A step backward, after making a wrong turn, is a step in the right direction.
~ Kurt Vonnegut
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Direction →
22 — Tree work →
This rather large tree (much too heavy for us to lift) had fallen onto the roof of this building. It took two us, and some Quadrupedal on a slippery roof to get it trimmed, properly felled, and then off the roof without any damage. Tomorrow will be more walking in London.
Time for bed →
The sensations of physiological sleep-pressure are deeply unsettling. To begin to lose the ability to control one’s body… To begin to lose consciousness… To begin to lose stretches of time…
Lately I’ve been trying to pay attention to the tiniest hints of sleep pressure. The other evening I had a thing to do… and I was struggling. I wanted to do the thing, but I was unable to do it. As soon as I realized I was struggling with sleep pressure I was off to nap knowing sleep pressure is not a thing I can avoid, only post-pone. Better to sleep now then to continue wasting my time struggling.
The idea that getting adequate sleep is a crucial ingredient for good health – as crucial as good nourishment – is one that many societies have been slow to embrace. The pressures and pace of modern lifestyles certainly don’t encourage healthy sleep practices, whether it’s from the pressures of work or the ubiquitous increase of anxiety-induced insomnia.
~ Van Savage and Geoffrey West from, A quantitative theory unlocks the mysteries of why we sleep | Aeon Essays
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Yikes. I think I’ve gotten anxiety-induced insomnia just reading that. So on the off-chance you’ve not yet realized that sleep is—literally, without exaggeration—the most important thing in your life, I’ll just say: Sleep you should, and perchance to dream.
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Understanding →
When you want to know how things really work, study them when they’re coming apart.
~ William Gibson
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23 – Walking →
Another day of perambulation visiting Rhossili in glorious weather.
Silence →
History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.
~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
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24 — Wales →
Spent the afternoon perambulating and exploring with a friend.
August 13, 2023 — #45 →
Reading time: About 5 minutes, 900 words
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This issue is https://7forsunday.com/45
25 – RDV day 3 →
Burly final challenge from Roberto on day 3.
Balance →
I’m prone to thinking I should be helping more.
If you’re prone to thinking you should be helping more, that’s probably a sign that you could afford to direct more energy to your idiosyncratic ambitions and enthusiasms. As the Buddhist teacher Susan Piver observes, it’s radical, at least for some of us, to ask how we’d enjoy spending an hour or day of discretionary time. And the irony is that you don’t actually serve anyone else by suppressing your true passions anyway. More often than not, by doing your thing – as opposed to what you think you ought to be doing – you kindle a fire that helps keep the rest of us warm.
~ Oliver Burkeman from, Oliver Burkeman’s last column: the eight secrets to a (fairly) fulfilled life | Health & wellbeing | The Guardian
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I was thinking, “oh look, a fire metaphor…” and then, with growing uncertainty, “…or, is that a fire simile?” At which point I spun off relearning the difference between metaphor and simile for the gajillionth time. *sigh*
I am certain however, that I do not need to direct more of my energy into my idiosyncrasies. No, what I need to do is to learn how to be comfortable letting things remain unexplored. I need to think, “That’s interesting.” And then let it go past.
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Silence →
If there was a little more silence, if we all kept quiet… maybe we could understand something.
~ Federico Fellini
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26 – RDV day 2 →
Wonder-filled day. Awesome friends old and new, glorious weather.
Automation →
The factory of the future will have only two employees, a man and a dog. The man will be there to feed the dog. The dog will be there to keep the man from touching the equipment.
~ Warren Bennis
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27 — Parkour →
Terrific first day of Rendezvous, was as much mental as physical. Saturday will be, no surprise, another day of parkour.
Eyebrow raised. Chuckle stifled. →
Once I learned how to be a good sport, I began to appreciate getting my delusions busted as the target of a well played, real life, condescending Wonka. I’m too often condescending, and being the recipient is potent medicine.
It is to my great pleasure that such a fine example of 18th-century punking is related to typography.
~ Martin McClellan from Letters From the Hellbox: Caslon, Baskerville, and Franklin: Revolutionary Types – McSweeney’s Internet Tendency
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Typography is a field which I find intriguing. People spent tremendous time and effort understanding readability and utility of little bits of lead type, printing presses, and optimizing everything. I find it sublime that someone so into type (go read the essay) was so oblivious about something they held so dear. Yes, do tell me more about that typography minutiae.
At which point I began doing that sort of squinting, glancing side to side, I’m feeling suspicious thing. I’m not a typography nerd, but there are a couple other fields where I could probably use a good punk’ing.
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Jerks →
In my opinion, we don’t devote nearly enough scientific research to finding a cure for jerks.
~ Bill Watterson
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28 — Walking →
I love to stroll around, and did miles of wandering around London. Friday’s activity will be day one of Rendezvous.
True progress →
We can judge our progress by the courage of our questions and the depth of our answers, our willingness to embrace what is true rather than what feels good.
~ Carl Sagan
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29 — Yard work →
Nothing crazy, but planning this yesterday enabled me to get this done this morning before I have to leave for the airport :) Tomorrow: Perambulation on a different continent.