The Quran--the book that, we are told, comes from the divine encounters Muhammad had over a period of years--contains a striking story about Smokey [Bear "Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires...Only You"] responsibility. At the very beginning, when God created human beings, before any of them entered the world, God asked them, "Am I not your Lord?" Every single one answered yes. And God took note so that no one who disregarded God's commands in their earthly life could plead ignorance.

I had not heard this aspect of Islam before, but I guess it's a pretty good dodge for that "but what about people who never get to hear about the REAL God" question that has driven a lot of Christian missionary work and some doctrine (like "limbo" for infants who die unbaptized) I mean I think it would still be sus that so many people got such a bigger familial and cultural dose of Allah than others, but still.

The "Life Worth Living" book is a wide but not deep survey along with some guided exercises about ponder The Question.

I feel like I've thought about my answers to that big question a lot already: for me, humanity's purpose is to create categorical novelty in this part of the Universe, kindness is paramount, there is DEFINITELY a universal absolute moral truth (that is an emergent property of human interaction) but we DEFINITELY can't KNOW what it is (so the universal truth might be one being multifaceted and culturally-subjective but it exists, so I reject existential "believe whatever you want there are no rules"), and the best way to live is a kind of cheerful Buddhist-tinged Epicureanism; seeking a cheerful, sustainable pleasant moderation.

One other bit I pulled from the book is journalist Kathryn Schulz asking her TED audience "How does it feel to be wrong?", but they would answer "how does it feel to REALIZE you are wrong" - because being wrong without realizing it feels exactly the same as being right.

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Last night in Arlington phone cameras could pick up the Northern Lights even in this horribly light-polluted land

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Summons

Keep me from going to sleep too soon
Or if I go to sleep too soon
Come wake me up. Come any hour
Of night. Come whistling up the road.
Stomp on the porch. Bang on the door.
Make me get out of bed and come
And let you in and light a light.
Tell me the northern lights are on
And make me look. Or tell me clouds
Are doing something to the moon
They never did before, and show me.
See that I see. Talk to me till
I'm half as wide awake as you
And start to dress wondering why
I ever went to bed at all.
Tell me the walking is superb.
Not only tell me but persuade me.
You know I'm not too hard persuaded.

When I think about decluttering... I think about Marie Kondo's admonition NOT to do it place by place in the house. But perversely her insistence that that's not the way makes me think it might have aspects that are worth trying. I don't want to go for an extreme minimalism, but I would like the space I regularly inhabit to have everything in it showing a purpose.

Also thinking about detecting "sparking joy" reminds me of this #stupid-idea-buddies chat idea I had:

#1465 Trying to declutter but Marie Kondo is too pile-centric or mumbo-jumbo-y? Arrange all your possessions in a long straight line ordered by how much you want each item, make a perpendicular line at the cut off point, and discard everything to left. DONE AND DUSTED.(Note, you may still have to dust, especially around those shelves where the cluttering items used to sit.)

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JP Honk gets a shoutout from WBUR for our upcoming performance at Somerville Porchfest - 1-2PM @ 32 Chandler St... Obviously they're wrong in so many other ways, but sometimes I wonder if Scientologists are onto something by blaming "Body Thetans" as a semi-externalized voice holding us back. I mean it's just a rehashed version of "the devil made me do it" (and I think there's a big tradition of attributing malicious thoughts to demons) or even of more modern "parts" therapies like Internal Family Systems.

But my introspection really indicates that there are huge parts of "me" that just are only under the influence, not the full control, of my more rational, inner-voice self. Like the inner classroom model I like, or sometimes even more like a pack of animals.

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For the first time in my life, I formulated this joke:
Since I'm bad with names, I try not to be rude when someone makes the most common mistakes with my own. In other words: better to be Kurt than curt!

(The struggle, It is real. Or Israel.)

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I've always loved D+D Alignment Charts...

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Billionaires pay less of a percent of their hoards of cash than working folk. WTF.


This morning I took part in a "Bike Bus" in Cambridge, folks from School of Honk played music for the weekly neighborhood bike troop of a local elementary school...

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I was surprised to see this photo of Lana Del Ray at the Met Gala because I thought she was dead.

Turns out I thought it was Amy Winehouse who sang "Video Games"

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The Ringer: The Greatest Diss Tracks of All Time, Ranked

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My sweet tooth is driving me nuts.
Reminded me I really missed Extra "Dessert Delights" gum, especially the mint chocolate flavor.

I'm not the only one... here's a petition to bring them back

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Heh - it's nice how often a polite note to an author will get a cordial response! (from Oliver Burkeman in this case, I inquired about how he managed notes for books etc, since his works are so rich with quotes.)

I feel like many creative folks who are not swamped by fans (maybe especially authors) will often have time for a quick note (in a more analog age, my dad realized that if he sent a self-stamped postcard when he enquired if they'd be willing to sign their book, he could usually score an autograph on the postcard even if the author didn't want to approve him sending on the book)