Well, this will be my first comment on the A.K. blog. I am a recent subscriber, but have been reading bits n' bobs for awhile; too many interesting things to not want to know more. And this new year's post really has me enthralled, the comments are awesome--you guys rock, first the girl who mentions Stutz, the netflix film (which I'll be watching very very soon--gracias).
Carol, the word watchword is a new one for me as well, but my 'watchword' will be the one I used last year, REWILDING. I am not done with that expression yet and yes, google rewilding as in can one rewild oneself? As a recent retiree, I just want to get away from the life expectations and go a-wilding. In India, apparently, when a person is done with life's responsibilities, rearing children, going to work, etc. etc. they then have the option of choosing a path unique to them, could be spiritual, they could join a religious group or do it on their own, but essentially it is about 'finding themselves', whatever that might mean to each of us..
David Attenborough used it as an expression to rewild the planet, but it can be taken to so many interesting places---letting go of the pristine garden and allowing rewilding to happen (my neighbors are none too happy, but but boy, do the wildlife enjoy the twigs, the brambles, the leaves that were allowed to stay on the ground and eventually turn into the best compost-mulch you ever saw). I have been reading my garden manuals and i do know a bit about this as opposed to Mr. Leafblower-machine across the street making that horrible noise and for what?
On to other things---ten things--an excellent idea as are the other new year's 'journaling' techniques. I also loved "Three Thousand Years of Longing" and give it more than 5 stars--sumptuous in thought and beautiful to behold, but than anything with Tilda Swinton is bound to be thought-filled and Idris is a beauty both in acting chops and in looks. Kudos to A.K. ! U rock sir!!!
Thanks for putting this post together Austin. I'm going to use some of these tools to get a later start on my annual look back | look forward efforts. As a long-time intention and resolution setter, it's both frustrating and illuminating that I could simply carry forward many items from years and decades past. BTW - if you are ever looking to do a side project - I think you could create a super short Austin's Guide to Austin PDF and people like me would pay to get your ideas for how to spend 3 days in ATX. Living in San Antonio and occasionally heading up 35, I've used your blog to plan some family itineraries - Nervous Charlies, Laguna Madre come to mind. Totally random thought, but it popped in my head and thought I'd pass it along! Here's to keeping it together in 2023!
These are great ideas. I started documenting the books I've read, but I am at a loss about other things. After experiencing water damage in my home and living with all my "stuff" in the middle of the room for the last 5 months, the weight of past consumption (mostly books) is literally in my face. My goal this year is to thin things out. I want to be more mindful of consumption and spending.
I'm thinking... permeability, osmosis—I'm good at putting things in their respective boxes, and I get a lot done that way (and power through some difficult times like that also), but this year I'm thinking it would be good if there was more porosity between the different parts of my life. Work and play, for instance—I have a really challenging job built around things I love, and it seems to me there could be more exchange between what I do for a living and what I do for fun—and I'm still really bad at bringing what I do in my daily meditation practice into the rest of my life. I'm sure there are other areas where the membrane could thin out productively. I'm going to keep my eyes open for those opportunities.
I'm going to have to think about how well I did with that in the past year, which was a difficult year all around. At any rate, it's a good theme to consciously continue in 2024.
I’m purely a writer. Anything visual looks like I made it with my feet, but I came up with a list of ten things I want to learn that should elicit some giggles:
1. Play Ring of Fire on the ukelele
2. Bake brioche
3. Seem interested, not interesting
4. Write blog posts that get widely circulated (even if it’s only one.)
5. Patience
6. Relearn how to knit toe up sock
7. Knit lace
8. Bake an excellent loaf of a yeast bread
9. Write a sonnet
10. Learn the difference between the three Bs of classical music: Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms
Happy New Year! Gretchen Rubin's "23 for 23" Challenge is to spend 23 minutes outside every day in 2023. To ease into it, I've told myself it's a 31-Day Challenge, with options to extend. Chicagoland doesn't offer the most welcoming "outside," but I'm 3/3, so far! Cheers all.
1- proud of making new friends in a live painting together group.
2-tearing for....tears? Crying for? Alone time. not divorce , lol, just a chunk of alone time most days. Real tears from biting my lip , day after day, lawd have mercy.
3- The anxiety comes from ....my way of thinking. Also I don’t think I’ve had Covid yet. Passwords, And biting my lip.
4-Resources, Health, knowing I made it through last year ok, using my creativity most days. Husband, friends, in-laws, social media.
5- harebrained ideas, nothing very rabbity hole . I’ll work on that, could be joyful?
It’s weird, the chat is actually in the substack mobile app. It’s a real downside that it isn’t on the web, which is why I haven’t been using it all that much (I prefer our comments) but it’s the only way for us to share images with each other at the moment
Nothing too specific, which I suppose is a bad way to set a goal, but I’d like to keep things moving in a general upward direction as the year goes on. Melted over the top of that is just an awareness to lead more with my heart and less with my head.
Happy New Year! Thank you so much for all you share with us. Since others shared some good movies, wanted to add the Netflix documentary "Stutz", Jonah Hill interviewing his therapist. The thing that many of you will appreciate is that his therapist quickly draws his lessons on index cards. Here is a nice summary: https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/stutz-the-tools.
I created a zine of New Year's journaling prompts for a retreat I facilitated last weekend. Feel free to print it and use it, friends!!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TSJLoFqr_s7cE64Ji0YwsSlhk7-ov1gF/view?usp=sharing
Thank you very much for this generous gift.
I'm so glad you checked it out!
I shared your prompts with my daughter and daughter-in-law who teach middle school in Switzerland. They both used them in their classes! Thanks!
Thanks for this Austin. I tried the More/Less prompt and blogged about it - https://cavanscott.com/2023/01/08/what-id-like-for-2023-more-or-less/
The app on my Android phone doesn't have a chat button so I'll be happy with comments.:)
My app on android doesn't have the chat button. I'll just have to enjoy comments until then. It's all good.
Well, this will be my first comment on the A.K. blog. I am a recent subscriber, but have been reading bits n' bobs for awhile; too many interesting things to not want to know more. And this new year's post really has me enthralled, the comments are awesome--you guys rock, first the girl who mentions Stutz, the netflix film (which I'll be watching very very soon--gracias).
Carol, the word watchword is a new one for me as well, but my 'watchword' will be the one I used last year, REWILDING. I am not done with that expression yet and yes, google rewilding as in can one rewild oneself? As a recent retiree, I just want to get away from the life expectations and go a-wilding. In India, apparently, when a person is done with life's responsibilities, rearing children, going to work, etc. etc. they then have the option of choosing a path unique to them, could be spiritual, they could join a religious group or do it on their own, but essentially it is about 'finding themselves', whatever that might mean to each of us..
David Attenborough used it as an expression to rewild the planet, but it can be taken to so many interesting places---letting go of the pristine garden and allowing rewilding to happen (my neighbors are none too happy, but but boy, do the wildlife enjoy the twigs, the brambles, the leaves that were allowed to stay on the ground and eventually turn into the best compost-mulch you ever saw). I have been reading my garden manuals and i do know a bit about this as opposed to Mr. Leafblower-machine across the street making that horrible noise and for what?
On to other things---ten things--an excellent idea as are the other new year's 'journaling' techniques. I also loved "Three Thousand Years of Longing" and give it more than 5 stars--sumptuous in thought and beautiful to behold, but than anything with Tilda Swinton is bound to be thought-filled and Idris is a beauty both in acting chops and in looks. Kudos to A.K. ! U rock sir!!!
Thanks for putting this post together Austin. I'm going to use some of these tools to get a later start on my annual look back | look forward efforts. As a long-time intention and resolution setter, it's both frustrating and illuminating that I could simply carry forward many items from years and decades past. BTW - if you are ever looking to do a side project - I think you could create a super short Austin's Guide to Austin PDF and people like me would pay to get your ideas for how to spend 3 days in ATX. Living in San Antonio and occasionally heading up 35, I've used your blog to plan some family itineraries - Nervous Charlies, Laguna Madre come to mind. Totally random thought, but it popped in my head and thought I'd pass it along! Here's to keeping it together in 2023!
🔥🔥
These are great ideas. I started documenting the books I've read, but I am at a loss about other things. After experiencing water damage in my home and living with all my "stuff" in the middle of the room for the last 5 months, the weight of past consumption (mostly books) is literally in my face. My goal this year is to thin things out. I want to be more mindful of consumption and spending.
Save the books 📚 !!!
I'm thinking... permeability, osmosis—I'm good at putting things in their respective boxes, and I get a lot done that way (and power through some difficult times like that also), but this year I'm thinking it would be good if there was more porosity between the different parts of my life. Work and play, for instance—I have a really challenging job built around things I love, and it seems to me there could be more exchange between what I do for a living and what I do for fun—and I'm still really bad at bringing what I do in my daily meditation practice into the rest of my life. I'm sure there are other areas where the membrane could thin out productively. I'm going to keep my eyes open for those opportunities.
Permeability is a powerful concept for living. Thank you!
I'm going to have to think about how well I did with that in the past year, which was a difficult year all around. At any rate, it's a good theme to consciously continue in 2024.
❤️❤️❤️
I’m purely a writer. Anything visual looks like I made it with my feet, but I came up with a list of ten things I want to learn that should elicit some giggles:
1. Play Ring of Fire on the ukelele
2. Bake brioche
3. Seem interested, not interesting
4. Write blog posts that get widely circulated (even if it’s only one.)
5. Patience
6. Relearn how to knit toe up sock
7. Knit lace
8. Bake an excellent loaf of a yeast bread
9. Write a sonnet
10. Learn the difference between the three Bs of classical music: Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms
I’m still learning patience 🤣 I love these prompts though.
Happy New Year! Gretchen Rubin's "23 for 23" Challenge is to spend 23 minutes outside every day in 2023. To ease into it, I've told myself it's a 31-Day Challenge, with options to extend. Chicagoland doesn't offer the most welcoming "outside," but I'm 3/3, so far! Cheers all.
1- proud of making new friends in a live painting together group.
2-tearing for....tears? Crying for? Alone time. not divorce , lol, just a chunk of alone time most days. Real tears from biting my lip , day after day, lawd have mercy.
3- The anxiety comes from ....my way of thinking. Also I don’t think I’ve had Covid yet. Passwords, And biting my lip.
4-Resources, Health, knowing I made it through last year ok, using my creativity most days. Husband, friends, in-laws, social media.
5- harebrained ideas, nothing very rabbity hole . I’ll work on that, could be joyful?
🔥🔥❤️
Although I'm a subscriber, I don't get the link e-mailed to me to join the chat when i click on it. Perhaps this comments section is the chat?
I have a similar problem, can't get the login link to work.
It’s weird, the chat is actually in the substack mobile app. It’s a real downside that it isn’t on the web, which is why I haven’t been using it all that much (I prefer our comments) but it’s the only way for us to share images with each other at the moment
Oh, so that is why just went round and round trying find said chat . Aaaaarg.
Nothing too specific, which I suppose is a bad way to set a goal, but I’d like to keep things moving in a general upward direction as the year goes on. Melted over the top of that is just an awareness to lead more with my heart and less with my head.
Happy New Year! Thank you so much for all you share with us. Since others shared some good movies, wanted to add the Netflix documentary "Stutz", Jonah Hill interviewing his therapist. The thing that many of you will appreciate is that his therapist quickly draws his lessons on index cards. Here is a nice summary: https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/stutz-the-tools.
Interesting!!
Okay I HAVE to see this now! Thank you!