I love this list. Things have felt so wrong lately and I barely made it through winter. I’ve been doing what I think I should be doing or am supposed to be doing, not what I want to be doing. I’ve changed that over the past month or so and it’s been fantastic. Reading novels, morning pages in the backyard, watching slashers and mindless action flicks, beers on the porch, walking the dog, water balloon fights with the kids, fires in the chiminea. I vowed to enjoy every second of the summer and it’s completely turned around my mood so far. I’m so much more fulfilled doing these things that serve no other purpose other than to bring me joy and happiness. It’s so freeing and reinvigorating!
This made me laugh just now. I was reading about baseball Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew on Wikipedia. From a Sports Illustrated interview by Barbara Heilman from 4/8/1963: "Harmon Killebrew is a sensible, good-tempered man who loves his wife and children and has no curious hobbies. ("Come on, Harm. You must have some unusual hobby." "Just washing the dishes, I guess," says Harmon, trying to help.)"
I think "schooling yourself" is not just a way to GET AHEAD, it is a way to stay curious and mostly wondrous about this earth, all it's people, history, arts, sights, sounds, & possible experiences!
Ok... you’ve outdone yourself this time! This newsletter was the best (for me) and I just wanted to thank you for doing this every week. It’s a wonderful experience for me to see and admire your creativity so much and so often. This is my first time commenting on one of your newsletters even though I read them every week!
I've started a June Seinfeld walking calendar (ok to skip one day only) while listening to audibles with headphones-- The Sea the Sea (Iris Murdock), long, relaxing, something I read years ago, and Paul Auster. Practicing Mindlessness, the opposite of what the current NYT five-week walking program recommends. "Absent-minded is present elsewhere" -- disappearing into the story, semi-oblivious of familiar landscape, letting the dog choose the pace with frequent pee-stops.
I read it obsessively years ago (packed in with a headcold in a big storm) and loved it, a page-turner. Tried again recently and couldn't remember why I liked it so much. So far the audiobook is slow and a little boring though maybe now I will connect a bit more with the hermit-retired person and will see why it drove you nuts. Not giving up.
Lots of goodies in here! Reading recklessly sounds like great fun, I could easily spend a summer doing that. And books making souvenirs- love that one too.
I’ve just finished listening to your trilogy and then regretted not getting the print version because I had to take lots of notes. I can’t decide if that’s better... but anyway, I enjoyed the listen!
Okay, do I need to read “Four Thousand Weeks”? I keep seeing mentions of it, but am worried it’ll have me counting down the weeks I have left and put me in full freak-out mode.
I read the book. The idea of 4000 weeks was a stressor for me.
Since Corona I’ve become acutely aware that I’m going to not be here at some point, maybe much sooner than what we consider a full life span. I picked for myself: What if I die a year from now? Because dying today or tomorrow also stresses me too much.
The realization of my mortality in these terms has caused me to want to share what is worth sharing now. And really enjoy life. The bunches of white star flowers trailing down the green. The wave of wind through the tall grass.
I don’t use it for everything, and even then not exclusively. It did help me move from reading only the books I could access, to finding ways to access the books I want to read. A move from waiting to making things happen.
And to answer the question during Corona whether I’d increase the level of how many intimate things I want to share about myself on the internet.
Go for it! It’s so much more then a “maximize your productivity” or even self help. I found it to be more philosophy and getting back real choice. For me it reminded me of the present moment and that’s where the juice lives. ❤️
Embarrassing hobbies…"religion-curious"…the futility of time-management systems…there's a lot of good stuff packed into this interview. Thanks for the link!
In the last few days, I've been thinking King about the difference between self-preservation and self-care. Some if the unschooling things I do/did as self-care and begun to feel like self-preservation. They have different energies even as you do the same things. Getting a massage is a great way to care for yourself, but when you run to the massage to escape the beauty of the relaxation disappears as soon as you hit the pavement when you are in self-preservation mode. It doesn't have the same power when it become another item to check off your to-do list. The same feeling happens when you draw because you feel that you must draw everyday rather than pausing intentionally to draw and be in thw moment. To feel the pencil glide across the paper, to watch as your version of what you are sketching comes to life.
Ah, and there I believe Is the answer to the difference between self-preservation and self-care; being present in the moment, being spontaneous and saying f.u. to the to do list and just allowing yourself to care about you and the thing that keeps calling g to you. And through true self-care, I believe you find self-preservation too.
Off to feed the Orioles some Jelly and an orange. They are demanding little creatures with the chittery song.
Read recklessly, yes please.
I love this list. Things have felt so wrong lately and I barely made it through winter. I’ve been doing what I think I should be doing or am supposed to be doing, not what I want to be doing. I’ve changed that over the past month or so and it’s been fantastic. Reading novels, morning pages in the backyard, watching slashers and mindless action flicks, beers on the porch, walking the dog, water balloon fights with the kids, fires in the chiminea. I vowed to enjoy every second of the summer and it’s completely turned around my mood so far. I’m so much more fulfilled doing these things that serve no other purpose other than to bring me joy and happiness. It’s so freeing and reinvigorating!
"If you don’t know how to have fun anymore, look around and ask yourself, “Who’s having fun?”" - 😻
On HOBBIES --
This made me laugh just now. I was reading about baseball Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew on Wikipedia. From a Sports Illustrated interview by Barbara Heilman from 4/8/1963: "Harmon Killebrew is a sensible, good-tempered man who loves his wife and children and has no curious hobbies. ("Come on, Harm. You must have some unusual hobby." "Just washing the dishes, I guess," says Harmon, trying to help.)"
Pay attention to what you pay attention to. So much in so few words. Inspired me to change my profile photo. Of my father as a young boy.
I think "schooling yourself" is not just a way to GET AHEAD, it is a way to stay curious and mostly wondrous about this earth, all it's people, history, arts, sights, sounds, & possible experiences!
I missed the post about having books talk to each other, that's a great one.
Ok... you’ve outdone yourself this time! This newsletter was the best (for me) and I just wanted to thank you for doing this every week. It’s a wonderful experience for me to see and admire your creativity so much and so often. This is my first time commenting on one of your newsletters even though I read them every week!
I've started a June Seinfeld walking calendar (ok to skip one day only) while listening to audibles with headphones-- The Sea the Sea (Iris Murdock), long, relaxing, something I read years ago, and Paul Auster. Practicing Mindlessness, the opposite of what the current NYT five-week walking program recommends. "Absent-minded is present elsewhere" -- disappearing into the story, semi-oblivious of familiar landscape, letting the dog choose the pace with frequent pee-stops.
Do you like THE SEA x 2 audiobook? That book drove me nuts when I read it and has haunted me since and I know I’m going to reread it someday
I read it obsessively years ago (packed in with a headcold in a big storm) and loved it, a page-turner. Tried again recently and couldn't remember why I liked it so much. So far the audiobook is slow and a little boring though maybe now I will connect a bit more with the hermit-retired person and will see why it drove you nuts. Not giving up.
What an amazing list, Austin! I'm printing this one out and tacking it up on my wall. Thank you thank you!
Oh my goodness! What an amazing list! I think it will be my manifesto for this summer! Thank you!
Lots of goodies in here! Reading recklessly sounds like great fun, I could easily spend a summer doing that. And books making souvenirs- love that one too.
I’ve just finished listening to your trilogy and then regretted not getting the print version because I had to take lots of notes. I can’t decide if that’s better... but anyway, I enjoyed the listen!
Okay, do I need to read “Four Thousand Weeks”? I keep seeing mentions of it, but am worried it’ll have me counting down the weeks I have left and put me in full freak-out mode.
I read the book. The idea of 4000 weeks was a stressor for me.
Since Corona I’ve become acutely aware that I’m going to not be here at some point, maybe much sooner than what we consider a full life span. I picked for myself: What if I die a year from now? Because dying today or tomorrow also stresses me too much.
The realization of my mortality in these terms has caused me to want to share what is worth sharing now. And really enjoy life. The bunches of white star flowers trailing down the green. The wave of wind through the tall grass.
I like the hypothetical of a year from now. I may have to adopt that, see how it feels. Good call.
I don’t use it for everything, and even then not exclusively. It did help me move from reading only the books I could access, to finding ways to access the books I want to read. A move from waiting to making things happen.
And to answer the question during Corona whether I’d increase the level of how many intimate things I want to share about myself on the internet.
Go for it! It’s so much more then a “maximize your productivity” or even self help. I found it to be more philosophy and getting back real choice. For me it reminded me of the present moment and that’s where the juice lives. ❤️
Love that phrase, "that's where the juice lives." So good. Thank you!
Here's what I wrote about the book: https://austinkleon.com/2022/02/15/oliver-burkemans-four-thousand-weeks/
You could also watch this interview with me and Oliver and decide after: https://austinkleon.com/2022/03/21/interview-with-oliver-burkeman/
Embarrassing hobbies…"religion-curious"…the futility of time-management systems…there's a lot of good stuff packed into this interview. Thanks for the link!
🤣 me too!
In the last few days, I've been thinking King about the difference between self-preservation and self-care. Some if the unschooling things I do/did as self-care and begun to feel like self-preservation. They have different energies even as you do the same things. Getting a massage is a great way to care for yourself, but when you run to the massage to escape the beauty of the relaxation disappears as soon as you hit the pavement when you are in self-preservation mode. It doesn't have the same power when it become another item to check off your to-do list. The same feeling happens when you draw because you feel that you must draw everyday rather than pausing intentionally to draw and be in thw moment. To feel the pencil glide across the paper, to watch as your version of what you are sketching comes to life.
Ah, and there I believe Is the answer to the difference between self-preservation and self-care; being present in the moment, being spontaneous and saying f.u. to the to do list and just allowing yourself to care about you and the thing that keeps calling g to you. And through true self-care, I believe you find self-preservation too.
Off to feed the Orioles some Jelly and an orange. They are demanding little creatures with the chittery song.