a timid(ˈtimid) lethargy(ˈleTHərjē)

caution(ˈkôSH(ə)n) versus boldness

By Henry H. Walker

I am tired of timid lethargy,
of an excess(ikˈses, ˈekses) of considering
the “one hand” and the “other hand,”
fearing a movement forward might not be the best possible way,

a tool exists(iɡˈzist): a handy video camera,
a need exists: people age and move away,
yet with a story that can start to be told
before it easily can be lost,
but no committee(kəˈmidē) seems to get around
to organizing a project to record and share the stories,
an easy slipping into procrastinating
till a future time that might be better,
maybe somebody, some time, will take care of it,

lethargy triumphs(ˈtrīəmf) over the riskiness(ˈriskēnəs) of boldness,

I thank God, literally(ˈlidərəlē), that those visionaries(ˈviZHəˌnerē)
who conceived(kənˈsēv) the possibility of a Friends School
between Durham(ˈdərəm) and Chapel(ˈCHapəl) Hill,
chose vision over caution,
to leap despite what the “look” revealed(rəˈvēl),

consensus(kənˈsensəs) is a wonderful tool,
too often, though, it tricks us into thinking
that a lack of a unity(ˈyo͞onədē) to move forward in a particular way
is unity to not move at all,

I recorded and shared the videos, and continue to do so,
I answer the calling, I lead and I hope others follow
as the way forward calls more clearly to them, too.

https://henryspoetry.blogspot.com/2020/08/a-timid-lethargy.html

Capitalism’s(ˈkapədlˌizəm) Favorite Drug

The dark history of how coffee took over the world

By Michael Pollan

Four hundred years ago, Coffea arabica(əˈrabikə), a tropical(ˈträpək(ə)l) shrub(SHrəb) bearing(ˈberiNG) glossy(ˈɡläsē) green leaves(lēvz) and bright-red berries(ˈberē), was virtually(ˈvərCH(o͞o)əlē) unknown outside of the Arab(ˈerəb) world and the corner of Ethiopia(ˌēTHēˈōpēə) where it had been discovered in the ninth century—by a goatherd(ˈɡōtˌhərd) who, legend(ˈlejənd) has it, noticed that his animals(ˈanəməl) would get frisky(ˈfriskē) and stay up all night after nibbling(ˈnibəl) its berries. In the years since people figured out that coffee could affect us in similar ways, the plant(plant) has done a great deal for our species(ˈspēsēz, ˈspēSHēz), and our species in turn has done a great deal for the plant. We have given it more than 27 million acres(ˈākər) of new habitat(ˈhabəˌtat) all around the world, assigned 25 million farming families to its care and feeding, and bid up its price until it became one of the most valuable(ˈvaly(o͞o)əb(ə)l) globally(ˈɡlōbəlē) traded(trād) crops. Not bad for a shrub(SHrəb) that is neither edible(ˈedəb(ə)l) nor particularly beautiful or easy to grow.

Coffee owes its global ascendancy(əˈsendənsē) to a fortuitous(fôrˈto͞oədəs) evolutionary(ˌevəˈlo͞oSHəˌnerē) accident(ˈaksədənt): The chemical(ˈkemək(ə)l) compound(ˈkämˌpound) that the plant makes to defend itself against insects(ˈinˌsekt) happens to alter human consciousness(ˈkän(t)SHəsnəs) in ways we find desirable, making us more energetic(ˌenərˈjedik) and industrious(inˈdəstrēəs)—and notably better workers. That chemical of course is caffeine(kaˈfēn), which is now the world’s most popular psychoactive(ˌsīkōˈaktiv) drug, used daily by 80 percent of humanity. (It is the only such drug we routinely(ro͞oˈtēnlē) give to our children, in the form of soda.) Along with the tea plant, which produces the same compound in its leaves, coffee has helped create exactly the kind of world that coffee needs to thrive: a world driven by consumer capitalism, ringed by global trade, and dominated(ˈdäməˌnāt) by a species that can now barely get out of bed without its help.

…
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/04/michael-pollan-coffee/606805/

Teaching During a Pandemic

By Ann Gordon

Ann: My heart goes out to all teachers these days, especially those teaching young children. It must be so hard to teach virtually(ˈvərCH(o͞o)əlē) during this pandemic.

Alex: Yes, it’s hard enough without dealing with a pandemic. Educating(ˈejəˌkāt) young children is truly one of the most important jobs there is.

Ann: As a teacher I remember setting up the classroom to act as the other teacher. I can’t imagine trying to motivate children to learn just from a computer screen. Young children are so much more motivated if they are met where they are and stretched(streCH) to learn more. That’s not easy to do with all children at once from a computer screen!

Alex: it would be hard to keep them motivated. My experience is that children actually need to do things and delve(delv) into experiences to internalize(inˈtərnlˌīz) what they are learning.

Ann: That’s what was so satisfying about having a classroom set up with learning experiences to match each child’s interests. Some learned math best by building with blocks or doing measurements(ˈmeZHərmənt) through cooking, sewing(ˈsōiNG), or woodworking. Others were more motivated to learn reading by reading simple recipes(ˈresəˌpē), or making and reading signs to go with the villages(ˈvilij) they made in blocks.

Alex: Well, most children do find it more interesting to do a project than to just listen to someone abstractly tell how to do something. I would imagine it will be hard for teachers to command(kəˈmand) children’s attention on a screen for very long. Children would lose(lo͞oz) interest quickly if they couldn’t be physically involved.

Ann: These days, children are used to being entertained(ˌen(t)ərˈtān) on screens with commercially produced videos or games. That’s a high bar for a teacher to meet. The professionalism(prəˈfeSHənlˌizəm) a teacher brings includes their presence(ˈprezəns) as loving, human contacts who provide environments and experiences for children to explore their curiosities(ˌkyo͝orēˈäsədē) and make connections to the world.

Alex: My hat’s off to them as they find ways to meet these challenges and to keep accomplishing their great purposes.

Ann: I wonder what ways we can support them as they devote(dəˈvōt) their lives to our world’s precious(ˈpreSHəs) children.

Clear Things Out

By Leo Babauta

I’ve recently reminded myself of the value of dedicating some time to just clearing things out.

It’s a simple truth that wherever things can accumulate(əˈkyo͞om(y)əˌlāt), they will. Emails pile(pīl) up, clutter piles up, read later list piles up, small admin(ˈadˌmin) tasks build up like cruft(krəft).

This is the nature of things: they accumulate if we don’t tend to them.

And so, we must tend to them.

What I’ve found valuable is leaving some blocks of time for clearing things out:

Some space at the end of each day to clear out your email inbox or unread messages in Slack(slak)
A day every week where I read through my read-later list (I use Instapaper(instə)) and empty it out
A day to get to all the small admin tasks that pile up, or a couple of half days
A time on the weekend for taking care of small chores(CHôr) and repairs that I didn’t have time to get to during the week
A Sunday weekly review where I make sure all the piles are cleared, my todo and project lists are updated, and everything is in order

These don’t have to take long — an hour, sometimes less. Some things take a few hours.

The problem is that we pack our days with tasks, meetings, calls, and other things so much that we don’t leave spaciousness(ˈspāSHəsnəs) for tending to our lives. And when we do have some space, we tend to fill it with our favorite distractions.

That’s all fine, but it’s also incredibly helpful to leave some space to tending to our little gardens. Clear out the weeds(wēdz), take care of things.

The mental(ˈmen(t)l) health that results from tending to our lives, clearing out piles, and cleaning up messes is incredibly replenishing(rəˈpleniSH).

https://zenhabits.net/tend/

Joe Biden’s(ˈbīdn) DNC speech

Good evening.

Ella Baker(ˈbākər), a giant of the civil(ˈsiv(ə)l) rights movement, left us with this wisdom(ˈwizdəm): Give people light and they will find a way.

Give people light.

Those are words for our time.

The current president(ˈprez(ə)dənt) has cloaked(klōk) America in darkness for much too long. Too much anger. Too much fear. Too much division(dəˈviZHən).

Here and now, I give you my word: If you entrust me with the presidency(ˈprez(ə)dənsē), I will draw on the best of us not the worst. I will be an ally(əˈlī) of the light not of the darkness.

It’s time for us, for We the People, to come together.

For make no mistake. United we can, and will, overcome this season of darkness in America. We will choose hope over fear, facts over fiction, fairness(ˈfernəs) over privilege(ˈpriv(ə)lij).

I am a proud Democrat(ˈdeməˌkrat) and I will be proud to carry the banner of our party into the general election. So, it is with great honor and humility((h)yo͞oˈmilədē) that I accept this nomination(ˌnäməˈnāSH(ə)n) for President of the United States of America.

But while I will be a Democratic(ˌdeməˈkradik) candidate(ˈkandiˌdāt), I will be an American president. I will work as hard for those who didn’t support me as I will for those who did.

That’s the job of a president. To represent all of us, not just our base or our party. This is not a partisan(ˈpärdəzən) moment. This must be an American moment.

It’s a moment that calls for hope and light and love. Hope for our futures, light to see our way forward, and love for one another.

America isn’t just a collection of clashing(ˈklaSHiNG) interests of Red States or Blue States.

We’re so much bigger than that.

We’re so much better than that.

Nearly a century ago, Franklin Roosevelt(ˈrōzəvelt) pledged(plej) a New Deal in a time of massive unemployment, uncertainty, and fear.

Stricken(ˈstrikən) by disease(dəˈzēz), stricken by a virus, FDR insisted that he would recover and prevail(prəˈvāl) and he believed America could as well.

And he did.

And so can we.

This campaign(kamˈpān) isn’t just about winning votes.

It’s about winning the heart, and yes, the soul of America.

…
https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/20/politics/biden-dnc-speech-transcript/index.html

There’s Still a Pandemic Happening. It’s OK Not to Please Everyone.

The desire to make others happy can undermine(ˌəndərˈmīn) our safety. Don’t let it.

By Anna Goldfarb

As many states continue the rocky path to reopening — and, in some cases, reverse(rəˈvərs) course(kôrs) — some people might feel pressured(ˈpreSHər) to attend gatherings and events during the coronavirus pandemic before they’re ready. Declining(dəˈklīniNG) invitations(ˌinvəˈtāSH(ə)n) and setting boundaries around personal comfort can be especially fraught(frôt) for people-pleasers(plēz), who already struggle with saying no, according to experts.

Maybe you grudgingly(ˈɡrəjiNGlē) agree to attend a family member’s birthday party when you’d prefer to stay home, or a friend insists(inˈsist) on meeting for brunch when you’re not yet ready to dine(dīn) at a restaurant. Guilt(ɡilt) — It’ll break your brother’s heart if you don’t show up — and flattery(ˈfladərē) — Seeing you will lift my spirits. Just stay for one mimosa(miˈmōsə)! — can sometimes be used in these scenarios(səˈnerēˌō) to nudge(nəj) people-pleasers in a certain direction or to convince(kənˈvins) them to agree to something they’re not comfortable with, experts say.

“When we get honest about the ‘why’ behind our actions, it becomes clear how unhealthy it is,” said Natalie(‘nadəlē) Lue, an author, podcaster and founder of Baggage(ˈbaɡij) Reclaim(rəˈklām), a self-help blog. Ms. Lue, who calls herself a recovering people-pleaser, said the “why” could be “because we’re trying to control how others perceive us, we’re hoping to get something in return, or because we feel afraid, obliged(əˈblīj) and guilty.”

…
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/16/smarter-living/people-pleaser-coronavirus.html

Why wreck(rek) a blank canvas(ˈkanvəs)?

By Derek Sivers

At the last apartment I rented, everything was white on white when I arrived. White walls, counters(ˈkoun(t)ər), table, furniture(ˈfərniCHər), and carpet(ˈkärpət).

So I took it one step further(ˈfərT͟Hər), bought five blank canvases, and hung(həNG) them around the apartment. Especially one big one, right at the entrance(inˈtrans,ˈentrəns).

Visitors would get upset, saying, “You’ve got to put something there! You can’t just leave it blank! It needs color!”

I’d say, “Good point. Like what. What do you imagine?”

They’d say, “Y’know, like some bold(bōld) splashes(splaSH) of dark red, but not too heavy. Something with clean lines.”

I’d say, “Hmm…. I’m not sure what you mean. Can you describe it more?”

They’d stare(ster) at the blank canvas a bit, and go into more detail about what should be on it.

Eventually I’d say, “Nah. Not going to do it.”

“Why not?!?”

“The reason I love the blank canvas is because it makes everyone daydream. The process of imagining what should be there is much more fun than having something there already. There have been a hundred paintings imagined onto that canvas. It’s got unlimited(ˌənˈlimidəd) potential. It’d be a shame(SHām) to wreck that with a bunch of paint.”

—

The blank page starts with unlimited potential. But each word you add reduces its possibilities.

Same thing with that business idea you’ve had forever.

Or that beautiful person you haven’t spoken with.

So maybe you should just leave them in your imagination, where they’re at their best.

https://sive.rs/blank

I canoe(kəˈno͞o) this! (Or how I ditched(diCH) my desk job to lead back-country trips(trip))

By Mitchell Consky

Little tornadoes(tôrˈnādō) whip((h)wip) by with every paddle(ˈpadl) stroke(strōk). Wind howls(houl) as I pull water; the metal(ˈmedl) Grumman canoe wobbles(ˈwäbəl) slightly. Dark clouds sweep(swēp) overhead, and a metallic(məˈtalik) zing(ziNG) pierces(pirs) the air: rain is coming. Hopefully, only rain.

I drag the blade(blād) into a J-stroke, adjusting my group’s direction toward the Western shore(SHôr), where a small orange sign indicating the next portage(ˈpôrdij) is supposed to appear. The kids are lily(ˈlilē)-dipping(dip) again – slumping(sləmp) their paddles into the water ineffectively(ˌinəˈfektivlē). The adult boat – their parents – is far ahead, hugging(həɡ) the shoreline as I instructed earlier. As we battle headwind, the approaching waves are poking a little high. We need to face them, bow(bou,bō) first. Otherwise, the kids’ first canoe trip will be remembered as a cold nightmare of soaked(sōkt) clothes(klō(T͟H)z), chattering(ˈCHadər) teeth and that time they lost the food supply. I pretend(prəˈtend) everything is completely normal. Nervousness(ˈnərvəsnəs) only increases(inˈkrēs) chances of tipping.

“Hey Lindsay(ˈlinzē), what’s the next thing?” I call to the 10-year-old sitting on a mud(məd)-caked pack in the middle of my canoe. It’s a game I resurfaced(rēˈsərfəs) from my days as a camp counsellor(ˈkouns(ə)lər)-in-training, a riddle(ˈridl)-of-sorts where you merely ask “what the next thing is” and anything said after works – as long as you include the required words.

“The next thing is … that wave,” she giggles(ˈɡiɡəl). Her 13-year-old brother, Cole(kōl), is sitting at the front, uninterested in the riddle he probably figured out hours ago.

“Ah, right!” I say, noticing the rising goliath(ɡəˈlīəTH) before us. Rain stamps the water. My goose(ɡo͞os)-bumped(bəmp) arms struggle to pull back my paddle.

“What’s after that?” I call, as we ride over with a thump(THəmp) and splash(splaSH).

“Lightning!”

“No …”

A flash of white light ignites(iɡˈnīt) the sky; a thunderous(ˈTHənd(ə)rəs) rumble(ˈrəmbəl) rolls(rōl). Wind screams and the waves rise higher. “No more lily dipping, guys,” I say, about to lose my cool. Another dagger(ˈdaɡər) of electricity streaks through clouds. “Paddle HARD!”

A month prior(ˈprī(ə)r), I was sitting in a cubicle(ˈkyo͞obək(ə)l) desk toward the end of an internship.

…
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/first-person/article-i-canoe-this-or-how-i-ditched-my-desk-job-to-lead-back-country-trips/

What the million-mile battery means for electric(əˈlektrik) cars

It is mainly about greater reliability(rəˌlīəˈbilədē)

As every mobile-phone owner knows, after a year or so the battery starts to fade(fād) and the beast(bēst) needs recharging more frequently. That is a nuisance(ˈn(y)o͞osəns), but a phone’s batteries can be replaced fairly cheaply—or the whole handset traded(trād) in for the latest model. An electric car, however, is a much bigger investment. And batteries are its priciest(ˈprīsē) component(kəmˈpōnənt), representing around 30% of an average mid-size vehicle(ˈvēək(ə)l). Apart from increasing the risk of running out of juice(jo͞os) and leaving a driver stranded(ˈstrandəd), a deteriorating(dəˈtirēəˌrādiNG) battery quickly destroys a car’s second-hand value.

To provide buyers with some peace of mind, carmakers guarantee their batteries, typically for eight years or around 200,000km(kəˈlämədər). Producers are now, though, planning to go much further than that, with the launch of “million mile” (1.6m kilometre) batteries. Zeng Yuqun, the boss of Contemporary(kənˈtempəˌrerē) Amperex Technology, a giant Chinese firm which produces batteries for a number of carmakers, said in June that his company was ready to start manufacturing(ˌman(y)əˈfakCHəriNG) batteries which would last for 16 years or 2m kilometres. Elon Musk has hinted that Tesla, a Californian maker of electric vehicles of which he is boss, has a million-mile battery in the works. Rumours(ˈro͞omər) suggest this could be unveiled(ˌənˈvāl) in September. And over in Detroit(dəˈtroit), General Motors(ˈmōdər) is in the final stages of developing an advanced battery which it says has similar longevity(lônˈjevədē).

https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2020/07/30/what-the-million-mile-battery-means-for-electric-cars

Some Benefits of Writing

By Steve Pavlina

One thing I love about writing is that it’s a way to process ideas, so they don’t get stuck in my mind. Writing moves and transforms thought patterns by taking ideas on a journey from one place to another. After writing about an idea, that idea will no longer be mentally(ˈment(ə)lē) stored in the same place. It will have moved from one part of the mind to another, often a place where the idea feels less restless and more peaceful.

Writing reorganizes(rēˈôrɡəˌnīz) mental shelves(SHelvz). Sometimes it’s clear where an idea should be placed. Other times ideas jump around quite a bit, never quite sure where they fit, but then writing can at least test and rule out where they don’t fit.

A nice benefit of sharing personal stories through writing is that it helps me make sense of a wide variety of events. Writing structures those events into a long-form personal narrative(ˈnerədiv). That narrative is one possible order among many, but the narrative that emerges(əˈmərj) from writing is better than the default narrative from during the pre-writing phase(fāz). Real life can be chaotic(kāˈädik) and difficult to understand, and writing personal stories helps me to explore different ways of framing and organizing events in my mind, so I can chose empowering options that keep my overall story progressing in interesting ways. Thanks to writing, my story doesn’t have to remain stuck behind dead-end narratives like victimhood(ˈviktəmˌho͝od) or scarcity(ˈskersədē). I can write and rewrite my way around those walls.

These benefits can be gained(ɡān) from private(ˈprīvit) journaling, but one benefit that cannot is the ability to create ripples(ˈripəl) in other people’s lives. Writing is a solitary(ˈsäləˌterē) activity, but when published it invites social consequences. Those consequences can in turn inspire more life events, thereby providing even more writing inspiration. It’s a cycle that could be vicious(ˈviSHəs) or delightful depending on how you influence people. By seeking empowering narratives for myself, others are encouraged to do similar mental processing, which often leads to improved results.

…
https://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2020/07/some-benefits-of-writing/