one of the only Devonian shale deposits in the world. It’s completely free and you can find Trilobites, brachiopods, crinoids, and horn coral. Here is their website: https://www.olanderpark.com/olanderpark/fossil-park/
Aug 13, 2022·edited Aug 13, 2022Liked by Austin Kleon
Along the lines of fossil records and paper trails, I've often thought about the future of "antiquing." I live in a city whose center used to be based on antique stores. It seems there is no longer much of a market, as generational changes have led to less of a focus on acquiring stuff (not a bad thing), and these antique stores are being replaced with noodle shops and craft breweries. And really, what of our current times would ever show up in an "antique" store in the future? Certainly none of my furniture. Certainly none of my cutlery. or jewelry. or you name it.
Then, there's the whole issue of map reading. Who can do it anymore? Why bother to learn? Where could you even get a paper road map? It's more than a little scary, I think.
I had the same paperless experience at the Seattle Aquarium. Only I paid closer to $50 for the ticket and it seemed ridiculous. The bonus was I just wandered around instead of looking at any maps.
You are in trilobite country. You can find them in TX and OK and I'm sure I have a few laying around from my TX days. Both of my parents were geologists and we went on regular fossil hunting trips. Check out Theissen Quarry if you head up north.
Wow, this post is chock-a-block full of stuff that's accomplished what my morning coffee could not... I'm all revved up! First, the paperless museum... how dumb. The thought of having to look at your phone instead of being able to hold a paper map is just sad. Then Tove Jansson, who I've been obsessing about since Mason Currey wrote about her this week in Subtle Maneuvers: https://masoncurrey.substack.com/p/tove-jansson-summer-routine. Then, yikes, clowning! My husband David and I went to clown school last November... I wrote about it here: https://balampman.substack.com/p/no-46-clown-school. It was... let's just say it wasn't what most people might think, as the post you linked to rightly suggests. My husband went on to do a more intense clowning workshop with a visiting teacher that was five nights a week for three weeks straight, and man they got into some deep waters. Not for the faint of heart.
I love paper. I prefer to write longhand unless I’m writing something with real volume. I can type faster than I can write, and it feels like it’s easier for me to hit the zone, that sweet spot where the words are pouring out of you when I’m typing. But it’s not as enjoyable as having time with my thoughts, feeling a pen in my hand, hearing the tip of a Blackwing scritch scratching as I move it along some nice, toothy paper. The same thing with E Readers. I don’t mind them, but I prefer a physical copy of a book. I think a lot of it comes from me being in front of a computer all day for my boring desk job - “If I have to stare at a screen for one more second today...” I know that my iPhone has messed with my attention span. There probably is something to the idea of going paperless removing our paper trails. Something tangible like a book just feels so much more personal, so much more alive. Like the Oakland library that displays things found in books-there’s not really a way you can do that with E Readers or websites. Anything interesting that someone enters in there would most likely end up buried in the comments section. Not to knock E Readers-if someone is reading a book, physical or E, that’s good enough for me. But I do think we’ve lost a lot to the electronic world. Paper reminds me of being young and carefree with a book in front of me, content to enjoy the world of the story in front of me and not constantly thinking about all the negativity that I have instant access to on the super computer that now lives in my pocket.
If you are ever in Ohio, you should check out Toledo’s fossil park. It’s a former quarry where you can go and dig through one of the only Devonian shale deposits in the world. It’s completely free and you can find Trilobites, brachiopods, crinoids, and horn coral. Here is their website: https://www.olanderpark.com/olanderpark/fossil-park/
Definitely imagine you’ve already read Annals of the Former World by John McPhee (his collection of geology books) but if not I recommend!
Along the lines of fossil records and paper trails, I've often thought about the future of "antiquing." I live in a city whose center used to be based on antique stores. It seems there is no longer much of a market, as generational changes have led to less of a focus on acquiring stuff (not a bad thing), and these antique stores are being replaced with noodle shops and craft breweries. And really, what of our current times would ever show up in an "antique" store in the future? Certainly none of my furniture. Certainly none of my cutlery. or jewelry. or you name it.
Then, there's the whole issue of map reading. Who can do it anymore? Why bother to learn? Where could you even get a paper road map? It's more than a little scary, I think.
Also, I love paper but I also love the Notes App.
Planning to read The Summer Book on a little desert getaway next weekend 😎
If you haven't read Fair Play yet, I highly recommend it! (And it's very short.)
I had the same paperless experience at the Seattle Aquarium. Only I paid closer to $50 for the ticket and it seemed ridiculous. The bonus was I just wandered around instead of looking at any maps.
You are in trilobite country. You can find them in TX and OK and I'm sure I have a few laying around from my TX days. Both of my parents were geologists and we went on regular fossil hunting trips. Check out Theissen Quarry if you head up north.
Wow, this post is chock-a-block full of stuff that's accomplished what my morning coffee could not... I'm all revved up! First, the paperless museum... how dumb. The thought of having to look at your phone instead of being able to hold a paper map is just sad. Then Tove Jansson, who I've been obsessing about since Mason Currey wrote about her this week in Subtle Maneuvers: https://masoncurrey.substack.com/p/tove-jansson-summer-routine. Then, yikes, clowning! My husband David and I went to clown school last November... I wrote about it here: https://balampman.substack.com/p/no-46-clown-school. It was... let's just say it wasn't what most people might think, as the post you linked to rightly suggests. My husband went on to do a more intense clowning workshop with a visiting teacher that was five nights a week for three weeks straight, and man they got into some deep waters. Not for the faint of heart.
I don’t have any trilobite fossils, but here’s a trilobite song for you, made up by my lab partner in 8th grade earth science:
“A trilobite is big and bright
Deep in the heart of Texas.
A trilobite likes to fight
While he’s eating breakfast.”
It’s been stuck in my head for over 30 years, coming out whenever trilobites are mentioned.
That Rushmore video! I still prefer the original soundtrack though. :-)
So many people seem to be enjoying Prey! It's getting me super curious to check it out!
I like to read Tove Jansson summer book in the summer, and winter book in the winter. 🙂