Dress-Down Friday for June 7, 2019

I’ve got some fun links to share today:

I read Austin Kleon’s book “Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad” and really enjoyed it. It came at a good time for me where I feel that my creativity has been languishing and as a friend told me recently, creativity is my oxygen. I like how Kleon gives some very simple and actionable ideas for helping keep these pieces alive. I found it a lot like his other books, which I also enjoyed, full of good quotes, great pictures, and things that make me slow down and think.

Stephen Colbert’s recent interview about the power of comedy in the face of politics and how faith and morality play into his making sense of the world today.

Here are a few great podcasts to share:

• The recent Profane Faith Podcast with Onleilove Alston was off the chain. Find it here: “S.3 E.31 Prophetic Whirlwind: Rev. Onleilove Alston” on White Hodge Podcasts
• I really enjoyed the recent guest on “Hurry Slowly,” Jenny Odell, talking about her new book, “How to Do Nothing.”
• The Two-Part Interview with Quest Love on Broken Recordwas one of the most fun, interesting, knowledge-boosting things I’ve heard recently.

If you’re into Science-Fiction, or are just looking for a good series of books to read over the summer, I cannot recommend enough the Southern Reach Trilogy by John Vandemeer.

Thanks to a friend who recently mailed me a copy of Rainer Maria Rilke’s “Letters to a Young Poet.” I’ve been hearing about it for years but have never read it. Since I received it in the mail, I’ve been reading it every morning, trying my best to soak in every word. Here’s one line from my reading today that stood out to me.

Don’t you see that everything that happens becomes a beginning again and again? Could it not be [God’s] beginning, since a beginning in itself is always so beautiful.

App recommendation for the week:

I’ve been using Drafts of iOS and MacOSlike a maniac. I love this app! It is great for taking quick notes and hitting down ideas. Learn about Drafts in this great review from Rosemary Orchard.