Thank you for sharing the Laurie Anderson and Lou Reed rules for living. Two phrases about life I get from dopey old science fiction. First is from Star Wars and the other from Doctor Who. Both basically say do what you're going to do, hopefully with the best of intentions. I write both of these frequently in the pages of my daily journal. "Do or do not, there is no try." Do it, "without hope, without witness, without reward." The second one frequently chokes me up.
Hi Austin, I've been reading your blog, newsletter and books for years. Once I bought a wall calendar you had designed, and I use a couple of drawings from it as posters in my office. Before my son was born, I switched the office and bedroom, and your "Garbage in, garbage out" drawing stayed on a wall next to the changing table. I was supposed to take it down but had other things on my mind, as you can imagine. Guess what? my one-month-old loves looking at the poster due to its high-contrast.
I’ve only visited Kerrville once - I spent a week there at the Kerrville folk festival with friends and had a magical time. It’s hard to truly fathom the depths of horror and despair the community is feeling now.
Well, there is much to mourn, there and so many places these days. I'm glad you and yours are well. And it's good to remember there are lots of wonderful people everywhere, including Texas :).
Thanks for sharing so much good stuff here, always... new quotes for my quote collection and books to read from Ursula Franklin, a new artist in my ambient music playlist, and maybe I'll even pull War and Peace off the shelf one more time and give it a whirl.
Thank you for all the inspiration you’ve (unknowingly) tossed my way for years! Given the tragic state of your place and the pathetic conditions of our government, it seems like a good idea to send some gratitude your way.
I thought about you and your family this week, Austin … (I no longer know anyone else who lives in Texas), wondering how it would impact you and your work. I can’t imagine how devastating it must be to live in proximity to such heartache. I am so sorry for everyone who has been affected by this disaster.
Thank you for introducing me to Ursula Franklin. Looking forward to reading her and allowing some hope into my world. You are such a facilitator of mind blowing paths less taken.
I'm curious how you feel about Spotify as a streaming platform, and if you recommend other better places to listen to music? I just listened to Green Shower by Hiroshi Yoshimura and it is beautiful! Thank you for that!
Spotify is garbage. Apple Music is marginally better with terrific sound, but their UI stinks. Bandcamp is great because the money goes directly to artists. (TBH, I use all 3)
Thank you for this post today---it reached my heart. The devastation and loss of life while our politics are in a liminal zone where there is change but no transformation for the support of the great people of this country.
And a suggestion---push your books on bookshop.org--better alternative to Amazon!
Having said to myself more times than countable, "I'm really thankful for this guy, his work, and the sensibilities behind it" (or words to that effect), I thought it appropriate to actually thank 'this guy.' Please accept my gratitude.
War and Peace is the greatest novel ever written. Full stop. Anna Karenina may be a close second. How did Tolstoy do it? I'm not sure. He's the most invisible narrator I've ever read: it's like he somehow disappears while showing you everything.
I am going to watch the 1960s movie again. Thanks for reminding me about it. I also like the one from the 1950s with Audrey Hepburn as Natasha.
Some of Tolstoy's short stories are also amazing writing. I tried to learn Russian in college so I could read Russian novels, but after two years of study, I still could not really read a novel in Russian so I gave up. Sad!
I guess the Soviet version of W&P was directly inspired by the Hollywood version because it was a hit in Russia (flop here) and Russians were outraged that there wasn’t a Russian version
It took me years to be able to understand novels in German. Since then I‘ve discovered a more doable method: reading one paragraph in the new language, then that same paragraph in the language you already know well. Switching off like this.
After a while, I pick up more of the original, plus it’s so much more doable than slogging through something I don’t understand.
Thank you for sharing the Laurie Anderson and Lou Reed rules for living. Two phrases about life I get from dopey old science fiction. First is from Star Wars and the other from Doctor Who. Both basically say do what you're going to do, hopefully with the best of intentions. I write both of these frequently in the pages of my daily journal. "Do or do not, there is no try." Do it, "without hope, without witness, without reward." The second one frequently chokes me up.
Hi Austin, I've been reading your blog, newsletter and books for years. Once I bought a wall calendar you had designed, and I use a couple of drawings from it as posters in my office. Before my son was born, I switched the office and bedroom, and your "Garbage in, garbage out" drawing stayed on a wall next to the changing table. I was supposed to take it down but had other things on my mind, as you can imagine. Guess what? my one-month-old loves looking at the poster due to its high-contrast.
Have a nice day and thanks for writing!
Thank you Austin - I needed this.
I’ve only visited Kerrville once - I spent a week there at the Kerrville folk festival with friends and had a magical time. It’s hard to truly fathom the depths of horror and despair the community is feeling now.
This feels like a Keep Going moment.
Couldn't agree more. Keep going moment indeed. Thanks for the reminder Anna.
Well, there is much to mourn, there and so many places these days. I'm glad you and yours are well. And it's good to remember there are lots of wonderful people everywhere, including Texas :).
Thanks for sharing so much good stuff here, always... new quotes for my quote collection and books to read from Ursula Franklin, a new artist in my ambient music playlist, and maybe I'll even pull War and Peace off the shelf one more time and give it a whirl.
Thank you for all the inspiration you’ve (unknowingly) tossed my way for years! Given the tragic state of your place and the pathetic conditions of our government, it seems like a good idea to send some gratitude your way.
I thought about you and your family this week, Austin … (I no longer know anyone else who lives in Texas), wondering how it would impact you and your work. I can’t imagine how devastating it must be to live in proximity to such heartache. I am so sorry for everyone who has been affected by this disaster.
Thank you for introducing me to Ursula Franklin. Looking forward to reading her and allowing some hope into my world. You are such a facilitator of mind blowing paths less taken.
I'm curious how you feel about Spotify as a streaming platform, and if you recommend other better places to listen to music? I just listened to Green Shower by Hiroshi Yoshimura and it is beautiful! Thank you for that!
Spotify is garbage. Apple Music is marginally better with terrific sound, but their UI stinks. Bandcamp is great because the money goes directly to artists. (TBH, I use all 3)
Thanks, Austin. I didn't make it past the first bullet today. It's been a hard week.
❤️
Thank you for this post today---it reached my heart. The devastation and loss of life while our politics are in a liminal zone where there is change but no transformation for the support of the great people of this country.
And a suggestion---push your books on bookshop.org--better alternative to Amazon!
There are Bookshop links in those links
Having said to myself more times than countable, "I'm really thankful for this guy, his work, and the sensibilities behind it" (or words to that effect), I thought it appropriate to actually thank 'this guy.' Please accept my gratitude.
Thank you for being here!
War and Peace is the greatest novel ever written. Full stop. Anna Karenina may be a close second. How did Tolstoy do it? I'm not sure. He's the most invisible narrator I've ever read: it's like he somehow disappears while showing you everything.
I am going to watch the 1960s movie again. Thanks for reminding me about it. I also like the one from the 1950s with Audrey Hepburn as Natasha.
Some of Tolstoy's short stories are also amazing writing. I tried to learn Russian in college so I could read Russian novels, but after two years of study, I still could not really read a novel in Russian so I gave up. Sad!
The flood stories are unbearable.
I guess the Soviet version of W&P was directly inspired by the Hollywood version because it was a hit in Russia (flop here) and Russians were outraged that there wasn’t a Russian version
It took me years to be able to understand novels in German. Since then I‘ve discovered a more doable method: reading one paragraph in the new language, then that same paragraph in the language you already know well. Switching off like this.
After a while, I pick up more of the original, plus it’s so much more doable than slogging through something I don’t understand.