Gratitude + hidden paintings + checking in on the hippies
May I recommend
A weekly gratitude check in with a New Year’s Day payoff
2023, baby — let’s see what it brings. Probably some good stuff, maybe some awful stuff and definitely some boring stuff. Hopefully by the end of it we’ll all be a little smarter, a year older and will have finally established a regular yoga practice.
I’m cheating a little with this post and recommending something I have written about elsewhere. It’s a super basic gratitude practice I learned from Oprah, and like Oprah’s recommendation of slipper socks, it has been a wonderful addition to my life that has made it substantially better.
Durr, Oprah’s so basic! You’re a dummy! Read philosophy books and get your wisdom from long dead Greeks or angry Germans! What can I say? People contain multitudes, things can be both complex and simple, sometimes the lamest things are also the best things… Yes, everyone loves Target, but that’s because Target sells delicious treats AND surprisingly stylish jean jackets; a pumpkin spice latte is a liquid autumnal hug; Josh Groban’s Christmas album is overwrought, but his Little Drummer Boy SLAPS.
Read about this gratitude thing I’m recommending here.
Hidden portraits, oh my!
For 158 Years a Cézanne portrait hid behind a still life
Every now and then one of these stories pops up — artists re-used their old canvasses, leaving amazing treasures hidden beneath. Stories like this inspired my own novel, THE FOULEST THINGS, so if this intrigues you, get your mitts on my book. It should be available for order from your local independent book store or Amazon.
What I like about this story is how they acknowledge the conservator’s expertise in figuring out what was going on… Education and experience make a difference, yo!
“Serena had an excellent hunch,” Bell adds. “We are lucky it came into the lab when it did, because intuition like that can only come from extensive experience with historical paintings and deep understanding of the working methods of 19th-century artists, both of which she has in spades.”
What’s up with the hippies?
The Crunchy to Alt Right Pipeline
This article on the shared interests of the white power movement and the crunchy lefty granolas is fascinating and not to toot my own horn of insights (mixed metaphor rolling up) echoes the powerful observation I just made above re Oprah and her slipper socks… Things are never completely black and white — we like to think the far right and the far left are at complete odds, but in fact they share many of the same values.
Issues common to these groups accorded with ideas of purity, an interest in survivalism, and a deep distrust of the government. To be sure, the meaning of each of these issues would have been different to activists of different political persuasions, even in the same communities. Homeschooling, for instance, could be used in the white-power movement and as part of an intentional community or cult on the left. Midwifery might be powered by anti-feminism and strict gender divides on the right, or by women’s liberation and ideas of empowerment on the left.
The Baroness Elsa
I regret to inform you my wedding to Captain Von Trapp has been cancelled
This is an oldie, but a goodie. I thought the Baroness was the HEIGHT of glamour when I was eight, and let’s be honest, I still do. She was done dirty by Maria, no two ways about it.
I must confess to being rather blindsided by the end of our relationship. It seems Captain Von Trapp and I misunderstood each other. I assumed he was looking for a wife of taste and sophistication, who was a dead ringer for Tippi Hedren; instead he wanted to marry a curtain-wearing religious fanatic who shouts every word she says.
Book Stuff
I’ve contacted the two newsletter winners for the Speak for the Dead Giveaway and will be mailing them their copies shortly. Yay! I love getting my books into the hands of people who actually want them. I’ll probably run another contest between now and launch date (March 2023) so keep your eyes peeled!
For the past very busy publishing year I’ve been lucky enough to have had a leave of absence from my job at Canada’s national archives. This worked out beautifully for the editing, writing and promoting work I had to do, but now, like Snow White’s seven dwarves, I’m high-ho-ing it back to work. I am planning to keep everything nicely balanced and ticking along and I’ll keep you updated on how this “work-life-writing” thing goes!
Buy my books!
TikTok
I’ve watched this four times and don’t know why I find it so funny
Comments are A+
M Stew for the win
Bug off, I’m going roller skating!
She mathed anyway
Babies be silly
You know what is going to happen…
The rage in that scream
Big Feelings
Apparently this is a thing, and it should be in Olympics
Oh no, Bono
A couple of months ago, my shoelace (which wasn’t tied properly) actually got caught in an escalator, confirming all my mother’s dire warnings about the dangers of escalators. Be careful out there, people!
Poor confused guy
Suh awkward
The more you know…
He doesn’t like it
Mission accomplished
Did I share this already? My 13 year old SCREAMED.
Propose a toast
Getting played
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