Things that make you go Hmmmm

The mind, if preoccupied with a problem or question long enough, will tend to come up with possibilities that might eventually lead to answers, but at this stage are still speculations, untested hypotheses, and early epiphanies. (Epiphanies often are characterized as “Aha! moments,” but that suggests the problem has been solved in a flash. More

... See more

The framework below is specifically for navigating people you don’t trust, don’t feel comfortable with, or aren’t interested in who also happen to still be in your life. I call it the Spectrum of Contact.

(P.S. Here’s the video version if that’s your Jam)

The Spectrum of Contact

No Contact: No access. No exchange. No rent-free space in your head.

Em... See more

I find myself slowing changing from an agent of change to an agent of care. I’m less confident in the impact my activism might have on policy than I am about the impact my care may have on other human beings, as well as how they might trickle up to the systems that need changing.

What I've seen work in real life are activities such as mutual aid,... See more

Effectiveness is always contingent on the desired effect.

The effects we're least likely to examine closely are often those that perpetuate the status quo or serve interests other than our own.

When a woman who's been socialized within diet culture asks another woman who's been socialized within diet culture if a workout is effective, there's a good... See more

Most newsletter efforts won’t become valuable until you’ve been producing work for some time and gradually built up a list of people who are invested in your work and have seen you in action. We’re talking years here. Unfortunately, by that point, some writers will have decided the email newsletter is not worth it. But the newsletter list acts like... See more

Now I understand that silence can be more powerful than speech. Not speaking up can sometimes be a greater act of self-love than any amount of self-expression. When you stop explaining yourself to people who are determined to misunderstand you, you reclaim your energy for the connections that truly matter.

What Would It Be Like to Restore Sanity?

What would it be like to work together again in creative and generous ways?

What would it be like to be curious about who you’re with rather than judging or fearing them?

What would it be like to engage together in exploring possibilities rather than withdrawing in conflict or disagreement?

What would it be... See more

Don’t be afraid to be an idealist. There is much to be said for our responsibility as creators and consumers of that constant dynamic interaction we call culture — which side of the fault line between catering and creating are we to stand on? The commercial enterprise is conditioning us to believe that the road to success is paved with catering to... See more