Maybe I'm zen

Shaun of the Seagulls, cc-by-sa Laura Hilliger

Digital detox is such an important part of life, and like many Internet People, I do try to be vigilant. For the last two weeks, I used:

Messaging apps (Signal & Telegram) - Humans need more connection, not less. I ignore work related chats, but messaging friends and family doesn't count as part of the detoxification.
Mapping apps (Google Maps & Boating HD from Navionics) - It is 2022, we are not buying paper maps of all the wilds unknown. It requires too much planning (and carrying) anyway, but also if you are going unknown into the wilds, you can't plan which paper map to bring. Digital nautical maps are a thing, and they're pretty important because boats can, like, smash into underwater rocks, rip holes in hulls and sink to the bottom of the ocean. Have you seen the Robert Redford movie All is Lost?
Weather apps (Windy, WeaWow) - Poseidon is a salty dude, and he is not f*&#ing around out there on the ocean. Last year his brother Zeus sent the Bora Winds down from the mountaintops in Croatia a few weeks early. Poseidon was like "Thanks bro, watch me wreck some sailboats!" Smart sailors (ähem) avoid bad weather and high winds. You'd be surprised at the number of people on the water who are not smart. You really would.

Instead of interneting, I read five books and I spoke to nature – the seagulls were very chatty. I spent hours feeding fish, staring into the distance, seeing. Now I am home again, I see all the greens of spring and I hope I don't lose the inner calm I have had since about the 2nd of May.

All is Lost > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Is_Lost
The Overstory by Richard Powers > http://www.richardpowers.net/the-overstory/ - it was awesome and I will now read everything Powers has written.
Literal.club > https://literal.club/laurahilliger - Kind of like GoodReads, but not owned by Amazon. I have a couple invites for this if anyone wants one. Just hit reply.

Maybe I'm ridiculous

the "Rudder of Bonifacio" cc-by-sa Laura Hilliger

I was traveling back home the night of the Eurovision finals, and while I didn't outright lament missing Eurovision this year, I do think there's something to be said for positive promotion of the spectacle. Plenty of people think Eurovision is a ridiculous waste of time, and they're completely correct. I myself rolled my eyes from 2007, when I learned about Eurovision's existence, until just last year when I watched it for the first time (and live-tooted my feelings). But what else is life other than killing time before death? There are arguments to be made about what our collective consciousness needs right around now, and Laurie Penny (link below) makes some good points.

"Eurovision was invented by people who were, more than anything else, extremely bored of war."

culture, trauma, dissociation > https://www.laurahilliger.com/writing/culture-trauma-dissociation/
All the Best Things About Europe with None of the Genocide > https://lauriepenny.substack.com/p/peace-is-still-weirder-than-war
Rare ‘Wicked’ bible that encourages adultery discovered in New Zealand > https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/02/rare-wicked-bible-that-encourages-adultery-discovered-in-new-zealand
Solarpunk > https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solarpunk

Maybe I need help?

It's usually when I return from vacation that I'm positive, so I wouldn't get used to it if I were you. Still, I feel...motivated for something different. We'll see how that pans out. How are you? If you read this far, maybe you want to hit reply and tell me what you're thinking?

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