Table inspiration

Can't do much better than The Highwomen's Crowded Table. This video is lovely.

I want a house with a crowded table
and a place by the fire for everyone.
Let us take on the world while we're young and able
and bring us back together when the day is done.

Comment highlight

On getting from world-numbness to action, from the lovely Shawna: "It's discouraging ... but I am finding the way through in community. For instance, I’ve had an actionable opportunity on my mind for months - a way to engage in something important - but had put off making the call to commit for months and months. But after a spontaneous conversation with a friend, I’m finally committed! I need people to unfreeze me - push me over that hump of hesitation!"

Learning in public

Right after Shawna posted that comment, I heard an NPR report about the recent fighting in Sudan and its devastating effects on civilians. The reporter mentioned a great need for blood donations and blood-infusion bags, and I started that familiar spiral: like, how am I supposed to get a blood donation to Sudan?! And then I remembered: I've long thought I should have a habit of donating blood, because it always seems to be in short supply, even in this country...so I found a donation drive near me and signed up. It felt good! Thanks, Shawna!

Podcast recommendation

While we're on the topic..."consent to learn in public" comes from the Cherokee scholar Adrienne Keene, who co-hosts the fantastic All My Relations podcast about what it's like to be Native in this country in the 2020s.

Made me laugh

Tweet: "I (29M) raced my friend (24M) to the burial plot of our recently deceased friend (33M) and I won the race! I recorded it down in my memoir as a small point of pride and it accidentally got leaked for the whole world to read. AITA?
John 20

Have a wonderful weekend! Thank you soooo much for your support of this project. See you Tuesday!