{"id":670,"date":"2018-10-04T10:54:37","date_gmt":"2018-10-04T17:54:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.aligncenter.org\/?p=670"},"modified":"2019-12-26T21:54:25","modified_gmt":"2019-12-27T04:54:25","slug":"newsletter-37","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aligncenter.org\/newsletter-37\/","title":{"rendered":"Align Center Newsletter #37"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/img>Photo by the author<\/span>
\nEmbracing mediocrity in the pursuit of leisure, the dissonance between how much you think about others and how much they think about you (not that much), and poetry for mental health are some of the best reads from the last two weeks. In our long read, follow an unlikely farmer’s dream of a tiny apple legacy, and listen to the author of a hilarious viral Medium article on women and drinking culture. Finally, check out the Broadway play, folk artist, twin photo project, and Earthrise, an Op-Ed doc from the author of Spiritual Ecology in the digs.<\/p>\n

\u25e6 selected words<\/h1>\n

Rethinking Hobbies \u2014 In Praise of Mediocrity<\/a><\/h2>\n

Do you remember when we used to occupy ourselves with hobbies, just for the fun of it? Not to make a viral video, or create an Instagram following, or to get sponsored by Red Bull. “To permit yourself to do only that which you are good at is to be trapped in a cage whose bars are not steel but self-judgment.” We’ve become too serious and demanding on ourselves, especially when the activity we engaged in once for pleasure begins to mix in with our identity. It may not be civilization in decline, as the author argues, but take this as a reminder of what it means to have a hobby.
\nThe New York Times (4min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

You’re Not That Important<\/a><\/h2>\n

I once read that the number one cause of stress at work is thinking that your job is important. If you get hit by a bus, your family will grieve, your coworkers will also but they’ll move on even quicker, and eventually your job will be filled (with exceptions). This potent article takes this philosophy one step further, questioning the reader, how much time do you spend thinking about other people? Not that much, because you’re mostly concerned with yourself and your multitude of problems. So don’t put too much weight in how others perceive you or judge you, we’re all dealing with our own shit.
\nBlake Gossard on Medium.com (5min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

What They Don’t Tell You About Remote Work<\/a><\/h2>\n

I’m a remote worker, and as work becomes more flexible, broadband more ubiquitous, and travel cheaper than ever, I’ve noticed more people attracted to the glamour of nomad life without considering the uglier side not on Instagram. Don’t get me wrong, I love to travel and recognize my privilege in being able to. It’s contributed greatly to the person I am today, instilling a calm and an understanding that we are all seeking for the same things. It’s expanded my comfort zone and gave a scrawny sheltered kid from the suburbs a confidence and agency to handle stressful situations and connect with people despite language and cultural barriers. However, there are trade-offs not often taled about in health, community, and relationships, as summed up well in this article from the founder of Doist, a remote-first company.
\nDoist Blog (9min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

How Poetry Can Light Up Our Darker Moments<\/a><\/h2>\n

Poetry is experiencing a renaissance, with poets at literary festivals attracting large crowds, and the most prestigious awards and fellowships being granted to young poets from countries not known for their writers, like China, El Salvador, Haiti, Iran, Jamaica, Korea, Vietnam. If you’re like me, poetry was the two weeks of English class with limericks and haikus that you could never fully grasp. Poetry was scary, and still is scary, but it doesn’t have to be. In our fast-moving world, it can be the medicine for our distracted lives.
\nThe Guardian (6min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u25e6 listen in<\/h1>\n

Kristi Coulter Reads “Enjoli” (Medium.com)<\/a><\/h2>\n

“Do you remember the Enjoli perfume commercial from the 1970s? The chick who could bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan, and never let you forget you\u2019re a man? I blame that bitch for a lot.” Published on Medium two years ago, this story confronts “having it all” culture \u2014 socially accepted forms of alcohol dependence in overworked women \u2014 with tenderness and sharp wit. Stay until 22:28 when Medium interviews author and Amazon employee Kristi Coulter, discussing its success, readers’ sometimes angry responses, first-world problems, and her book deal that came as the essay went viral.
\nMedium Playback – Episode 5 (39min podcast)<\/a>
\nApple<\/a> \/ Spotify<\/a> \/ Pocket Casts<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u25e6 eat well<\/h1>\n

Pesto… Soup!<\/a><\/h2>\n

What to do with leftover pesto? Soup is likely not the first thing that comes to mind, but it gives your soup a savoury complexity from just a tablespoon per bowl. For this recipe, I substituted the peas for edadame beans for an extra protein boost, and added sliced cherry tomatoes which complement the white beans.
\nBBC Good Food<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u25e6 read slow<\/h1>\n

Propagating a Dream with Tiny Apples<\/a><\/h2>\n

On 17 acres of Victoria’s Yarra Valley, one of Australia’s agricultural treasures, a couple have created something remarkable\u00a0\u2014\u00a0a tiny apple sought after by the high-end hotels and restaurants in Sydney and Melbourne. The story of a reluctant 75 year-old man with no farming background, slowly working the land for forty years the same way, searching for a legacy.
\nABC Australia (14min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u25e6 current read<\/h1>\n

Buddhism Plain and Simple<\/a><\/h2>\n

Split into three sections: The Perennial Problem, The Way to Wake Up and Free Mind, author Steve Hagen demystifies Buddhism, focusing on its practical applications rather than the history and religion. He explains: “Real Buddhism is not really an ‘ism.’ It’s a process, an awareness, an openness, a spirit of inquiry \u2013 not a belief system, or even (as we normally understand it) a religion. It is more accurate to call it ‘the teaching of the awakened,’ or the buddha-dharma.” A clear introduction to Buddhist thought for newcomers interested more in the philosophy than the religion, this was one of my first reads when venturing into mindfulness and meditation over a decade ago.
\nBuddhism Plain and Simple by Steve Hagen (172p)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u25e6 dig this<\/h1>\n

What I’m digging lately:<\/p>\n