It’s an Open Thread #2
Hey folks. The site is going to be very light this week and early next week — I’m spending some time with my family and accompanying my daughter on some spring break college visits. I’ll be back to full force mid-next week.
In the meantime, I thought the open thread we did a couple of weeks ago was so lovely that it should be a regular thing. So, what’s going on in your world? What are you working on? Reading or watching or listening to anything good these days? How can we help you with something that’s been weighing you down?
Comments 103
thread
latest
popular
I have gotten into native landscaping recently (well, over the past 5 years) and have been slowly redoing my entire yard by ripping out invasives and a million awful pavers. I am finally to the adding new plants part and I planted a native plum tree last year. We're getting the first blossoms and it makes me so happy every time I see it. The tree is super tiny right now - comes up about chest high on me - but I can just imagine it when it gets taller and is a big mass of white in the spring. There is so much heavy in my life, both personally and otherwise, and seeing this vision of spring has been lightening the vibes around here.
We just dethatched the lawn and spread native grasses and clovers— I’m so excited to have a mow less pollinator haven as it takes over!!
I have lots I want to do in our yard as soon as winter really eases. Are you planning on letting the native grasses and clover slowly take over your lawn over several years? I have some interest in removing the traditional lawn in our backyard.
Yep, Scott— we just mowed down really low, raked a ton to get exposed dirt, and then laid it right over the top. The seed people say it’ll pretty much choke out the grass over the next couple of years depending on growth rates and weather 🤞
Northwest gardener here. I haven't been able to effectively control the aphids on our young plum tree. If you have encountered the same thing and found something that stops aphids (and their resulting leaf curl) while being kind to the good insects, I'm all ears. In the meantime, I salute your new plum tree and hope you have beautiful blooms and fruit soon!
@Elizabeth I haven't had issues with aphids on the plum, but the thing that's been working for me elsewhere in the yard is...nothing. I find that eventually the volume of aphids is just too tempting for aphid predators and they take care of it for me. It does require me to put up with some leaf curl for a bit, but as long as the plant isn't dying, I just ignore it. It has been working marvellously. Most of them seem to end up with a small aphid population and I see way more ladybugs. Good luck!
So, its been a rough start to the new year. I quit my job due to a toxic manager pushing me out and the company gave me a generous severance. Now I feel a bit listless because I'm drowning in a sea of AI snake oil on LinkedIn and less design opportunities along with the fact no jobs were created in 2025. I'm looking to pivot into something creative still but haven't found the right career advisor who knows what AI is and isn't forcing it down my throat as its inevitability. Has anyone successfully guided themselves into something their equally passionate about and don't feel like a fraud?
It sounds like a tricky time. I have no beautiful words that slice through all the snake oil and this distorted labor market (and you naturally shouldn't trust anyone who claims to have that one weird trick that will!). But I will say that I've found - during a period following a large lay-off in tech - volunteering for a few orgs that have deep personal meaning for me has been a lifeline. Meeting good people, doing meaningful work, and learning new skills along the way have all been grounding. I hope things start to smooth out for you soon!
I just read Mike Monteiro's latest newsletter and thought he had some helpful advice for finding meaningful, useful work in these enshittified times https://buttondown.com/monteiro/archive/how-to-do-the-work/
I shared your frustrations with finding a pathway to an enriching employment situation over the past year until recently landing a job doing what I like (for a lot less pay than my old gig, sigh). Lots of rejection along the way had me questioning everything around the work side of life. Luckily, I had the resources to hold out for the job that fit what I wanted the best. My recommendation is to, if possible, hold onto the high standards you have for the work and work environment you want. It seems limiting in some ways, but it's really you making good decisions for yourself.
I wholeheartedly second what Elizabeth says about volunteering for a cause that you care about. The emotional and mental freedom one can have when doing low responsibility/high interest work really allows for a lot of space to help with the fear around employment-related decision-making. And creates a network for potential references.
I also have an amazing career coach that I can provide info for if you're interested.
Even though it's a struggle now, things will come good for you. They're are great people out there that want to work with other great people!
I REALLY wish "Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die" were less violent so I could share it with my kids. It's an important message for the next generation, but too bloody to show to them.
It's been a long winter for me. And a long last year, too, now that I think about it. Work is uncertain these days, and the rest of it? Not so great.
But I'm trying to put time back into some things that bring me joy- planting trees and garden work, building a new fence for the back yard, riding bikes more again. Just kinda hoping I can jostle myself out of this funk and get my head in the game for the next round, you know?
I started my tomato seedlings from seed last week, and half of the tray has sprouted. There is nothing more full of hope and optimism than a tray of beefsteak tomato seedlings.
This reminds me of a wonderful essay by Ross Gay about the delight of tomato seedlings that aired on This American Life: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/692/the-show-of-delights/act-one-33
This has me thinking of the great Greg Brown song / story, 'Canned Goods' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VJUmf9EW7g
My family and I are headed to London and Paris for Spring Break with our kiddo. Please send any hidden gems or weird recomendations my way :) Thanks Kottke fam!
So much great (free!) stuff in London! Among its many amazing museums I’d rank the weird collection of Sir John Soane as a great day out— paintings hidden behind paintings, secret passages, etc (also, have all the European cheese, Neal’s Yard Dairy in the 7 Dials is always a good bet)
You can take a tour of the Paris Catacombs! I waited in line for about an hour and as closing time approached they cut off the line about 5 people in front of me so I never got to go. I guess this isn't a recommendation so much as asking someone to pick-up the torch and finish the job!
We stayed near the Eiffel Tower and everything was very expensive there. We spent a fortune on food at all those cute cafés and open restaurants. Seriously, I think I spent $20 on every mug of beer I bought (and I'm from Wisconsin, so that was many many mugs of beer) and that was in 2010!
Always and forever: Atlas Obscura. We typically ID a handful of things that interest us, and stitch them together into a walk. The serendipity and delight that comes from that approach, for me, is unmatched. Like the time we set out to see a cannonball from the French Revolution that is still stuck in a wall in a building in Paris, and later stumbled across a boulangerie that made award-winning baguettes. Of course we visit more common sites, too, based on interest, but Atlas Obscura is my wandering guide for the world.
Destination: I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Atelier des Lumieres in Paris. Simply magical. https://www.atelier-lumieres.com/fr
Food: If any of you are fans of cheese at all, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention "Pain, Vin, Fromages" in Paris. https://painvinfromages.com/en/
Bon voyage, and know that at least one person stateside is deeply and unashamedly jealous of your travels. You'll make such great memories!
"Bombay-style comfort food" — I was in London last year and a meal at Dishoom (many locations, we went to Kensington) has lingered in my memory ever since. I bought their cookbook in hopes of recreating some of the flavors, but the ingredient list on most every dish is daunting.
Don't be afraid to jump on a regular (not special tourist/sightseeing) red London bus to get around. Often more direct than the Tube and a great way to see more of the city if you sit up top!
If you're into modern art and in Paris: go visit the Exposition Générale exhibition at the Fondation Cartier. A well-curated yet eclectic combination of works from all over the world. Also: walk a stretch of La Petite Ceinture, an abandoned railroad through the less touristic arrondissements turned into city hike. Or the Coulée Verte René-Dumont: an elevated railroad turned into a park. Eat at a Bouillon. Have breakfast at the boulangerie next to your hotel. Step into any random bistro for lunch and be surprised.
I keep a Best of Paris here, mostly just things I found and liked whenever I visit.
I do heartily recommend the ones with a ⭐︎
Tal Benisty - Best of Paris
Same for London here
Tal Benisty - Best of London
If you're passionate about croissants, this lady reviewed all the bakeries in Paris and sells a Google Map of her reviews.
Best 5 euros I ever spent 🙂
She recently moved to London btw, so I think she started to do the same there.
Ou Sont Les Croissants - Instagram
Holy Moly! The Kottke fam delivers. Thanks, y'all, for all of the recommendations. First, I'm saving all the cheese recs so I can impress my wife, lol.
Sara, it's a toss-up between whether we make it to the Wellcome Collection, Sir Soane Museum, or Victor Wyld
Elizabeth, I drag my family to as many Atlas Obscura spots as I can! They begrudgingly go and call me weird dad, hahah.
Chris - Reservations at Dishoom have been made. You weren't the first person to recommend it. What's your favorite dish?
Matt - I promised my kid we would take as many public red buses as possible. He is pumped and I feel good about teaching him public transit.
David - Thanks for the food recs! We plan to go to the Tate Modern in London. How do you think that compares to Fondation Cartier?
Finally, shoutout to Tal for his links and ideas!
Thank You! Thank You! Thank You, Kottke Fam!
P.S. I'm a decades-old reader, but this is my 2nd comment ever, so hopefully I'm doing this right lol.
Cheese!
In Paris, be sure to visit Barthélemy.
In London, Paxton & Whitfield and or Neal’s Yard Dairy . Also check out Labour and Wait.
There is a permanent (free) exhibit at the Tate Modern that I interpret as being about artists using the process of making art to process their struggles in life. I've found this to be a deeply liberating answer to the eternal question of "why even make art".
The exhibition labels next to each piece are detailed and illuminating (e.g. "this person left her family and country in her thirties to move to Paris to make art" or "this sequence of pieces was made over multiple decades, tracing the growth and journey of that artist"). I go there every chance I get, and the pieces rotate somewhat year over year.
I was just in Paris with a teen last week. Big hits: Versailles (including the Trianons, esp. because I'd shown the teen film buff Marie Antoinette). Cheese tour with Paris by Mouth (or if you don't have time / can't get on, go to one of Laurent DuBois' shops). Another off-the-beaten-path museum my teen liked (granted, closer to where we were staying for a conference) was the Musée Méliès at the Cinematheque.
Just wanted to say thanks for the London recommendations. I'm off to Chiswick over Easter weekend to visit kid #2 and we're looking for things to do/see beyond the standard tourist fare.
(Very excited that we've got tickets to the Messiah at the Royal Albert Hall on Good Friday. I've never seen a show there, and I'm a big classical music fan.)
I feel like I'm in the small small minority of people who find Dishoom overrated. BUT I do like their chai a lot, and I think their breakfast is very good. So, you will probably like it, and regardless, consider going back for breakfast.
Spent the last week hiking in the Harper' Ferry area getting my history nerd requirements met. It was quite nice to unplug - if it wasn't on a sign or brochure i didn't read it.
I've had great luck that has led to a very frustrating realization. My wife and I have saved enough money to retire early. That's the "great luck" part.
Now the frustration, the cost of healthcare will prevent us from actually doing it unless we move out of the country (at least until we are 65). Or maybe I should say, we've realized how affordable good healthcare is in other countries and it makes our system look like a terrible joke. Even countries that are not significantly cheaper in other ways (Panama for example) has healthcare that is about one 10th the price of US healthcare. We would be retired TODAY if our healthcare system wasn't so broken. Really makes me feel so disappointed in our political system.
Anybody here living the expat life in Panama, Mexico, Portugal, Thailand, Vietnam, etc.? Anybody have a cheat-code for affordable insurance (
My wife and I are in a similar position and it always comes down to the cost of healthcare. She retired from her job with the State of WI at the end of 2022 and I’m still hopeful to be choosing to leave my job in maybe3 years or so. The thing that will help is for a handful of years is time she banked over her career that we can use to cover healthcare costs for maybe 4 years.
As much as our current administration makes relocation a more common topic and for all the healthcare benefits, I truthfully don’t see it in the cards for us.
Speaking of a cheat-code... My wife and I took a mid-career break & joined the Peace Corps. We served in Romania from 2011-13. If you don't have kids at home and you're fairly healthy, it's an amazing way to immerse yourself in the life, language, and culture of another country (and hopefully do some good at the same time). It's one of the best and most rewarding decisions we've ever made.
It doesn't pay well compared to any US job, but you get paid enough for food, lodging, and a little spending money. My wife and I lived on our local salary unless we were traveling internationally. If you've got the money to retire early, you can let that money sit and grow in some investment. But a big bonus is free health care while you're serving.
The typical stint is 27 months, but you can always quit early, and most of the time you can extend if you aren't ready to leave your country.
Spent way too much of my Sunday trying to get the 20yr old lawnmower started. New oil, air filter, new gas (after drain and refill), new spark plug, manually manipulating automatic throttle....nada.
Finally decided to just buy a new carburetor for it (barely more than a can of carb cleaner) and see what that gets me. Arrives Wednesday. Stay tuned. :)
I swapped the carb on my snowblower this winter and it went from a barely-running mess that was super annoying to get started to a snow eating machine. And it cost me $35.
So satisfying to successfully bring a machine back to life!
Did a carburetor change on a Honda generator that refused to start. Runs like a beast.
Replaced parts of the icemaker in the fridge. The amazing convenience of dispensed ice from the fridge was restored!
YouTube, Amazon, and a patient partner brings satisfaction and saves a few bucks.
We’ve got a hundred-year old Westwind vent fan in our condo kitchen wall that did little more than make a humming sound when switched on. With a bit of dabbling time over the past couple of months, came to the conclusion that it needs rewound at a minimum, so in the interim picked up a free oscillating fan off Craigslist and, after a bit of disassembly and time at the local tool library, have adapted it to the Westwind mounting and can vent cooking smells with ease once again. Haven’t given up on the original fan, but more dabbling there awaits.
Nothing better than Frankenstein-ing parts from "A" to fix "B".
Well done!!
One of my examples: After years of living with a dishwasher door that required way too much effort to open, I "lengthened" the counterweight-springs with a couple links off a bicycle chain; for a decade+ now, it's been effectively weightless in both directions.
If you want a little pick-me-up that will make you feel better about humanity, can I recommend Frederick Wiseman's documentary about the New York Public Library, Ex Libris? Three and a half glorious hours of people helping other people, people talking about books they wrote or love, people performing or listening to music, people reading, researching, and resting in the library. As a bonus, you probably can stream this for free from your public library's digital video collection.
The Treasures Exhibit at the New York Public Library's flagship location (42nd & 5th) is one of the best eclectic and fascinating exhibits I've seen. It's free and has many items of historical, literary, and cultural interest.
RIP to the great Frederick Wiseman! depending on your library, a lot of his films are free to stream on the Kanopy service. His oeuvre is the antithesis to 10 second videos designed to hit your dopamine.
I wrote a novel called CHOKEVILLE and last week put it out as an ebook and audiobook. It’s about two sisters working low-level crime jobs in a port city and getting in trouble. There’s some noir, some fantasy, some pirate-adjacent stuff. It’s mostly fun. It’s on a bunch of different platforms but if you don’t like any of them, just get in touch and we can work something out. All the info is at fireland dot com!
Congratulations! Is it on Libro.FM? I have some credits building up there, I'd be interested in giving it a listen. I'll look for it later. How'd you record the audiobook?
Congrats on that! I can only begin to imagine what it's like to release a book into the world!
I used Amazon’s ACX service to find an audiobook narrator, then worked directly with her for a couple months. It was great! But that means the audio version is only available via Amazon/Apple (for now).
Inspired by Dwight, I’m headed to a work conference in Cape Town this summer but don’t have the time or bandwidth to travel far — where’s the best (chill) food in town and noncity/(ethical)wildlife options for a day trip or two?
I'm debating whether I waste time on my latest idea, a calculator app. After it does your math, it has buttons to turn the result into a factor of either 69, 420, or 80085. I'm not sure if my level of immaturity is wide enough to turn into downloads though.
Thanks all you lovely kdo people for uplifting, thoughtful, and sometimes loving posts. Well done! You've made my day and week.
I've been largely checked out of world events because I've been dealing with a three-month-long family crisis: the death of my uncle at the start of the year left me as the sole caregiver for my 98-year-old grandmother, which meant moving her to a new state, sorting out her medical issues, finding her assisted living, and selling her home to help pay for it all.
It’s been pretty stressful, but I've found a little escape in the daily joys of playing Enclose.horse and Clues by Sam each morning, and occasionally Perfect Tides: Station to Station in the evenings.
And since I've been in L.A. for months, I took the day off yesterday from caring for my grandma and went to see Project Hail Mary with our mutual buddy and past KDO guest editor Greg Knauss. It was a nice day.
Kudos for stepping up and doing what needs doing to take care of your grandmother.
All the best.
Squares.org is a great addition to you daily fames
I did not know Clues by Sam and love it now— thanks!
Over the weekend, we watched both of the live-action short films that (in an unusual outcome) tied for the Oscar in that category. The Singers is available on Netflix and Two People Exchanging Saliva is available on the New Yorker's YouTube channel (one is 18 minutes long, the other is 37 mins).
I kind of expected them both to be of similar quality, like "I can understand why people voted for each of these" or "hm, short films are an odd art form, I guess these are ok, and I could chose one or the other." But to me, one was so clearly much better than the other, like to me one was great and one was not very good. I can see how each film would have a very different audience, but how they had same-sized different audiences among the voters I find mysterious. If anyone else has seen both, I'd love to hear your thoughts before revealing mine.
I'm a little afraid to go first, but here goes! I liked them both, but I liked The Singers more. I was familiar with the short story it's based on, only because it was dissected at length in a book about writing that I enjoyed a lot last year (but didn't finish before I had to return it to the library, unfortunately) - A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders. I thought the film did a beautiful job of capturing the spirit of the story without being totally beholden to it. And I loved that it wasn't hitting you over the head with a message.
Two People Exchanging Saliva was one of those movies I appreciated (great acting, great black & white cinematography, interesting idea) but didn't love. I was watching it from more of a distance and for some reason I couldn't fully buy into the premise of this alternate universe where (mild spoiler alert) you pay for everything by letting people slap you in the face. Like how does that actually work? It was all vibes but not enough substance, IMHO.
Thank you for responding. I really did not connect with The Singers and found TPES so much more emotionally, visually and intellectually engaging. (Agree that the slaps don't fully stand up to inquiry but that's something I kind of like about it.) I'm intrigued by the Singers' Saunders connection though.
Yeah, reading Saunders analysis of the short story really set me up for the film in a good way. I should also admit that I heard an interview with the filmmakers behind TPES before I saw it and they kind of rubbed me the wrong way, so that might have biased me the other way on that one!
Portland (Oregon) was generally sunny over the weekend, and I spent weekend afternoons under the cherry blossoms at Waterfront Park, celebrating spring with a joyous throng of Portlanders. Mainly, I was there to photograph people and their smiles. It’s impossible to not be happy under sunny skies and a canopy of cherry blossoms. There was music and laughter, food and drink – and everyone camera-happy with friends, family, and themselves. It was the complete opposite of the war zone that some people in this country think Portland is experiencing.
My wife, my 15 year-old, and I were there, too. It was wonderful. What a beautiful weekend for it! I loved just seeing people, a lot of people, downtown enjoying themselves.
It really was festive and upbeat. I posted a few Photos.
I got some hormonal support for perimenopause and am starting to...be interested in things again? Maybe it's spring and the grow light from the seeds I just started, but I'm interested in finishing my first clumsy applique quilt, I'm about 70% done with a new skirt, and I made a little collage zine!
No joke, HRT changed the lives of soooooo many peri* women I know (gender affirming care doing it’s thing!)
At his stage in my life and various health related issues I can relate to exploring/revisiting etc. Spent last week driving (and randomly stopping at local hardware stores - thrift shops - coffee houses) in and around Anderson valley up to Mendocino CA backroads with a goal of never traveling the same road twice. Not realistic but getting lost was very therapeutic.
We leave this weekend for a road trip to three national parks: Pinnacles (2 days), Joshua Tree (3 days), and Sequoia (2 days). I’ve never been to any of these ones, despite living near enough most of my life! I’m so, so excited for the time in different kinds of nature. My kids are in 1st and 3rd grades — any hot tips for these locations if you know them? Also, audiobook recommendations for this age group would be a lovely assist. (They’re currently enjoying the third Mysteries of Cove series’s Embers of Destruction, after LOVING the Montgomery Bon-Bon detective series.)
Your trip sounds great! We loved Joshua Tree when we visited in Jan 2020. Catch a sunset in at Keys View and visit the Cholla Cactus Garden along Pinto Basin Road. It is really beautiful when the sun is low. We also had some great pizza at Sky High Pizza.
Thank you, Scott. I’m excited to watch the sunset at Keys View and to check out the Cholla Cactus Garden! Sky High Pie looks delicious, I love sourdough pizza. :]
Happy to hear you're spending the most time in Joshua Tree. It is otherworldly! It's not a huge park, so you should be able to drive/explore nearly all of it. There is such diversity of plants and terrain, it's almost unbelievable. A few tips I give everyone who goes there: In the few places you can climb/scamper around the boulders, be sure to wear gloves - they look smooth but are actually quite rough. It's been very hot there lately, so if it remains so, take tons of water and maybe limit yourself to very early morning (when no one's there) and late in the day. Finally, in nearby Palm Springs you'll find Indian Canyons, which doesn't get a lot of attention, but is spectacular. There are both long and short hikes; the short one beneath the canopy of the giant palms is incredibly beautiful (and cool in the shade!). Can't recommend it enough. https://www.indian-canyons.com
And ditto on Cholla Cactus Garden! The short path is marvelous, but make sure kiddos don't touch – the cacti needles are extremely sharp and can be painful.
Wow, I might have missed Indian Canyons. Thank you for the helpful suggestions, Gregor!
I put together some of my tennis pictures in a photo essay. I haven't quite known what to do with it, so I'm (nervously) sharing it here! https://www.arjunrihan.com/arc-of-movement
This is cool, thanks for sharing!
Hey, liked this as a tennis player and a photographer (not of tennis)!
As a photography and tennis layperson you can take this with a grain of salt, but I thought the photos were very aesthetically pleasing. The capture of a split second of elite athletes doing what they do is fascinating to look at. Like, I see that what they're doing is possible (thanks to your photographs), but at the same time it's unfathomable how they actually make it happen. I really enjoyed the layout of the site and the information in the captions. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much Jason, Pesta and Logan! Truly appreciate your comments. I’m so delighted that the photos resonate and I agree - it’s amazing how many disparate moments connect to make up each tennis swing (and the same applies to professional athletes in all sports).
These are amazing. As an avid tennis player (and follower of the tours) it is really cool to see and think about.
We are headed to Florence and Venice for spring break tomorrow. We've got a mix of art, history, and experience stuff (cooking class, marbled papermaking class) planned, plus a day trip to San Gimignano. I'm definitely checking out the Atlas Obscura recommendation from above - anyone else have any hidden gems to recommend?
The best part of Venice is inevitably getting lost in the twisty alleys and bridges and finding something weird and delightful, like the perfect gelato flavor, or once, a random lady singing my favorite aria on a street corner under too many stars
We did a gelato-making class at Gelatteria Dondoli in St Jimmy John's that was fantastic. Proprietor is a total trip and we learned a ton.
Da Nerbone in Florence is worth a visit for a simple beef (or tripe if you dare) sandwich. It's in Mercato Centrale.
After many years of working for other people and teaching, I now have the opportunity to stay at home, cook for my family, and write while my partner's career as a theater artist takes off. I'm nervous to say I'm working on a book because I know how hard it is, but I know I'll never have a better chance to do this in my life.
It's about something I've been thinking about for the better part of thirty years: what happens after the book? Can we read deeply on screens in the same way? I'm doing some of my thinking out loud in public on a blog: https://postliterate.org. I hope that this will hold me accountable.
Also, I'm using Claude Code to help me wrangle my sources, notes, and ideas, basically as a research assistant. Also using NotebookLM but probably not to its fullest extent. But I'm very consciously writing all of my own prose myself. I have a visceral reaction against AI generated text, even with its occasional flashes of brilliance. I'm curious if any other writers out there are having similar or different experiences using AI in their writing process.
I've been trying to post found poems to Verbatim Poetry a bit more often. Here's an exclusive for KDO – a clerihew taken from Wikipedia articles:
Nate Vance
criticised JD's stance
on Ukraine—
Vance remained.
Last week, I got the opportunity to tour our municipal water system. It was nothing short of amazing. The fact that we can turn on a tap and receive fresh, clean drinking water feels like magic. But actually! It's a series of tubes. So many tubes going in so many directions. And a little room that looks like my high school chem lab, where the workers test for pH and contaminants every hour.
They have a map of the town with every valve and every fire hydrant marked with a flag. They have complex computer systems that automate things, and they have funny little safety memes posted on people's desks. There are security protocols to ensure that none of the local systems connect to the internet and to trigger alarms if anyone tries to break into the building.
I have enjoyed most of my work as a local elected official these past few months, and the water department tour was the absolute highlight so far.
It's fascinating, isn't it? I remember taking a class field trip in elementary school many, many, (oh so many!) moons ago to our local water plant, and it was amazing. A couple of years ago I went on a tour of Cedar Point amusement park in the winter off-season and we toured the park laundry facility (they have tons of hotel rooms on site) and it was by far my favorite part. I still get excited telling people about it!
The day job's been... interesting lately, so I just launched a (secret-ish) personal design site. I'm at the point where I want to be more selective with the work I do, but still working out how to get there consistently enough to make the move.
Other than that, just the usual -- trying to keep up with the nonsense without being overwhelmed by it.
This is a long shot but... do any of you out there work at a public aquarium?
I've illustrated and written a children's picture book about what happens behind the scenes during a work day at an aquarium, based on my own experiences as a teenage volunteer. But, before it moves even further into the world, I'd love to find a professional willing to fact check some visual stuff for me. The book is a Busy Town-adjacent fish-heavy version of the The Pitt for intense little children, so I have to make sure I'm getting all the hoses and pipes in the right places. Holler at me if you think it would be fun!
I don’t, but the national conservation network of licensed zoos and aquaria should be able to get you the name of the education/outreach folks who work at one near you and I’d bet they’d be game! https://www.aza.org/
No, but one of the audio books my kids listen to a lot is Ivy + Bean Doomed to Dance, which partially takes place at an aquarium. The credits thank Dr. George Matsumoto of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, so apparently it’s a thing people do. Maybe try contacting a large aquarium like the ones in Monterey Bay, Long Beach, or Atlanta. I bet they have some kind of outreach division.
I'm pretty sure that KDO contributor Edith Zimmerman's husband recently took a job at Sea World in Orlando. I recommend reaching out to Edith.
Wow, thanks for all these leads! I know the right aquarist will get a kick out of the project but cold calling is tough! Fingers crossed...
This book sounds amazing! I want a copy already. My husband is poking around to see if he can find someone at SW to help. Feel free to email me directly so we can connect. (But no pressure!) edithzimmerman at gmail
Loving this thread!
Finally (eleven years late) saw "Hamilton" on Broadway last week. Happy to report that it really does live up to the hype! It wasn't even bananas expensive, just regular expensive. ;)
We also were late to that party and saw Hamilton with our then 8 year old last year. So good. Then we were even later to The Lion King with our now 9 year old this year. Exceeded my wildest expectations. And I agree - just regular expensive.
The Lion King *also* exceeded my expectations! And ours were super high for Hamilton (saw it 4 years ago) and I still cried, it was so good.
I’ve made a few decisions—small ones, maybe, but meaningful to me.
First, if my calendar reminds me of someone’s birthday, I either reach out to them or remove them from my contacts.
Second, I’ve banned my smartphone from the bedroom.
And third—more of a mindset shift for work and beyond: everything is fine unless someone says otherwise.
I love the birthday one. I have some birthdays of people I don't care about anymore (maybe never did), and feel like this gives me permission to remove the event. Have also been thinking about a FB friend cull for similar reasons, but people post so infrequently now, I'd have to manually go through my very long list.
I went down a bit of a rabbit hole thinking about what a 'serious' Rock Paper Scissors league would look like (after reading this post almost 2 years ago:
) — and was surprised there isn’t really such a thing.
The interesting part for me was trying to make a “random” game not feel random.
Like if someone throws Rock twice in a row — statistically the next throw is still 33% likely to be rock, but in practice people aren’t random. They react to streaks, preferences, overcorrect, etc.
I’ve been trying to model that behaviour into an actual competitive ladder.
It’s ended up being surprisingly competitive, and I think it’s starting to feel less like luck and more like a strategy or puzzle game:
https://www.rockpaperscissorsonline.com/
My 11-year-old son is obsessed with Bruce Springsteen. He wakes up every morning listening to "Born to Run," then listens to it again before going to bed every night. He spends his allowance in used CD shops on whatever Springsteen he can find. He's even made a little Bruce Springsteen trading card. Just obsessed. Yesterday, we found out he's on tour this spring and scrambled to buy some of the last seats we could find and (almost) afford. It'll be his first concert, and we're not going to tell him until we're in the car on the way. I can't wait.
I saw him for the first time last year, after having been a fan for the better part of 50 years. A near religious experience -- I'm so glad for you and your son!
I'm so upset over the general moral and democratic and economic decline in the US, and also by my own industry getting decimated by AI that I have watched the video of my youngest as the Candy Man (Willy Wonka Jr.) at least two dozen times. He's so good! :D Makes me tear up and smile every time. I'm also looking into, at 51, starting a new profession that, even after I do another 3-5 years of schooling, will pay at most 1/3 of what I made at my peak - but will *actually* be helping people. I need to get into regular volunteering, in person too, not just donating (though I'm aware that actually helps the most).
A small thing that I know my fellow nerds here at KDO will appreciate - the NYT obit for Paul Brainerd begins with a visual tribute more meaningful than words could ever be.
Gift link:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/21/technology/personaltech/paul-brainerd-dead.html?unlocked_article_code=1.WFA.sJos.i6CdH1J5nDGB&smid=url-share
I'm late to this wonderful party, but I thought it might be fun to share the next thing I'm working on. I'm officially vlogging my way through Los Angeles as I draw the city and talk to strangers.
If you're curious and would like to see episode 1, you can see it here. It still needs a little polish but it's almost there:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kCjAMRBObJBVxbikXvOeTCLIyZax13fF/view
I am editing episode 3 at this very moment, and would like to get a couple more in the bag before I start sharing them with the world. And then the plan is to release an episode a week.
All of this has been a welcome challenge for me. I've never vlogged, but I wanted to shine a light on the great parts of LA in the midst of its recent challenges (with the fires and ICE, among other things). And I hope it reminds people of the joy of going out.
I'm open to feedback. Favorite parts? Did something make you smile? And if anyone is interested, I can also post the link to episode 2 in its current form. Thanks everyone! Hope you're all having a nice day. 💫
Deep in habit patterns. Building Habit Pixel (https://habitpixel.com/get) — visual tracker that makes consistency obvious. Every pixel is a win. The small wins are what stick around. What habit would you want to track?
Hello! In order to comment or fave, you need to be a current kottke.org member. If you'd like to sign up for a membership to support the site and join the conversation, you can explore your options here.
Existing members can sign in here. If you're a former member, you can renew your membership.
Note: If you are a member and tried to log in, it didn't work, and now you're stuck in a neverending login loop of death, try disabling any ad blockers or extensions. Or try logging out and then back in. Still having trouble? Email me!
In order to comment or fave, you need to be a current kottke.org member. Check out your options for renewal.
If you feel like this comment goes against the grain of the community guidelines or is otherwise inappropriate, please let me know and I will take a look at it.
Hello! In order to leave a comment, you need to be a current kottke.org member. If you'd like to sign up for a membership to support the site and join the conversation, you can explore your options here.
Existing members can sign in here. If you're a former member, you can renew your membership.
Note: If you are a member and tried to log in, it didn't work, and now you're stuck in a neverending login loop of death, try disabling any ad blockers or extensions. Or try logging out and then back in. Still having trouble? Email me!