“Amateur” means “to love,” and “dilettante” means “to find delight in.” And yet, both of these words have developed negative connotations. “Amateurish” is an epithet that puts one’s efforts beneath the notice of others. “Dilettante” brings to mind someone who’s unserious and idle, perhaps even someone who feels superior to others while lacking credentials. I’ve…
A link roundup of the curious, cozy, and cleverly useful. It’s that time of year again, when the mornings are warm enough to sit outside and take in the sunrise, enjoy the birdsong, and to have quality time with my coffee mug. Of course, coffee is getting to be a little pricey these days, so…
Today we celebrate the birth of one of the greatest minds in history, dodge cruise ship germs, and take a hard left into ‘90s internet nostalgia. This batch of links wasn’t supposed to have a theme, but somehow it turned into a Ferris Bueller-fueled time warp with a splash of gastrointestinal dread. It’s part history,…
This week’s internet rabbit hole led me from the lofty halls of Mensa reading lists to plastic bag wallet tutorials, with a detour through vertebrate anatomy and early-90s generational angst. Also: RIP to a few of my old bookmarks, now officially 404 ghosts. I’m starting to think a personal archive might be less of a…
I’ve often wondered how two animals, sometimes of completely different species, can somehow convey mutual affinity without even having mutual body language (much less similar bodies). I wonder how you might write two characters as best friends that can’t use words? (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPdy3WxpNUg Hmmm, the next link is a video, too. This is not planned….
The truth is, creativity is not a stable career path. Don’t get me wrong, I believe that we are inherently creative beings. Even the ones that can’t draw or dance or sing. We all make something out of nothing in some way. And we should all pursue whatever creative outlet that serves us best. And…
I just realized it’s been just over 2 years since I began writing this blog seriously. Last year I completely forgot and missed the first anniversary. I think it’s important to note, because blogging has helped me through some challenging times. I have been reflecting lately on how it has shaped me and what I…
Links for March 2025 Note tracking for creatives: https://mtrask.substack.com/p/how-i-organise-my-world-building A nice post on creativity that was similar to an experience I had. Quite fortuitous to find this post on the fediverse: https://sylvia.studio/posts/creativity-is-simple Inspirational image: Arctic Dragon and other space photos: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26334990-500-these-stunning-images-made-the-shortlist-for-space-photo-competition/ What stories could be told from an ancient archive? A state archive of the…
Cory Doctorow has written (somewhere, I can’t find the actual post) about how his daily link blog also serves as a personal memory aid. Since the link lists are dated, it’s also a way to connect a date with one’s state of mind or activities at the time. Temporal context is an important dimension in…
I can’t really describe my nearly lifelong fascination with index cards. In the same way that a new sketchbook or journal has seemingly limitless potential, to me index cards are that – times ten. Ideas, drawings, notes left for someone in their absence, a bookmark, an impromptu calling card, a shopping list, a profound concept…