Both Are True
Now That's What I Call BAT: Volume 1
greatest hits + a short new essay + an entire album of music all about rocks!!
9 hours ago
greatest hits + a short new essay + an entire album of music all about rocks!!
The Ruffian
The Standing Ovation Theory of Everything
Why Our Choices Are Never Ours Alone
12 hours ago
Why Our Choices Are Never Ours Alone
Atoms vs Bits
80/20 Meditation
Part of our 80/20 series
sit on a cushion for 20 mins per day
focus on your sensory experiences...
yesterday
Part of our 80/20 series
sit on a cushion for 20 mins per day
focus on your sensory experiences (touch, sight, smell, sound). Try to perceive them as accurately as possible [1] [2] [3]
footnotes:
is that really all? on one level, yes -- both in the sense that
Both Are True
anxiety at work!!
hey boss, are you mad at me?
2 days ago
hey boss, are you mad at me?
journal – Winnie Lim
one-year covid anniversary reflections
Yesterday was the one-year anniversary of the day I tested positive for covid for the first time....
4 days ago
Yesterday was the one-year anniversary of the day I tested positive for covid for the first time. All things considered I thought I had done well to avoid it for three years...
The Honest Broker
What Is Really Inside the Briefcase in 'Pulp Fiction'?
Here's the latest installment of my book 'Music to Raise the Dead'—currently available only on...
5 days ago
Here's the latest installment of my book 'Music to Raise the Dead'—currently available only on Substack
The Ruffian
27 Takes On What It Means To Be a Serious Person
Plus a rattle bag of goodies
5 days ago
Plus a rattle bag of goodies
Laetitia@Work
What if generative AI was actually underwhelming?
Laetitia@Work #69
6 days ago
Both Are True
the detonator
no, i will not 'grieve' my pre-parent self
a week ago
no, i will not 'grieve' my pre-parent self
The Honest Broker
How We Became a Techno-Optimist Family
You can too!
a week ago
Nat Eliason's Essays
The Window of Opportunity is Here
Don't get stuck in neutral
a week ago
Don't get stuck in neutral
The Ruffian
The Sunak Question
Why Has the Tory Party's Great Hope Been So Bad At the Job?
a week ago
Why Has the Tory Party's Great Hope Been So Bad At the Job?
Both Are True
you don't need everyone to like your work (2018)
revisiting something i wrote years ago
a week ago
revisiting something i wrote years ago
The Map is Mostly...
Why Buy a House (or Land)?
A lesson in ignoring economics
a week ago
A lesson in ignoring economics
journal – Winnie Lim
messy thoughts while in hong kong
I haven’t been well since my birth day. The very next day I woke up with elevated heart rate again –...
a week ago
I haven’t been well since my birth day. The very next day I woke up with elevated heart rate again – I am more aware of this because I use a bunch...
The Ruffian
Why Does Being Left-Wing Make You Unhappy?
The Ideological Well-Being Gap
a week ago
The Ideological Well-Being Gap
The Honest Broker
The Rise of the Anonymous Music Star
Do streaming platforms view famous artists as a threat to their brands?
a week ago
Do streaming platforms view famous artists as a threat to their brands?
Both Are True
"she looks exactly like you"
she's my daughter, she's my twin
2 weeks ago
she's my daughter, she's my twin
The Honest Broker
The Rise and Fall of The Village Voice
A new book reminds us what we lost when the counterculture disappeared
2 weeks ago
A new book reminds us what we lost when the counterculture disappeared
Atoms vs Bits
If Not Could Not
Suppose you're hiring for a sales job. In the first interview, the candidate says: "I'm very good at...
2 weeks ago
Suppose you're hiring for a sales job. In the first interview, the candidate says: "I'm very good at selling things." Well, that's nice: the job is all about selling things, so someone good at selling things would indeed be a good fit.
The Ruffian
How Silicon Valley Hacked the Science of Human Behaviour
Revisiting My 2016 Piece on The Phones
2 weeks ago
Revisiting My 2016 Piece on The Phones
Passing Time
In Defense of Trying Hard
Being a try-hard is good, actually
2 weeks ago
Being a try-hard is good, actually
Tech and Tea
Saying No to what I feel I should do
Navigating the space between should and want, and finding more permission for ease and rest.
2 weeks ago
Navigating the space between should and want, and finding more permission for ease and rest.
Castles in the Sky
What it feels like to be in love
Vignettes #2
2 weeks ago
The Ruffian
Can You Imitate a Genius?
What the new Amy Winehouse film tells us about singing, talent, and AI
2 weeks ago
What the new Amy Winehouse film tells us about singing, talent, and AI
journal – Winnie Lim
43
I wrote this time last year that I felt like I was coping better than the year before. This year I...
2 weeks ago
I wrote this time last year that I felt like I was coping better than the year before. This year I don’t feel like I have made much progress, and perhaps I...
Castles in the Sky
Becoming an adult, one toddler tantrum at a time.
A letter from a father
2 weeks ago
The Honest Broker
I Receive a Letter from a High School Student
I share this dispatch from 11th grade in its entirety
3 weeks ago
I share this dispatch from 11th grade in its entirety
Both Are True
when all (keys, wallet, etc) is lost
you lose some, you lose some
3 weeks ago
you lose some, you lose some
The Ruffian
Why London's Famous Penguin Pool Has No Penguins In It
A Tale From My Trip To The Zoo
3 weeks ago
A Tale From My Trip To The Zoo
The Honest Broker
In Search of Dupree Bolton (Part 2 of 2)
I conclude the story of my quest to find a legendary jazz musician who disappeared in the early...
3 weeks ago
I conclude the story of my quest to find a legendary jazz musician who disappeared in the early 1960s
Both Are True
i guess i wrote a song???
a guest post from Alex Gobrenko
3 weeks ago
a guest post from Alex Gobrenko
Daniel Bourke
Not just fishing knots
Took mum to her childhood home Sunday just gone to see Papa.
We walked in and mum saw Nana and they...
3 weeks ago
Took mum to her childhood home Sunday just gone to see Papa.
We walked in and mum saw Nana and they both started to cry.
Papa, Alan, Alby, my grandfather was quite sick.
The room was quiet and somber but had an unshakable aura of warmth and love.
Everyone was
Passing Time
The Hardo-Normie Alignment Graph
I don't know how I get invited to anything either
3 weeks ago
I don't know how I get invited to anything either
Castles in the Sky
The Many Faces of Mexican Heirloom Corn | Introducing the Vignettes Series
Vignettes #1
3 weeks ago
journal – Winnie Lim
sending out pieces of my self
In one of my recent posts I documented my experience with the risograph, and at the bottom of the...
3 weeks ago
In one of my recent posts I documented my experience with the risograph, and at the bottom of the post I wrote that I’ll be giving away 5 pieces of the poster...
The Ruffian
Am I Anti-Woke?
Self-Reflection Inspired by Nick Cave, Plus a Taxonomy of Woke, Plus Rattle Bag
3 weeks ago
Self-Reflection Inspired by Nick Cave, Plus a Taxonomy of Woke, Plus Rattle Bag
The Honest Broker
The Real Crisis in Humanities Isn't Happening at College
Our problem is in the real world—not the ivory tower—and so is the solution
4 weeks ago
Our problem is in the real world—not the ivory tower—and so is the solution
Both Are True
i want to be with someone i can goof with - help?
wherever you goof, there you harr (i am so sorry)
4 weeks ago
wherever you goof, there you harr (i am so sorry)
Atoms vs Bits
The Mystery Of The Pots
Does quantity lead to quality?
4 weeks ago
Does quantity lead to quality?
The Honest Broker
Open Mic Discussion: How Do You Deal with Disabilities that Put Your Vocation at Risk?
A reader asks for your advice
4 weeks ago
A reader asks for your advice
Both Are True
good word / bad word - issue 1
because some words are good and others are bad
a month ago
because some words are good and others are bad
The Honest Broker
12 Things I Learned from René Girard
How a thinker who hated trends & fashions became trendy & fashionable
a month ago
How a thinker who hated trends & fashions became trendy & fashionable
journal – Winnie Lim
the dam
[tw warning: suicide ideation] Yesterday I had another episode where I spent hours crying. This...
a month ago
[tw warning: suicide ideation] Yesterday I had another episode where I spent hours crying. This actually feels embarrassing to write, but intellectually I think it is society that conditions us to think...
The Ruffian
Why It's Good To Be Biased
When everyone is rational, reasonable and nice, we all get a little dimmer
a month ago
When everyone is rational, reasonable and nice, we all get a little dimmer
The Convivial...
Desire, Dopamine, and the Internet
The Convivial Society: Vol. 5, No. 5
a month ago
The Convivial Society: Vol. 5, No. 5
Laetitia@Work
What the fear of ageing costs working women
Laetitia@Work #68
a month ago
Both Are True
we switched from a crib to a toddler bed
on sleep transitions
a month ago
The Honest Broker
They Praised AI at SXSW—and the Audience Started Booing
My survey confirms that consumers are getting angry about new tech (and not just AI)
a month ago
My survey confirms that consumers are getting angry about new tech (and not just AI)
Both Are True
WANTED: Happiness, dead or alive
Alex is back with a brand new invention (an essay)
a month ago
Alex is back with a brand new invention (an essay)
Castles in the Sky
Tracking how many of The Atlantic's Great American Novels I've Read
An ongoing project
a month ago
Passing Time
Backyard Skiing
You don’t have to go far from home for adventure
a month ago
You don’t have to go far from home for adventure
journal – Winnie Lim
my first hate comment
This morning I woke up to my first ever hate comment in response to my latest post in the history of...
a month ago
This morning I woke up to my first ever hate comment in response to my latest post in the history of this blog. I am sharing a screenshot because I don’t wish...
The Honest Broker
I Had to Say Something at My Son's Wedding
So I'm sharing it with you too
a month ago
So I'm sharing it with you too
journal – Winnie Lim
pretension
Lately I am trying to have more compassion for myself, but it has been a struggle. I tell myself...
a month ago
Lately I am trying to have more compassion for myself, but it has been a struggle. I tell myself just like I wouldn’t expect someone without a leg to run a marathon,...
The Ruffian
In Praise of Slow Learners
How the Tortoise Beats the Hare
a month ago
How the Tortoise Beats the Hare
Both Are True
i want to be good but i am bad - help?
at what point are we no longer able to change our brains?
a month ago
at what point are we no longer able to change our brains?
The Map is Mostly...
Small Spaces
notes on building blocks
a month ago
The Honest Broker
Is Honest Writing the Next New Thing in Journalism?
And 21 reasons why writers are dishonest
a month ago
And 21 reasons why writers are dishonest
Atoms vs Bits
Conversation-Catalysing Events
There's a famous British politics quote where the 1960s Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, aka...
a month ago
There's a famous British politics quote where the 1960s Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, aka Supermac, is asked the hardest thing about government and replies “Events, dear boy, events”. This probably never happened and is absolutely irrelevant to this blogpost regardless, but I...
Both Are True
The masks we wear (rom com, act three)
A denoument? In this economy? You betcha. Let's boogie.
a month ago
A denoument? In this economy? You betcha. Let's boogie.
Left To Write
№ 78: Bloomstory Codex, Changing of Seasons, Unproductivity Is The New Productivity
A brief update of the last months
a month ago
A brief update of the last months
The Honest Broker
How Miles Davis Hired John Coltrane
A fascinating interlude from James Kaplan's new book '3 Shades of Blue'
a month ago
A fascinating interlude from James Kaplan's new book '3 Shades of Blue'
journal – Winnie Lim
documenting my first experience with the risograph
Last weekend to celebrate our 94th month anniversary we decided to attend a beginner’s risograph...
a month ago
Last weekend to celebrate our 94th month anniversary we decided to attend a beginner’s risograph workshop at Knuckles & Notch. To be very honest I haven’t heard of the word “risograph” until...
Tech and Tea
Reader Mailbag: Struggling to do it all
A reader writes in with questions about technical up-skilling, finding balance in life and work, and...
a month ago
A reader writes in with questions about technical up-skilling, finding balance in life and work, and getting in touch with their identity outside of work.
The Ruffian
The State of the Culture Is...Not Bad, Actually
Reflections on a good year for the Oscars
a month ago
Reflections on a good year for the Oscars
Mark Manson
40 Life Lessons I Know at 40 (That I Wish I Knew at 20)
Today is my 40th birthday.
When I turned 30 a decade ago, I wrote an article sharing life lessons to...
a month ago
Today is my 40th birthday.
When I turned 30 a decade ago, I wrote an article sharing life lessons to survive your 20s and crowd-sourced advice on how to excel in your 30s. And apparently you guys loved it.
So, here's more of the good stuff: 40 life lessons I now know at 40 that I...
The Convivial...
Audio Versions Are Back
A Convivial Society Update
a month ago
A Convivial Society Update
Castles in the Sky
Beyond Cliché and Pretense: From the Canon to Constellations
The Importance of the new type of Artist
a month ago
The Importance of the new type of Artist
The Convivial...
Secularization Comes For the Religion of Technology (Audio Version)
The Convivial Society: Vol. 5, No. 3
a month ago
The Convivial Society: Vol. 5, No. 3
Castles in the Sky
CATHEDRAL | Chapter One - Four Years Out
Cathedral | Castles in the Sky #60
a month ago
Cathedral | Castles in the Sky #60
Both Are True
the essay formerly known as romcom (act two)
Rom and Com are perfect for each other, but the universe has other plans
a month ago
Rom and Com are perfect for each other, but the universe has other plans
The Convivial...
Vision Con (Audio Version)
The Convivial Society: Vol. 5, No. 2 (supplement)
a month ago
The Convivial Society: Vol. 5, No. 2 (supplement)
Passing Time
Your Social Universe
Imagine yourself as a star.
a month ago
Imagine yourself as a star.
Castles in the Sky
Treat life like a trip to the used bookstore.
Bookstore Register #4
a month ago
Nat Eliason's Essays
This Moment is Your Life
How to not waste it
a month ago
Both Are True
The meet-cute (rom com, Act One)
a tale of two idiots who fell in love as told by one of those idiots, full of sound and fury,...
a month ago
a tale of two idiots who fell in love as told by one of those idiots, full of sound and fury, signifying everything
The Convivial...
Learning to Receive the Day
Listen now | The Convivial Society: Vol. 5, No. 1 (supplement)
a month ago
Listen now | The Convivial Society: Vol. 5, No. 1 (supplement)
The Honest Broker
How to Break Free from Dopamine Culture
My quest for a healthier relationship with technology
a month ago
My quest for a healthier relationship with technology
Daniel Bourke
Superglue and milk
We walked out of the movies and it was still daylight.
I helped Dad get onto the escalators.
He...
a month ago
We walked out of the movies and it was still daylight.
I helped Dad get onto the escalators.
He moves slower than most.
It keeps me in check when I’m steaming along.
Walking into the movies I looked at the time.
We were late.
Friday afternoon traffic.
So
journal – Winnie Lim
some ruminations on the inherent dislike of my self
[cw: suicidal thoughts] I guess this does not come as a surprise to anyone – I think I have an...
a month ago
[cw: suicidal thoughts] I guess this does not come as a surprise to anyone – I think I have an inherent dislike for my self. No one who inherently likes them selves...
The Honest Broker
A Failed Rock Adaption of Dune Might Have Starred Mick Jagger, Orson Welles & Salvador Dalí (with...
This gets the top spot on my list of never-made films I'd like to see
a month ago
This gets the top spot on my list of never-made films I'd like to see
The Ruffian
Delusional self-belief is a superpower until it's a disaster
What's the optimal amount of self-deception for a politician?
a month ago
What's the optimal amount of self-deception for a politician?
The Convivial...
The Art of Living
The Convivial Society: Vol. 5, No. 4
a month ago
The Convivial Society: Vol. 5, No. 4
Castles in the Sky
The Limits of Novelty as a Value Proposition
Early thoughts on writing about Russian Cosmism and "the common task"
a month ago
Early thoughts on writing about Russian Cosmism and "the common task"
The Ruffian
The Google Gemini Debacle Shows Us Why Office Politics Matters More Than Ever
On the Real Alignment Problem
a month ago
On the Real Alignment Problem
The Honest Broker
Why I Don't Read Reddit
And why I did read Reddit's IPO filing—here are seven things I learned
a month ago
And why I did read Reddit's IPO filing—here are seven things I learned
Both Are True
what do i do with my life?
kill the trolls
a month ago
Daniel Bourke
Introducing Nutrify | A Pokédex for Food
Like Shazam. But for food. A simple app to make learning about food fun.
a month ago
Like Shazam. But for food. A simple app to make learning about food fun.
The Honest Broker
13 Observations on Ritual
And other responses to my 'dopamine culture' article
2 months ago
And other responses to my 'dopamine culture' article
journal – Winnie Lim
from creativity to activity
I started making websites and dabbling in photoshop when I first got my computer at 15. I never felt...
2 months ago
I started making websites and dabbling in photoshop when I first got my computer at 15. I never felt particularly creative as a child and I hated art classes so when that...
The Ruffian
Rattle Bag
On a plot hole in Macbeth and much else besides
2 months ago
On a plot hole in Macbeth and much else besides
The Convivial...
Secularization Comes for the Religion of Technology: Or, how to make sense of techno-optimist...
The Convivial Society: Vol. 5, No. 3
2 months ago
The Convivial Society: Vol. 5, No. 3
Atoms vs Bits
My Personal Electoral College Total
Would the states you've visited be enough to win the electoral college? Find out....
2 months ago
Would the states you've visited be enough to win the electoral college? Find out....
Laetitia@Work
Why midlife women walk out of corporate jobs
Laetitia@Work #67
2 months ago
The Ruffian
Hitler's Willing Executioners
On the genocidal mindset
2 months ago
Mark Manson
33 Powerful Books That May Change Your Life
I've read over 1,000 nonfiction books in my life, and these 33 are the most powerful of them all. I...
2 months ago
I've read over 1,000 nonfiction books in my life, and these 33 are the most powerful of them all. I can honestly say they changed my life, who's to say they won't change yours too?
Don't just take my word for it though. Read on for my summary of all 33 books and see for yourself...
The Honest Broker
Help!—AI Is Stealing My Readers
I thought piracy was bad, but I've now seen something much worse
2 months ago
I thought piracy was bad, but I've now seen something much worse
Castles in the Sky
The Third Year Online Creator Playbook
How I'm going to have my most productive and creative year yet
2 months ago
How I'm going to have my most productive and creative year yet
Both Are True
i think my son hates me
PLUS: i am not handling it well AND ALSO: a baby update
2 months ago
PLUS: i am not handling it well AND ALSO: a baby update
The Honest Broker
The State of the Culture, 2024
Or a glimpse into post-entertainment society (it's not pretty)
2 months ago
Or a glimpse into post-entertainment society (it's not pretty)
journal – Winnie Lim
a wet mouldy sponge
Yesterday after a strength-training session I had a very innocuous mini argument with my partner...
2 months ago
Yesterday after a strength-training session I had a very innocuous mini argument with my partner about misplacing some things at home. Which after I simply slumped and curled up into a ball...
The Ruffian
How To Fix DEI
'Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion' That Works
2 months ago
'Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion' That Works
Both Are True
i was a murder mystery dinner theater actor
my role? first-to-die. the job? weird as hell.
2 months ago
my role? first-to-die. the job? weird as hell.
Passing Time
Season-Chasing
Life is like the snow; it'll come and it will go
2 months ago
Life is like the snow; it'll come and it will go
Atoms vs Bits
Short Posts
Why are posts so long?
2 months ago
The Honest Broker
How to Survive as the Only Opera Fan in Elementary School
My brother Dana shares a story about his unusual childhood
2 months ago
My brother Dana shares a story about his unusual childhood
Both Are True
be my (tired, aging) valentine?
candy hearts for the over-30 crowd
2 months ago
candy hearts for the over-30 crowd
The Honest Broker
It's Open Mic Day: Tell Us What You're Doing
Here's a chance to pitch your own project
2 months ago
Here's a chance to pitch your own project
journal – Winnie Lim
documenting my mom making kueh lapis
I cannot remember how long has it been that my mother has been making kueh lapis for the lunar new...
2 months ago
I cannot remember how long has it been that my mother has been making kueh lapis for the lunar new year every year. Kueh means cake, and lapis means layers, so kueh...
The Ruffian
42 Reflections On the Meaning of Life, the Universe, and Everything
An oldie but goldie
2 months ago
The Honest Broker
"This Is a Hell of a Statement I'm About to Make—But He Superseded Miles"
More on the mystery of Dupree Bolton, and updates on other recent articles.
2 months ago
More on the mystery of Dupree Bolton, and updates on other recent articles.
Wait But Why
All My Thoughts After 40 Hours in the Vision Pro
Welcome to the 2030s.
The post All My Thoughts After 40 Hours in the Vision Pro appeared first on...
2 months ago
Welcome to the 2030s.
The post All My Thoughts After 40 Hours in the Vision Pro appeared first on Wait But Why.
The Convivial...
Vision Con
The Convivial Society: Vol. 5, No. 3
2 months ago
The Convivial Society: Vol. 5, No. 3
Both Are True
if have nothing, then how give anything? (help wanted)
advice for when your tank is empty
2 months ago
advice for when your tank is empty
Nat Eliason's Essays
A Map is Not a Blueprint: Why Fixing Nature Fails
Ozempic, Fertilizer, Lobotomies, and the dangers of hubris
2 months ago
Ozempic, Fertilizer, Lobotomies, and the dangers of hubris
The Honest Broker
In Search of Dupree Bolton
How I tracked down the most mysterious musician in the history of West Coast jazz
2 months ago
How I tracked down the most mysterious musician in the history of West Coast jazz
journal – Winnie Lim
the uncomfortable phase of learning
I have begun strength training for the first time in october last year. I had three personal...
2 months ago
I have begun strength training for the first time in october last year. I had three personal training sessions before I traveled to japan, and when I got back there was a...
The Ruffian
Opposites Attract
On the Gender Divide In Politics and Why It Might Just Save Us All
2 months ago
On the Gender Divide In Politics and Why It Might Just Save Us All
The Honest Broker
My Rule of the 6 Spheres
Like most people, I'm reluctant to discuss personal matters, but I take this rule very...
2 months ago
Like most people, I'm reluctant to discuss personal matters, but I take this rule very seriously—it's at the heart of my worldview and keeps me on the right path
Letters of Note
My heart almost stood still
The following letter was written exactly 100 years ago. It’s a remarkable piece of writing that...
2 months ago
The following letter was written exactly 100 years ago. It’s a remarkable piece of writing that never fails to move me. And because you deserve it, above the transcript I’ve included audio of the letter being read by the lovely Juliet Stevenson, taken from the Letters of Note:...
Castles in the Sky
To go and lay down in that sense of it.
Castles in the Sky #45
2 months ago
Passing Time
Hemiphytophilia
A journal entry about a house plant
2 months ago
A journal entry about a house plant
Both Are True
i am who i think you think i am
on not being the best // season one finale
2 months ago
on not being the best // season one finale
Atoms vs Bits
The Hand-Squeegee Philosophy
After showering, many people "hand-squeegee" some of the water off themselves before using a towel.
2 months ago
After showering, many people "hand-squeegee" some of the water off themselves before using a towel.
Diaries of Note
Spring will come
Elsa Binder was twenty when, in October of 1941, German forces carried out a brutal massacre of...
2 months ago
Elsa Binder was twenty when, in October of 1941, German forces carried out a brutal massacre of thousands of Jews in her hometown of Stanislawów, Poland. Two months later, she and her family were compelled to enter the Stanisławów Ghetto, joining 20,000 others in a harrowing...
The Honest Broker
How We Lost the Ability to Listen
In this extract from my book 'Music to Raise the Dead' I look at how texts replaced songs as sources...
2 months ago
In this extract from my book 'Music to Raise the Dead' I look at how texts replaced songs as sources of wisdom and guidance
journal – Winnie Lim
the amazing tools and research we now have for our metabolic health
[cw: metabolic health, diet] My paternal grandmother died before I was born, apparently of diabetes...
2 months ago
[cw: metabolic health, diet] My paternal grandmother died before I was born, apparently of diabetes complications. When I was younger I couldn’t understand what it meant to die of diabetes complications –...
The Honest Broker
Healing with a Tin Whistle
Also a story about Dave Brubeck (and more)
2 months ago
Also a story about Dave Brubeck (and more)
Tech and Tea
Some thoughts on interviewing
Recent experience interviewing candidates, reflections on the job market, and the shift in how...
2 months ago
Recent experience interviewing candidates, reflections on the job market, and the shift in how people are seeing work fitting into their lives
The Ruffian
Five Myths About Trump
Why We Keep Underestimating Him
2 months ago
Why We Keep Underestimating Him
Mark Manson
5 Life-Changing Levels of Not Giving a Fuck
Every day, hundreds of millions of people suffer from giving too many fucks. They spend their lives...
3 months ago
Every day, hundreds of millions of people suffer from giving too many fucks. They spend their lives imprisoned by meaningless anxiety and unnecessary concerns. But it doesn't have to be that way.
In this article, I'm going to walk you through the five levels of non-fuck-giving,...
The Ruffian
The Ruffian Speaks
For Money
3 months ago
Diaries of Note
I have received a singular warning
Charles Baudelaire, born in Paris in 1821, is best known for Fleurs du Mal, a thrilling and...
3 months ago
Charles Baudelaire, born in Paris in 1821, is best known for Fleurs du Mal, a thrilling and controversial poetry collection that led to him being prosecuted when published in 1857. Sadly, his life was riddled with personal and financial struggles, and when he wrote this entry in...
Passing Time
The Highest Impact Thing You Can Do in Your Everyday Life
Making friends is hard; introducing others is easy.
3 months ago
Making friends is hard; introducing others is easy.
Both Are True
I got a perfect score on my SAT and all I got was this lousy feeling of never being enough
S1E1 is free now, pls read it before the season ender coming soon!
3 months ago
S1E1 is free now, pls read it before the season ender coming soon!
Castles in the Sky
Dreams Over Goals in 2024
More dreams, less goals, and some commitments for the year
3 months ago
More dreams, less goals, and some commitments for the year
The Honest Broker
I Ask Seven Heretical Questions About Progress
And I offer seven radical hypotheses. But can you handle the truth?
3 months ago
And I offer seven radical hypotheses. But can you handle the truth?
journal – Winnie Lim
the experience of completing a sketchbook for my japan trip
Last year I started sketching, and for the first time in my life I started bringing art materials on...
3 months ago
Last year I started sketching, and for the first time in my life I started bringing art materials on my travels. I did the same when I went to Japan, except a...
The Ruffian
Ten Useful Concepts
Drop them into the conversation, all casual like
3 months ago
Drop them into the conversation, all casual like
Laetitia@Work
Xi Jinping, Emmanuel Macron & demographic “warfare”
Laetitia@Work #65
3 months ago
Both Are True
i still refuse to talk to you w those stupid ass ski goggles on your face
take them off not like up on your forehead all the way off throw them on the ground and let's stomp...
3 months ago
take them off not like up on your forehead all the way off throw them on the ground and let's stomp on them and then, then!, we can chit chat
The Honest Broker
Why Is Music Journalism Collapsing?
This is a bigger problem that you can fix with a Pitchfork
3 months ago
This is a bigger problem that you can fix with a Pitchfork
Diaries of Note
I always forget how important the empty days are
Born in Belgium in 1912 and raised in the United States, May Sarton was a writer who mastered...
3 months ago
Born in Belgium in 1912 and raised in the United States, May Sarton was a writer who mastered various literary forms during her career, from evocative poetry and compelling novels through to a number of deeply introspective journals in her later decades. One of her greatest is...
Both Are True
most hated essays from last year (also the ones you loved fine)
2023's flops and favs, bombs and bangers, yucks and yums, duds and dopes, bads and goods, letdowns...
3 months ago
2023's flops and favs, bombs and bangers, yucks and yums, duds and dopes, bads and goods, letdowns and legends, etc.
Atoms vs Bits
It's Hard To Hit First
You don't want to hit someone unjustifiably. But the upshot is, you lose.
3 months ago
You don't want to hit someone unjustifiably. But the upshot is, you lose.
The Honest Broker
Open Mic: What Should I Write About?
And some coming attractions at The Honest Broker
3 months ago
And some coming attractions at The Honest Broker
The Ruffian
Notes on Radiohead
The weirdest success story in pop
3 months ago
The weirdest success story in pop
Left To Write
№ 77: Reflecting on 2023
Doubt, love and growing more into myself.
3 months ago
Doubt, love and growing more into myself.
journal – Winnie Lim
pandemic grief and sadness
One of the biggest cognitive dissonances I’ve had in this pandemic is seeing almost everyone I know...
3 months ago
One of the biggest cognitive dissonances I’ve had in this pandemic is seeing almost everyone I know – including the most intelligent and the most socially responsible – throw away all covid...
The Ruffian
If Gervais and Chappelle are so unfunny why are they so popular?
An enquiry into the nature of comedy
3 months ago
An enquiry into the nature of comedy
The Honest Broker
What Happened to My Search Engine?
Or why tech upgrades are now mostly downgrades
3 months ago
Or why tech upgrades are now mostly downgrades
Both Are True
am i old now?
on committing to the bit and becoming a dad v2
3 months ago
on committing to the bit and becoming a dad v2
The Convivial...
The Wisdom of Daybreak
The Convivial Society: Vol. 5, No. 1
3 months ago
The Convivial Society: Vol. 5, No. 1
Daniel Bourke
Where’s the magic?
I got asked once my favourite person from history in a job interview.
I said Isaac Newton.
An old...
3 months ago
I got asked once my favourite person from history in a job interview.
I said Isaac Newton.
An old cricket coach told me about the laws of motion.
And I never forgot.
Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
It helped fix my right arm leg spin.
I later
The Honest Broker
A Look at Bill Evans's 15-Year-Old Pianist Grandson
And other updates on previous posts
3 months ago
And other updates on previous posts
Diaries of Note
Left the Beatles
On the evening of 10th January 1969, after a tough day at work, guitarist George Harrison opened his...
3 months ago
On the evening of 10th January 1969, after a tough day at work, guitarist George Harrison opened his diary and in three words noted that he had quit the world’s most popular band. For a week the Beatles had been rehearsing at Twickenham Film Studios, their efforts captured on...
journal – Winnie Lim
2024: one pull up
One of my biggest goals last year was to run 10km – for me it is not just a distance goal for the...
3 months ago
One of my biggest goals last year was to run 10km – for me it is not just a distance goal for the sake of having a distance goal, but rather cultivating...
The Ruffian
Leslie's Razors
Nine Rules of Thumb For Life
3 months ago
Nine Rules of Thumb For Life
The Honest Broker
What Happened to Sly Stone?
At age 80, he tells his tale—but is it a story of recovery, or mere survival?
3 months ago
At age 80, he tells his tale—but is it a story of recovery, or mere survival?
Both Are True
idk about the whole 'i'd have written a shorter letter if I'd had more time' thing
why? long letters rule
3 months ago
Laetitia@Work
Future of Work: 9 books I read in 2023
Laetitia@Work #65
3 months ago
Castles in the Sky
23 Highlights from 2023
A new video, two viral essays, a weekend in London, friends, family, a toddler, and much more!
3 months ago
A new video, two viral essays, a weekend in London, friends, family, a toddler, and much more!
Passing Time
Savoring the Unsavory
Making Meaning on Mount Adams
3 months ago
Making Meaning on Mount Adams
Luxagraf:...
Low
Oak leaves shimmer and dance in the wind. Morning sunlight filters in through the trees, the rays...
3 months ago
Oak leaves shimmer and dance in the wind. Morning sunlight filters in through the trees, the rays fighting their way through wisps of Spanish moss.
You can find this scene anywhere in South Carolina below the fall line, a vague geographic boundary that runs along the southeastern...
The Honest Broker
Are Harvard Graduates Better Than Harvard Dropouts?
Or how I spent $503,402 on college education
3 months ago
Or how I spent $503,402 on college education
Atoms vs Bits
80/20 Cooking
In short: Salt, fat, acid, heat
3 months ago
In short: Salt, fat, acid, heat
Diaries of Note
Happy New Year
It was exactly a year ago, on 1st January 2023, that I began Diaries of Note. Since then I’ve shared...
3 months ago
It was exactly a year ago, on 1st January 2023, that I began Diaries of Note. Since then I’ve shared 365 diary entries written by 365 different people—each offering a chance to live a day in someone else’s shoes. It’s been an intense and remarkable year, filled with insights,...
Both Are True
24 super genuine resolutions for 2024
+ one important thing at the end sort of
3 months ago
+ one important thing at the end sort of
The Convivial...
The Thing That Is Silence
The Convivial Society: Vol. 4, No. 14
3 months ago
The Convivial Society: Vol. 4, No. 14
The Map is Mostly...
Efforts and Goals and Joy
There was joy in concentration, and the world afforded an inexhaustible wealth of projects to...
3 months ago
There was joy in concentration, and the world afforded an inexhaustible wealth of projects to concentrate on. There was joy in effort, and the world resisted effort to just the right degree, and yielded to it at last. People cut Mount Rushmore into faces; they chipped here and...
Diaries of Note
May they never give me peace
Patricia Highsmith was an author who mastered the art of the psychological thriller, leaving an...
3 months ago
Patricia Highsmith was an author who mastered the art of the psychological thriller, leaving an indelible mark on the genre with works like The Talented Mr. Ripley, published in 1955, and her compelling debut, Strangers on a Train—two highlights from an incredible collection of...
journal – Winnie Lim
looking back at 2023
I write these every year for the purpose of documenting my life. The caveat is that this is written...
3 months ago
I write these every year for the purpose of documenting my life. The caveat is that this is written with some recency bias and that the act of recollection is always faulty:...
The Honest Broker
My 10 Most Popular Articles of 2023
Number one will surprise you
3 months ago
Number one will surprise you
Diaries of Note
People who gush at me and don’t really like me
Antonia White, born Eirene Botting in 1899, was a British writer who won plaudits for Frost in May,...
3 months ago
Antonia White, born Eirene Botting in 1899, was a British writer who won plaudits for Frost in May, a semi-autobiographical novel published in 1933 in which her experiences in a Catholic convent school were vividly depicted. At this point in her life, White had been married three...
The Ruffian
The Battle of Bamber Bridge
What happened when English villagers encountered black Americans during World War II?
3 months ago
What happened when English villagers encountered black Americans during World War II?
Diaries of Note
My heroic composure was wasted
Philip Toynbee, born in Oxford in 1916, was an English journalist and author best known for his...
3 months ago
Philip Toynbee, born in Oxford in 1916, was an English journalist and author best known for his insightful and often controversial reviews in the The Observer—including, most famously, his 1961 critique of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “dull, ill-written, whimsical and childish” Hobbit novels...
Castles in the Sky
The Unlikely Connection Between Fiction and Travel
Castles in the Sky #44
3 months ago
The Honest Broker
How to Dress Like Duke Ellington
Today I offer fashion tips to clueless guys
3 months ago
Today I offer fashion tips to clueless guys
Tech and Tea
Goodbye to 2023
Reflections on a hard year, and looking to the year ahead
3 months ago
Reflections on a hard year, and looking to the year ahead
Diaries of Note
What am I to do?
It was in the 1970s that African-American artist Jack Whitten began to use unconventional tools like...
3 months ago
It was in the 1970s that African-American artist Jack Whitten began to use unconventional tools like Afro combs and squeegees to manipulate paint on canvas—an innovation that led to his unique “developer” method, a pioneering technique in abstract painting. This new direction...
The Honest Broker
The Best Online Essays & Articles of 2023
Longform journalism is coming back (and deserves our support)
4 months ago
Longform journalism is coming back (and deserves our support)
Diaries of Note
I do not know the origin of this ugly sport
For most, Boxing Day is a time for leftovers and lounging, but in the New Forest of England during...
4 months ago
For most, Boxing Day is a time for leftovers and lounging, but in the New Forest of England during the late 1800s and early 1900s it signified something more primal. On the 26th of December each year, the winter-stilled woods echoed with the sounds of a cruel and peculiar...
Passing Time
High-Density Days
Friendship is a function of time.
4 months ago
Friendship is a function of time.
Diaries of Note
This must be a specially sad day
Born Hermione Llewellyn in 1913, the life of Hermione, Countess of Ranfurly took a dramatic turn in...
4 months ago
Born Hermione Llewellyn in 1913, the life of Hermione, Countess of Ranfurly took a dramatic turn in 1941 when her husband, a lieutenant in the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry, was captured by Rommel’s Afrika Korps, leading to his imprisonment as a prisoner of war in Italy. She wrote...
journal – Winnie Lim
the interestingness of our thoughts
I started watching this kdrama titled “recipe for farewell” recently. The male protagonist would...
4 months ago
I started watching this kdrama titled “recipe for farewell” recently. The male protagonist would cook for his terminally-ill wife, then post the recipe and his thoughts on his blog. It made me feel that...
Daniel Bourke
Apple M3 Machine Learning Speed Test
I put my M1 Pro against Apple's new M3, M3 Pro, M3 Max, a NVIDIA GPU and Google Colab.
4 months ago
I put my M1 Pro against Apple's new M3, M3 Pro, M3 Max, a NVIDIA GPU and Google Colab.
Diaries of Note
I look forward to the operating theatre as a happy release
The prospect of Christmas was rarely a thrill for Evelyn Waugh, the famously grumpy author behind...
4 months ago
The prospect of Christmas was rarely a thrill for Evelyn Waugh, the famously grumpy author behind razor-edged novels like Brideshead Revisited. But even for Waugh, the back-end of 1946 was particularly trying. Not only was he surrounded by the family who so regularly irritated...
The Ruffian
The Ruffian's Greatest Hits 2023
This Year's Top Ten Posts As Voted On By Me
4 months ago
This Year's Top Ten Posts As Voted On By Me
Left To Write
#13 Writemas: Merry Christmas!
This will be the last issue of Writemas ‘23. It’s been tough juggling this, Bloomstory and other...
4 months ago
This will be the last issue of Writemas ‘23. It’s been tough juggling this, Bloomstory and other projects, but it’s been a lot of fun producing these short emails. As we enter the last week of the year, I’m trying to let the dust of 2023 settle so that I can regain
Diaries of Note
Turkeys are beautiful in themselves
Born in London in 1896, J. R. Ackerley was a distinguished author and editor celebrated for his...
4 months ago
Born in London in 1896, J. R. Ackerley was a distinguished author and editor celebrated for his candid autobiographical writing and his lengthy tenure as the literary editor of the BBC magazine, The Listener. On 22nd December 1952, as millions of households across Britain...
The Ruffian
Movies as Discourse Generators
Notes on Recent Films
4 months ago
The Honest Broker
How Bing Crosby Made Silicon Valley Possible
The singer who popularized "White Christmas" was also a visionary tech innovator
4 months ago
The singer who popularized "White Christmas" was also a visionary tech innovator
Luxagraf:...
Winter Storm
The afternoon of the day we decided to leave the Jeep behind a ranger stopped by to tell us they...
4 months ago
The afternoon of the day we decided to leave the Jeep behind a ranger stopped by to tell us they were closing the campground the next day due to a large storm front that was headed our way. Winds were expected to be in the 50 MPH range, with gusts even higher. We've sat out a...
Diaries of Note
I have never been happier
Ernest Hemingway was still married to Martha Gellhorn when he met his fourth wife, Mary Welsh, and...
4 months ago
Ernest Hemingway was still married to Martha Gellhorn when he met his fourth wife, Mary Welsh, and on their third date he proposed. Nine years later, a month after he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, the now-married couple went on a safari in East Africa that would...
Both Are True
The "Don't Buy More Shit" Gift Guide
A list of zero cost, $0.00 gifts, because "I love you" shouldn't mean "I am so broke again wtf...
4 months ago
A list of zero cost, $0.00 gifts, because "I love you" shouldn't mean "I am so broke again wtf happened"
Atoms vs Bits
You (Were) The Top
Eighty years later, how many things are still considered Top?
4 months ago
Eighty years later, how many things are still considered Top?
Laetitia@Work
The Mystery of Mastery
Laetitia@Work #64
4 months ago
Diaries of Note
The sound of failure
Few individuals have shaped the sound and trajectory of modern music quite like Brian Eno. Born in...
4 months ago
Few individuals have shaped the sound and trajectory of modern music quite like Brian Eno. Born in 1948 in Suffolk, England, Eno initially rose to fame as a member of the glam rock band Roxy Music in the early 1970s. Since then, he has carved out a niche as a visionary in the...
Left To Write
#12 Writemas: All The Pieces of You
There’s a quote by Jorge Luis Borges I came across that I think about a lot. It goes like this: “I...
4 months ago
There’s a quote by Jorge Luis Borges I came across that I think about a lot. It goes like this: “I am not sure that I exist, actually. I am all the writers that I have read, all the people that I have met, all the women that I have loved; all the cities I have visited.”
The Honest Broker
How African Musicians Came to Medieval and Renaissance Europe
Western music has always been multicultural
4 months ago
Western music has always been multicultural
Diaries of Note
It was the finest excitement I ever had
Captain Alfred A. Cunningham, the first Marine Corps aviator, was born on March 8, 1882, in Atlanta,...
4 months ago
Captain Alfred A. Cunningham, the first Marine Corps aviator, was born on March 8, 1882, in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1917, under the directive of Major General Commandant George Barnett, he embarked on a crucial mission to France to observe Allied air operations and training during...
Left To Write
#11 Writemas: What I Read This Year
I had two main reading goals for 2023: a) Slow down my reading b) Try to read books that are at...
4 months ago
I had two main reading goals for 2023: a) Slow down my reading b) Try to read books that are at least 100 years old. Here’s the full list of my completed books this year, in case you were wondering… Ed Thorpe, A Man for All Markets (2017) Kahill Gibran,
Passing Time
Media in Review 2023
Time is your most valuable asset. Thank you for spending some of it with me.
4 months ago
Time is your most valuable asset. Thank you for spending some of it with me.
Diaries of Note
Mr. Daniels took a picture just as it left the tracks
At 10:35 a.m. on 17th December 1903, Orville Wright, alongside his brother Wilbur, embarked on a...
4 months ago
At 10:35 a.m. on 17th December 1903, Orville Wright, alongside his brother Wilbur, embarked on a historic journey that would change the course of human history. They achieved the first powered, controlled flight of a heavier-than-air aircraft in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina....
journal – Winnie Lim
practicing is also a practice
Most skills if not all requires practice. Recently I realised to be capable of the discipline and...
4 months ago
Most skills if not all requires practice. Recently I realised to be capable of the discipline and regularity that practicing needs, is a practicable skill too. We think of discipline as some inherent character...
Diaries of Note
A duty, not a pleasure
John Fowles was twenty-three when he wrote this journal entry in 1949. Just a few years after...
4 months ago
John Fowles was twenty-three when he wrote this journal entry in 1949. Just a few years after spending two years in the military, he was now navigating his final year at Oxford, and as the festive season descended he found himself back at home, enveloped in the annual Christmas...
The Ruffian
Seduced By The Machine
Why We Allow Apps and Corporations To Tell Us How To Live
4 months ago
Why We Allow Apps and Corporations To Tell Us How To Live
Diaries of Note
It is so difficult to keep track of the days
Born in Illinois in 1886, Minnie Vautrin became an unlikely hero in 1937 during one of history’s...
4 months ago
Born in Illinois in 1886, Minnie Vautrin became an unlikely hero in 1937 during one of history’s darkest episodes. As a missionary and educator, she turned Ginling College into a sanctuary for over 10,000 Chinese women and children as the Imperial Japanese Army unleashed a wave...
Both Are True
switching to a "dumb" phone made me feel pretty dang smart
the Light Phone diaries
4 months ago
Left To Write
#10 Writemas: Uncovering High Agency Talent
I’ve met many people in my adult life who are so much more intelligent than I am. But most of them...
4 months ago
I’ve met many people in my adult life who are so much more intelligent than I am. But most of them have ended up in well-paid corporate roles. Now, there’s nothing wrong with doing a 9 to 5. These corporate companies are needed, but whenever I walk away from conversations with...
Diaries of Note
Thanks be to God!
On 14th December 1911, after years of preparation and a gruelling journey in treacherous conditions,...
4 months ago
On 14th December 1911, after years of preparation and a gruelling journey in treacherous conditions, Roald Amundsen and his team reached the South Pole and raised the flag of Norway—an achievement that marked them as the first to stand at this geographical zenith having beaten...
RhysTranter.com
A new role
I am delighted to say that today I accepted a role as Head of Religious Education and Chaplaincy...
4 months ago
I am delighted to say that today I accepted a role as Head of Religious Education and Chaplaincy Coordinator at St David's Catholic College. I joined the college as a pastoral tutor four years ago this month, after a religious conversion prompted me to seek out a new career in...
The Honest Broker
Car Drivers Torment a City with Celine Dion Songs
An update on dangerous music
4 months ago
An update on dangerous music
Left To Write
#9 Writemas: What Is Driving You?
I had a call with an old poker friend earlier. We both have similar backgrounds; we are reasonably...
4 months ago
I had a call with an old poker friend earlier. We both have similar backgrounds; we are reasonably well educated, started poker around the same time, and never felt like we were enough. Both of our poker careers were driven by insecurity. We both had this desire to prove...
The Ruffian
My Year In Reading
Books I Read Or At Least Picked Up In 2023
4 months ago
Books I Read Or At Least Picked Up In 2023
Diaries of Note
I don’t want another swash to buckle
On 13th December 1960, mere months after winning an Oscar for his role in Ben Hur, Charlton Heston...
4 months ago
On 13th December 1960, mere months after winning an Oscar for his role in Ben Hur, Charlton Heston almost met with disaster on the set of El Cid, an epic historical drama unfolding in the sun-drenched landscapes of Spain. While immersed in a demanding broadsword duel scene...
Left To Write
#8 Writemas: 3 Lessons from Steve Jobs' Biography
Last week, I finished Steve Jobs’ biography by Walter Isaacson. Isaacson portrays Jobs as a complex...
4 months ago
Last week, I finished Steve Jobs’ biography by Walter Isaacson. Isaacson portrays Jobs as a complex character with many paradoxes and personal contradictions. For example, he was adopted and struggled with ‘rejection’, yet rejected his own daughter, Lisa Jobs.
Diaries of Note
I will strive not to lose my temper easily
Born in The Netherlands in 1926, Moshe Ze’ev Flinker was a Jewish teenager whose family fled to...
4 months ago
Born in The Netherlands in 1926, Moshe Ze’ev Flinker was a Jewish teenager whose family fled to Brussels in 1942 to escape Nazi persecution. It was there, in November, that 16-year-old Flinker began to keep the diary for which he is now remembered: a deeply personal record of the...
Left To Write
#7 Writemas: Think Obsession
Someone once called me intense. At first, I thought, is there something wrong with me? But I snapped...
4 months ago
Someone once called me intense. At first, I thought, is there something wrong with me? But I snapped out of things and realised it’s what makes me me. No one is making it out alive; death knocks at everyone’s door, so why not be obsessed about the things I enjoy?
Diaries of Note
Nobody wants to give me what I don’t want
Walter Ripton Morris was fifty-four when he was fired from his job. The year was 1961, and the...
4 months ago
Walter Ripton Morris was fifty-four when he was fired from his job. The year was 1961, and the company for which he had worked for some time had been swallowed up by a bigger corporation who deemed him to be disposable. Four years later, Morris published the diary he had kept...
Both Are True
lord bless the partners of comedians
a video and a story watch the video tho its 1 min long come on
4 months ago
a video and a story watch the video tho its 1 min long come on
Passing Time
The Consciousness Box
Sorry for the inconvenience.
4 months ago
Sorry for the inconvenience.
Diaries of Note
One feels as if one is dissolved into Nature
Albert Einstein’s trip to the California Institute of Technology in December 1931, for the first of...
4 months ago
Albert Einstein’s trip to the California Institute of Technology in December 1931, for the first of three annual visiting professorships, marked a crucial juncture in his life. The rise of the Nazi party in Germany, with its vehement anti-Semitism, was forcing the physicist to...
journal – Winnie Lim
gathering different pieces of myself
I’ve been back home for a few days now. It feels good to be where I feel the safest, slowly working...
4 months ago
I’ve been back home for a few days now. It feels good to be where I feel the safest, slowly working to get back to the routine I had before. Yesterday I...
Diaries of Note
A greater public calamity could not have occurred
On 6th November 1817, the British public was plunged into deep mourning following the unexpected...
4 months ago
On 6th November 1817, the British public was plunged into deep mourning following the unexpected death of Princess Charlotte of Wales. The only child of the Prince Regent (later King George IV) and Caroline of Brunswick, Princess Charlotte was admired for her spirited personality...
The Honest Broker
My Ultimate Texas Songwriter Playlist
I've handpicked 56 tracks from the Lone Star State (3 hours of music)
4 months ago
I've handpicked 56 tracks from the Lone Star State (3 hours of music)
The Ruffian
Lessons In How Not To Lead
From the Dept. of What Were They Thinking
4 months ago
From the Dept. of What Were They Thinking
Diaries of Note
I’ve given my pee to science
On 23rd November 2014, former Italian Air Force pilot Samantha Cristoforetti embarked on a...
4 months ago
On 23rd November 2014, former Italian Air Force pilot Samantha Cristoforetti embarked on a monumental journey. Strapped into the confines of a Soyuz spacecraft in Kazakhstan, she was launched towards the International Space Station where she was to live for 199 days—the longest...
Left To Write
#6 Writemas: The Intersection of Disparate Skills
My mother used to say to me, “Go work for a good company and build your career within it.” Her...
4 months ago
My mother used to say to me, “Go work for a good company and build your career within it.” Her advice came from a good place. She didn’t want me to struggle and have the safety of a salary. As many of you know, I didn’t do that. However, when I look back and reflect on that...
Diaries of Note
I distinctly saw the rising sun insignia on his wings
On December 7, 1941, a tranquil Sunday morning transformed into a historic tragedy when hundreds of...
4 months ago
On December 7, 1941, a tranquil Sunday morning transformed into a historic tragedy when hundreds of Japanese aircraft unexpectedly attacked Pearl Harbor—a cataclysmic event that would lead to the United States entering World War II. Fifteen miles away, Major Leonard D. Heaton, a...
Nat Eliason's Essays
Announcing my Book: Crypto Confidential!
Now available for preorder everywhere
4 months ago
Now available for preorder everywhere
Both Are True
i figured out why nothing is ever enough (science)
its dopamine all the way down babe
4 months ago
its dopamine all the way down babe
journal – Winnie Lim
nostalgia in akihabara
I’ve been to akihabara twice – once in 2008ish and another in 2018 – but back then I was more...
4 months ago
I’ve been to akihabara twice – once in 2008ish and another in 2018 – but back then I was more interested in looking at the massive electronic stores like yodabashi and bic....
The Honest Broker
In 2024, the Tension Between Macroculture and Microculture Will Turn into War
And I can already tell you who will win
4 months ago
And I can already tell you who will win
Diaries of Note
You have to see it
On 6th December 1912, at the ancient site of Tell el-Amarna in Egypt, a team led by German...
4 months ago
On 6th December 1912, at the ancient site of Tell el-Amarna in Egypt, a team led by German Egyptologist Ludwig Borchardt made a remarkable discovery: they uncovered a workshop once belonging to Thutmose—more formally known as ‘The King’s Favorite and Master of Works, the Sculptor...
Left To Write
#4 Writemas: When A Man Loves A Woman
Dear Ladies, I wish you could see inside a man’s head when he falls in love with a woman. It’s so...
4 months ago
Dear Ladies, I wish you could see inside a man’s head when he falls in love with a woman. It’s so surreal and stunning that you’ve got to experience it to believe it. First, it starts small. He begins to notice things about her appearance. Like the curve of her small nose, the...
Luxagraf:...
Repair Fail
One of the most underappreciated, least talked about aspects of repair is the hierarchy. There are...
4 months ago
One of the most underappreciated, least talked about aspects of repair is the hierarchy. There are repair wizards and there are newbies and there are the rest of us, somewhere between those two poles. This hierarchy of skill and experience requires that you earn your way to the...
Atoms vs Bits
The Al Capone Problem
Al Capone went to prison for tax evasion, and didn't go to prison for tax evasion.
4 months ago
Al Capone went to prison for tax evasion, and didn't go to prison for tax evasion.
Both Are True
Wacky Guy One: prepping for the audition that coulda changed everything
a raw and unvarnished look at what it takes to make it in hollywood with celebrated commercial actor...
4 months ago
a raw and unvarnished look at what it takes to make it in hollywood with celebrated commercial actor Alex Dobrenko
Left To Write
#3 Writemas: Developing Taste
Last week, on a Bloomstory team day out to the Design Museum in London, I said to my friend Myles,...
4 months ago
Last week, on a Bloomstory team day out to the Design Museum in London, I said to my friend Myles, “Given we’re in a creative field, it’s important we develop taste.” I know it’s subjective, but I’ve often wondered about how universal ‘good’ taste is. However, instead of driving...
Diaries of Note
BOREDOM, HOMESICK, LOVESICK
In April 1918, Spike Milligan was born. A titan in the world of comedy and literature, he is...
4 months ago
In April 1918, Spike Milligan was born. A titan in the world of comedy and literature, he is arguably most fondly remembered for ‘The Goon Show’, a radio comedy programme that not only brought laughter to millions but also reshaped the landscape of British humour. But Milligan’s...
Nat Eliason's Essays
Softening Our Inner Critic
Find nourishment in the weeds
4 months ago
Find nourishment in the weeds
Left To Write
#2 Writemas
Rekindling Your Child Like Wonder
4 months ago
Rekindling Your Child Like Wonder
Diaries of Note
Now is the time
Shortly after writing this diary entry on 3rd December 1988, 21-year-old Jennifer Bonner was wheeled...
4 months ago
Shortly after writing this diary entry on 3rd December 1988, 21-year-old Jennifer Bonner was wheeled into the operating theatre at the University of Minnesota Hospital where her battle-scarred heart, heavy with hope and history, was to be replaced with that of a donor—the hopeful...
Tech and Tea
This world was not built for working parents
and trying to find our way anyways in this season of life
4 months ago
and trying to find our way anyways in this season of life
The Ruffian
Rattle Bag
History, learning, screw-ups, and suitcase-packing
4 months ago
History, learning, screw-ups, and suitcase-packing
Diaries of Note
One pheasant behaved like a madman
In November 1974, upon learning that his friend and mentor, film critic Lotte Eisner, was critically...
4 months ago
In November 1974, upon learning that his friend and mentor, film critic Lotte Eisner, was critically ill in Paris and close to death, German filmmaker Werner Herzog immediately packed a duffel bag and began to walk in her direction from Munich, convinced that “she would stay...
journal – Winnie Lim
scenes from tsukiji & asakusa
Sometimes it is nice to be a tourist and do touristy things. tsukiji outer market We got there at...
4 months ago
Sometimes it is nice to be a tourist and do touristy things. tsukiji outer market We got there at 740am because I read that the crowds will start to get crazy at...
Left To Write
#1 Writemas
Prioritising time to think, write and publish
4 months ago
Prioritising time to think, write and publish
Farza's Newsletter
we bought a matcha machine and im caf'd out my mind help
what the hell is going on
4 months ago
what the hell is going on
Diaries of Note
Demented with grief
Franz Baermann Steiner was a Czech-born anthropologist and poet whose life was tragically cut short...
4 months ago
Franz Baermann Steiner was a Czech-born anthropologist and poet whose life was tragically cut short in 1952 by a heart attack—the final blow in a series of health struggles since his parents were claimed by the Holocaust. His enduring trauma from this profound loss had been a...
The Honest Broker
How Musicians Invented the Antihero
In this section from my new book 'Music to Raise the Dead', I probe the hidden musical origins of...
4 months ago
In this section from my new book 'Music to Raise the Dead', I probe the hidden musical origins of Hollywood protagonists
Diaries of Note
Any visitor to the hospital is free to barge into his room
In the late 1920s and early 1930s, Chicago witnessed the rise of Al Capone, a notorious mob boss...
4 months ago
In the late 1920s and early 1930s, Chicago witnessed the rise of Al Capone, a notorious mob boss who, despite running a vast and fearsome criminal enterprise for many years, evaded conviction until 1931 when he was finally indicted and convicted for tax evasion. Released from...
Left To Write
№ 76: RIP Charlie Munger (1924-2023)
The investing legend, the goat of common sense and wisdom, and the Vice Chairman of Berkshire...
4 months ago
The investing legend, the goat of common sense and wisdom, and the Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway
Both Are True
i used to play poker, now i play social media
"Raise," I say, splashing the pot with six $0.50 green chips like I’m Matt fuckin Damon in the...
4 months ago
"Raise," I say, splashing the pot with six $0.50 green chips like I’m Matt fuckin Damon in the classic film Rounders, “three bucks.” // S1E9
Luxagraf:...
In The Dunes
Nothing can be more useful to a man than a determination not to be hurried.—Henry David Thoreau,...
4 months ago
Nothing can be more useful to a man than a determination not to be hurried.—Henry David Thoreau, Journal, March 22, 1842
Mornings grow colder with every passing day. The sunrise edges a little further south every time I crest the dunes to watch. The wind howls most mornings, a...
journal – Winnie Lim
crazy fall colours in tokyo
4 months ago
Diaries of Note
I have especially enjoyed this autumn
Born in 1819 in rural Warwickshire, George Eliot was a towering figure in Victorian literature known...
4 months ago
Born in 1819 in rural Warwickshire, George Eliot was a towering figure in Victorian literature known for her detailed portraits of English life. Christened Mary Ann Evans, she adopted her male pen name to ensure her works were judged by their merit rather than her gender; her...
Nat Eliason's Essays
Make the Commitment You're Afraid to Make
The cost of looking for new mountains
5 months ago
The cost of looking for new mountains
Daniel Bourke
The subtle shade of the clouds
Garlic takes six to seven months to grow.
I’m still working it out.
I planted my garlic too...
5 months ago
Garlic takes six to seven months to grow.
I’m still working it out.
I planted my garlic too late.
Not the farm garlic though.
They’ve had practice.
Over a thousand bulbs this year, maybe more.
Tens of thousands of cloves.
Garlic is the biggest harvest of
The Honest Broker
The Best Recordings of 2023 (Honorable Mention List)
I'll soon share my 100 favorite albums of the year—meanwhile here are 50 honorable mention records...
5 months ago
I'll soon share my 100 favorite albums of the year—meanwhile here are 50 honorable mention records of exceptional merit
journal – Winnie Lim
creative retail experiences, and warmth in tokyo
A long while ago I saw somewhere online that tokyo has a 3-storey art supply store. It became a...
5 months ago
A long while ago I saw somewhere online that tokyo has a 3-storey art supply store. It became a bucket list item for me. We have art supply stores in singapore, but...
Diaries of Note
The human is a creature of paradox
When he wrote the following diary entry in 1973, 30-year-old Arthur Ashe had already carved out a...
5 months ago
When he wrote the following diary entry in 1973, 30-year-old Arthur Ashe had already carved out a distinguished place in sporting history, not just as a formidable tennis player, but also as a pioneering African-American athlete in a predominantly white sport. With the US Open...
Passing Time
Alpine Starts II
Or: Thanksgiving in the Mountains
5 months ago
Or: Thanksgiving in the Mountains
journal – Winnie Lim
psychological health vs physical health
Travelling keeps me sane. It is only on this trip that I realised how much my brain craves being in...
5 months ago
Travelling keeps me sane. It is only on this trip that I realised how much my brain craves being in some sort of engagement, and travelling is a way to keep it...
The Honest Broker
Stoicism in the Gioia Family
My brother Dana tells how our LA childhood gave us a direct connection to an ancient Roman worldview
5 months ago
My brother Dana tells how our LA childhood gave us a direct connection to an ancient Roman worldview
Diaries of Note
The hate stare was everywhere practiced
In November 1959, at a time of profound racial tension and segregation in the American South,...
5 months ago
In November 1959, at a time of profound racial tension and segregation in the American South, journalist John Howard Griffin embarked on a remarkable and controversial journey. In an attempt to better understand the Black American experience, Griffin underwent a medical treatment...
journal – Winnie Lim
tokyo art book fair
Last week or some time ago I came across a mastodon post that Tokyo Art Book Fair is happening this...
5 months ago
Last week or some time ago I came across a mastodon post that Tokyo Art Book Fair is happening this weekend. We thought it would be fun to go since we planned...
The Ruffian
The End of History
Academic historians are destroying their own discipline
5 months ago
Academic historians are destroying their own discipline
Diaries of Note
Standing on the ramparts of Jodhpur fort
In 1925, at the age of thirty-one and seven years before publication of Brave New World, English...
5 months ago
In 1925, at the age of thirty-one and seven years before publication of Brave New World, English author Aldous Huxley ventured to India on the first leg of a global tour that would take him and his wife to such places as Japan, China, Burma, and America. Their trip would later be...
journal – Winnie Lim
unexpected surprises in osaka
Last night I spent hours trying to book a hotel for today’s arrival at tokyo, so this post intended...
5 months ago
Last night I spent hours trying to book a hotel for today’s arrival at tokyo, so this post intended for yesterday is now being written on the bullet train instead. I could...
Both Are True
forget thanksgiving its time for fearsharing
a new holiday
5 months ago
Diaries of Note
They were struck with terror
On the morning of 3rd August 1492, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus departed the Spanish town...
5 months ago
On the morning of 3rd August 1492, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus departed the Spanish town of Palos de la Frontera and embarked on what would become a monumental voyage across the unknown Atlantic, one that would forever alter the course of human history. Steering three...
Mark Manson
3 Hard Truths You Need to Hear
Welcome to the realm of uncomfortable truths, where I, Mark Manson, will make you question...
5 months ago
Welcome to the realm of uncomfortable truths, where I, Mark Manson, will make you question everything you've ever believed in.
Buckle up, buttercup. Let's dive into the rabbit hole of reality.
Remember the past you? The one with embarrassing beliefs and naïve ideas? Well, guess...
Diaries of Note
It all began so beautifully
On 22nd November 1963, an unfathomable tragedy unfolded under the Texas sky as the motorcade...
5 months ago
On 22nd November 1963, an unfathomable tragedy unfolded under the Texas sky as the motorcade carrying President John F. Kennedy wound its way through the streets of Dallas. Two cars behind the President’s, Lady Bird Johnson, wife of then-Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson,...
The Honest Broker
Open Thread: What Are Your Picks for the Cultural Highlights of 2023?
What music, books, movies, or other creative works made the biggest impact on you this year?
5 months ago
What music, books, movies, or other creative works made the biggest impact on you this year?
Atoms vs Bits
The Chimp-Pig Hypothesis
My great-great-grandmother wasn't a chimp (she was a pig)
5 months ago
My great-great-grandmother wasn't a chimp (she was a pig)
Diaries of Note
She’s going, boys!
On 21st November 1915, following months of struggle against the implacable Antarctic ice, the crew...
5 months ago
On 21st November 1915, following months of struggle against the implacable Antarctic ice, the crew of Endurance, led by the intrepid Sir Ernest Shackleton, witnessed the final sinking of their ship—a vessel that had promised passage across the continent. In his diary that night,...
Both Are True
The ONE Black Friday Deal they DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT
this deal will change everything i gotta send this before they shoot a dart into my neck and silence...
5 months ago
this deal will change everything i gotta send this before they shoot a dart into my neck and silence me becau-
journal – Winnie Lim
creative experiences in osaka
A few months ago I joked with my partner that we should visit Osaka at the end of the year. She...
5 months ago
A few months ago I joked with my partner that we should visit Osaka at the end of the year. She seriously replied that if so we could visit a sewing studio...
Diaries of Note
I have myself lost recollection of much that was interesting
On 20th November 1825, shortly after reading the diaries of Samuel Pepys and Lord Byron for the...
5 months ago
On 20th November 1825, shortly after reading the diaries of Samuel Pepys and Lord Byron for the first time, Scottish poet and novelist Sir Walter Scott began his own diary by way of the following opening entry. Fifty-four at the time, Scott had already established himself as a...
journal – Winnie Lim
dining in the cold as a former comfort addict (& thanks for the comments)
The perks of searching for outdoor places to dine at is that we discover and experience places we...
5 months ago
The perks of searching for outdoor places to dine at is that we discover and experience places we normally wouldn’t. Today we had coffee at a cafe with an amazing riverside view:...
Diaries of Note
I did so want to be a great actress
Rachel Roberts was a formidable Welsh actress whose performances on stage and screen garnered praise...
5 months ago
Rachel Roberts was a formidable Welsh actress whose performances on stage and screen garnered praise and awards, her name often spoken with a mix of reverence and endearment within theatrical circles. Sadly, her personal life was at odds with her professional one, and in the last...
Tech and Tea
Seasonal Changes
Finding space and time to sloooooow down
5 months ago
Finding space and time to sloooooow down
journal – Winnie Lim
osaka, and thoughts on travel blogging
We were surprised to discover that Osaka has quite a number of outdoor dining options. Our first...
5 months ago
We were surprised to discover that Osaka has quite a number of outdoor dining options. Our first meal was okonomiyaki of course, and my partner found a okonomiyaki restaurant with outdoor seating:...
Left To Write
№ 75: The Lindy Effect
How I find clear signals in a misinforming & disinforming noisy world; To see the future, look back...
5 months ago
How I find clear signals in a misinforming & disinforming noisy world; To see the future, look back in time
Diaries of Note
To pay up would constitute a precedent
Kenneth Tynan was a towering figure in the British theatre scene, known for his sharp criticism and...
5 months ago
Kenneth Tynan was a towering figure in the British theatre scene, known for his sharp criticism and a remarkable ability to discern the pulse of contemporary drama. Born in Birmingham, England, in 1927, he began documenting his life and thoughts in diaries from the age of six, a...
The Ruffian
Thirty-One Insights Into Art, Writing and the Creative Process
Nuggets from my commonplace book
5 months ago
Nuggets from my commonplace book
The Honest Broker
Notes Toward a New Romanticism
Or why it's 1800 all over again
5 months ago
Or why it's 1800 all over again
Castles in the Sky
Those who support you may not support your art.
Castles in the Sky #43
5 months ago
journal – Winnie Lim
the wonder of miyajima
A kind stranger dmed to tell me that my rss feed was broken – turns out the code for displaying...
5 months ago
A kind stranger dmed to tell me that my rss feed was broken – turns out the code for displaying custom fields on rss was throwing a php fatal error (Uncaught TypeError:...
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