May Orange Not Be The New Black

American politics right now is a can of worms. A risky thing to open, but here are some gems I can't resist sharing:

1. A tool for investing in hope... 

2. Always a sucker for a marquee...

3. Canadians are the best...

4. My favorite is Aimee Mann's so far...

5. The first debate is behind us now...

6. Can you diagram this sentence?

7. Interesting commentary on the phenomenon...

I feel threatened living in a nation where Trump's behavior holds enough legitimizing appeal to gain him any position of popular leadership. I am terrified by the prospect of white evangelical America carrying the day and sweeping this demagogue into office. I am disturbed by how he reflects our worst impulses when it comes to predation on the vulnerable.

With Or Without Us

I. WITH

Israeli history professor, Yuval Noah Harari, has written a fascinating exploration of our species in Sapiens. It's a thought-provoking and compelling distillation of the most relevant changes we've experienced over our brief stint on this planet. I wish I could time travel to 11,000 BC and see an epoch in which we were well-adapted to our context. 

II. WITHOUT

Meanwhile, Alan Weisman, uses our current knowledge of the world to hypothesize about what the earth would look like if our species suddenly disappeared. His book, The World Without Us, examines the potential legacy of the Anthropocene. It highlights the horror of what we have accomplished as well as the ultimate resiliency of nature. 

III. US

How do I hold my focus on this information? How is it that the most banal elements of our lives (plastic bags, tires) hold such destructive power? How do we suppress our appetites and the compulsions of the moment for the greater good? How do we both delight in and weep for our kind?

It's Our Anniversary!

Today, I found out that Evan collected troll dolls when he was a kid... 



I think this explains everything.

Personal Distillation

I'm pretty sure I'd boil down to:

1. Rilke's poem The Panther



2. Billie Holiday singing Them There Eyes



3. Juniper Ledge on Fallen Leaf Lake

4. San Francisco at the tail end of the 20th Century

5. Pride and Prejudice 



I am not sure how to frame the question, but I'm curious to know your answer...