For the first time since we began publication, this digest will take a brief, two week hiatus as its author goes hiking in Hobbiton. I am departing today for New Zealand, returning on November 7th. While searching for orcs, elves, and other Tolkien creatures, I will
have limited internet access, and while I fear being disconnected from the news during election season - or is that next year, it all seems to run together - I'm going to have to take a break from the digest for two weeks. I know this news must be quite distressing for those of you who rely on this digest and the included dog pic to make it through the week. Rest assured, however, this is only a brief hiatus.
As always, happy Wednesday and happy reading! See you in again in three weeks!
This Day in History
1975 – Carlton Fisk hits a walk off home run off the left field foul pole to win Game 6 of the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. A great moment in sports history, and in particular for a team that needed great moments to get through a century without a World Series Title (the Red Sox lost Game 7). My dig at the Red Sox aside, this is actually an important moment in sports history. More on that shortly.
Where's The Good News?
Perhaps you read or watch the news occasionally and think to yourself, "well, that's horrible." Or perhaps you avoid the news because without tuning in you think to yourself, "well, that's horrible." And it is, there's tons of horrible out there. But sex sells, so despite our disgust, we still tune in (and retweet) all the bad stuff.
But if we look, and if we ask for it, there's plenty of good out there too. Despite all our problems, there are tons of people all over the world working hard to make a difference, but no one wants to read about them, so we don't. Instead we largely overlook their hard work, good deeds, and most importantly, their success.
So here's some good news, recently, three powerful and influential men were working simultaneously to address the threat of climate change (from Medium). I take the threat of climate change very seriously, but all I hear about is how it was going to kill us yesterday. Well yesterday came and went, and we're still here. Yesterday may catch up with us if we don't clean up our act, but it's great to see powerful people taking action.
Joy and Exhilaration
My friend Ben in NYC was telling me recently how the Carlton Fisk home run was such an important moment because Boston's famous Green Monster wall had a cameraman behind it, and he coincidentally filmed Fisk along the first base line frantically waving the ball fair (from the Boston Globe).
The producer who saw the footage knew he had something. At the time, cameramen focused on the action, not the players reactions to it. But Fisk's reaction is impossible not to love. We watch sports to share the joy and euphoria - and the pain and agony - with the players. Many athletes have taken this trend too far, but we're in it for the emotion, and powerful moments like these inspire us.
Go Paint a Picture
Or sing a song. Or something. Be creative, because art is good for you (from Priceonomics). This seems obvious; ever since human beings cultivated food and livestock therefore discovering leisure time, we've honed three skills: making art, making war, and drinking.
For millennia, since and even before civilization, art has been an outlet for emotion and cultural expressions. In different forms it has shaped how we think and act. And making art helps spur our creative instincts, even if we're not particularly good at producing said art (like me!). In fact, a few months ago I wrote a short piece on how I think playing with Legos as a child was great for me (from Medium by me!).
We're not all Picassos, but it's worth our time to do something that makes us happy, and it will help us with other things as well. Fun Fact: Winston Chruchill was a painter!
Role Models
No one is perfect, but we tend to focus on the flaws and overlook the good. Particularly in the world of sports, athletes receive so much negative attention for off the field antics, but many of them are great people! For example, Albert Pujols deserves credit for his work with children who have down syndrome (from Iamsecond.com). I can't imagine that everyone has it in them to adopt a daughter with down syndrome and then dedicate time and money to understanding it and assisting those who have it. Albert Pujols doesn't have to do any of that, but he does. I wish more people followed his example.
Be Like Mike
From Nashville and doing his best Michael Jordan impression is Peanut! Except it's not an act. Peanuts has an overlong tongue, and so he's constantly looking snarky, but he's a nice guy if you give him a chance. Peanut lives with his humans Jay and Jessica, and like any good dog, he likes to eat. Peanut's unique tongue gives him a leg up on his fellows when it comes to stealing food off the counter. He's got the extra reach, and as you can see he's a well-fed fella. Thanks to Jay, Jessica, and Steve for sharing Peanut!
Until We Meet Again
Which is soon! So don't go thinking that you're off the hook for sharing the opt-in form. There won't be another digest for three weeks...will there be new subscribers then? YOU have the power.
And don't forget feedback form! What do you want to hear about? How do you feel about content and length? Got any dogs to share? I need to know these things!! And now off to New Zealand; hope you're looking forward to pictures of sheep in the next digest.
