OMM – October 2024 – #2
~ a curated selection of discoveries ~
::: The Open :::
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoy this weekly newsletter (published on Sundays).
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Thank you for reading and for your time.
With Gratitude,
~ Mark
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>>> Please Note <<<
This newsletter is typically too long to appear in its entirety in an email. Please click through to Substack to read in full.
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::: Personal Notes :::
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The following is a post I originally put on Facebook on October 6th. It’s a call for unity in the literary and arts communities.
We're coming up on the anniversary of October 7th tomorrow.
The Literary and Arts communities need to stop battling over Israel / Palestine / Gaza ...
I would love to see everyone getting along... I'm also sick of seeing absurd amounts of antisemitism over this past year.
I know a lot of people are confused and sad. That makes sense. There is a great deal to be sad about. The confusion is often due to ignorance about the history of conflict in The Middle East. I'm not an expert so do your own research.
If you haven't thought about how the U.S. would have responded to the October 7th attack, I encourage doing so. This attack on Israel was far worse than 9/11. Try to imagine what the U.S. would have done in response. Consider U.S. history. You don't become the #1 superpower by being nice and easygoing.
We're also a month from the U.S. Presidential Election. If Trump wins, we need to band together -- solidarity in The Arts. I'm a Jewish-Atheist and so I'm not praying... but I have hope that Harris can pull off a victory.
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Dave Pell said it well on his substack ‘Next Draft’:
“They say the days are long but the years are short. Not this year. It's been one endless year since the tragic attack of October 7; a year that has divided nations, split communities, fragmented college campuses, created schisms inside of warring countries, and even caused rifts across kitchen tables. An era defined by the determination to speak and post with certainty about things we know little or nothing about has rendered us fully dysfunctional when it comes to analyzing the world's most complex crisis.”
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Becky Tuch discusses the current community climate in LitMagNews
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Erika Dreifus – ‘On #AWP25, Zionism, and Israel’
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::: ONE ART :::
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A recording on ONE ART’s newly minted YouTube Channel of the 1st (!!) reading in the ONE ART Reading Series.
Featured Poets: Donna Hilbert, Bonnie Proudfoot, Tamara Madison
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~ ONE ART in Verse Daily ~
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This Week!! à Kim Addonizio - Eschatology
I need to be perfectly honest and admit that getting ONE ART poems featured in Verse Daily was very much on my ONE ART bucket list (or “bingo card” if you will). I was delighted to learn that Kim Addonizio’s poem ‘Eschatology’ was going to be featured in Verse Daily.
+ previously… how did I only just learn about this!!!
I’ve been a long-time reader of Verse Daily but somehow entirely missed (!!) their ‘Web Weekly Feature’ section. This is how I JUST learned that ONE ART had already been featured on Verse Daily going back to 2021!!
BIG shout-out to previously included poets Robbi Nester, Wendy Taylor Carlisle, and Hayden Saunier!
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Web Weekly Feature, December 4, 2023: "Feast" by Robbi Nester "It’s not holiday banquets I hunger for, the turkeys my..." from ONE ART: a journal of poetry
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Web Weekly Feature, March 20, 2023: "for luck: an Arkansas Sonnet" by Wendy Taylor Carlisle "There is no new weather here /so close to the well of being..." from ONE ART: a journal of poetry
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Web Weekly Feature, November 29, 2021: "This Late Thanks" by Hayden Saunier "Hickory nuts shake down from shagbarks..." from ONE ART: a journal of poetry
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::: Podcasts :::
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The Gray Area with Sean Illing: Happiness isn’t the goal
After covering some initial familiar territory this gets extra interesting. I highly recommend listening. I found there were some truly insightful and useful takeaways.
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Hidden Brain – Sitting With Uncertainty
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We Can Do Hard Things: Our Best Ideas to Make Life a Little Easier
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We Can Do Hard Things: How to Stop Pleasing and Start Living
The people pleasing question is right at the end. But there’s a lot more going on in this episode.
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::: Music :::
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On 10/10, Pitchfork posted on twitter/x asking people their “Perfect 10” albums.
I don’t think anything is “perfect” but here are a few albums that come close…
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors
Michael Jackson – Thriller
Simon & Garfunkel – Bridge Over Troubled Water
The Postal Service – Give Up
Modest Mouse - Moon & Antarctica
Death Cab for Cutie – Transatlanticism
Sigur Rós – Agaetis Byrjun
Jay Z – Reasonable Doubt
Beyoncé – Lemonade
Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.
A future post will dig deeper.
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::: The Literary Community & Beyond :::
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There’s still time to nominate for AWP (Association of Writers and Writing Program) contests and awards.
There are so many amazing individuals and organizations who contribute to our ability to maintain vibrant literary and arts communities. I’m reluctant to start naming names for fear of leaving off myriad individuals (and orgs!) that deserve more recognition. I will take the opportunity to reshare this (not 100% comprehensive) list of literary magazines that I personally love as well as presses that are well-loved by ONE ART contributors (and editors, myself included) as well as this notable list of lit mags with degrees of correlation to ONE ART. I appreciate journals with fast response times. I just updated this past to include a new list that Chill Subs created.
Just ideas. I hope you’ll consider taking the time to write up a nomination.
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‘Not even Little Free Libraries are safe from book bans.’ (LitHub)
Book banning to the extreme.
It’s a well-known fact that Rupi Kaur’s Milk & Honey is the greatest threat to our Democracy.
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‘I’ve studied highly creative people for 40 years: They share these 6 habits’ (CNBC)
1. They search for possibilities, rather than absolutes
2. They are unapologetic daydreamers
3. They spend considerable time outdoors
4. They are excited about learning new things
5. They embrace meditation and mindfulness
6. They hone their craft every day
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‘Are Visionary Artists Just Mentally Ill?’ by Ted Gioia (The Honest Broker)
An interesting post.
Here’s my initial response:
This is an interesting read. That being said, it's important that we do not romanticize the "mad genius" concept. It's highly problematic. Artists are more productive and create better when they manage to find ways to stabilize their mental health issues. Yes, there is research that suggests being a step away from certain disorders may correlate with artistic ability. As an example, it's likely that at least one of Kanye West's children will have only a mild mood spectrum disorder and this should allow them to function better in the day to day as opposed to becoming a societal outlier.
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‘200 New Words and Definitions Added to Merriam-Webster.com’ (MW)
Some new slang slipped in as per usual. No shade, just sayin.
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‘Top Picks For The Self-Proclaimed “Weird” Girls’ (The Zillennial Zine)
This line makes you think:
“Terms like “Brat Summer” or “Clean Girl” are popular because people enjoy being categorized; it makes them feel seen or inspires them to embody something they see and want to be.”
“So, how is the “weird girl” defined? Well, in my opinion, she is a sub-category of the infamous “Manic Pixie Dream Girl,” but with a lot less of the male gaze sprinkled in. Since she is free from the restrictions of being solely depicted according to the male gaze, her personality is free from the shackles of the ego-centered male character who thinks her eccentrics will save him. She’s unusual, and she doesn’t care how most of her unconventional ways may be perceived. Her inner world is rich, and she may tend to follow the white rabbit.”
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‘If Beethoven Were a Whale: Robbi Nester Discusses Her Collection, Narrow Bridge’ (Robbi Nester on The Poetry Salon)
Writing tips included!
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::: Health & Wellness :::
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NPR's Joy Generator
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Panera’s Charged Lemonade Scandal
My understanding is that I’m now in a position to speak on this matter. Why? My case was turned down.
Previously, I posted a bit about the tragedies related to this but without mentioning my own experience. This is because I had spoken with legal counsel about my own potential lawsuit against Panera specifically pertaining to having a severe gout attack, after drinking their charged beverages, that resulted in repeated hospital visits. This experience led me to receive a gout diagnosis. Not really the silver lining I was seeking.
My initial reason for pursuing legal action was with the hopes of benefiting the Katz family after Sarah Katz, a UPenn student, died at the age of 21 after consuming the charged lemonade (aka. “Charged Sips”).
Part of the problem (not the whole problem) was that these highly caffeinated drinks did not have a warning sign about risks associated with overconsumption. People don’t realize that too much caffeine too quickly can be a health hazard and lead to death.
Easy to see how access to free refills of these “Charged Sips” would be a huge problem for teenagers daring each other to drink more. That’s just an example. I’ll speak for myself and say it would have been an issue for my friends when we were teenagers.
I truly see this as corporate negligence. Hoping I’m not just coming off as a curmudgeonly old man.
My hope was, in part, that Panera would be forced to limit consumption of these beverages at the very least and, hopefully, take them off the market. Both things occurred in that order.
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GQ is obviously a renowned wellness resource…
‘31 Ways to Get Your Life Together’
Includes such mind-blowing tips as “Maybe volunteer” and “Run slower” and “Wear sunscreen” and, finally, “Quit”
They have a point about DraftKings. Sports betting is probably not saving your life or anyone else’s.
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‘Visiting the Gym Today Could Trigger a Bright Idea Next Week, Shows New Study’ (Good News Network)
Go today, feel better later.
This isn’t the “Marshmallow Test” … it’s not exactly like navigating impulse purchases…
There are so many ways that anticipation is positive for people. It’s well-documented that anticipation about travel ranks among the best parts of travel experiences.
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::: The Election :::
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The concept:
Something to send to an undecided voter to help convince them that voting for Harris/Walz is the right decision.
I’m going to share just a few of those that I’ve appreciated so far.
I hope you’ll read some of these short essays and let me know your favorites.
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::: Small Explorations & Deep Dives :::
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‘The Most Popular Halloween Costume the Year You Were Born’ (Reader’s Digest)
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A little wisdom from Seth Godin.
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‘Zillow adds climate risk data to home listings as threats rise (CNBC)
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‘I love you but I hate you.’ What to do when you can’t stand your long-term partner (AP)
Love is an extreme emotion. You can’t feel one extreme without risking another. Hence the trending article that follows.
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This Vox article on the “gray divorce” is well done.
“Older adults leave their marriages for the same reasons younger ones do — with some exceptions.”
“In the 1980s after no-fault divorce was legalized, there were all these unhappy marriages that all started getting divorced all at once… At the same time, women were increasingly entering the workforce and able to earn their own living, no longer dependent on their husbands’ income.”
“Men reported ending their marriages either because they grew apart from their spouse, their spouse cheated, the two differed in financial views, their spouse’s mental health issues, or they had disagreements about their children, Crowley found. Women respondents’ top motivators for divorce included cheating, their spouse’s pornography or alcohol addiction, emotional abuse, growing apart, and their spouse’s mental health issues.”
“Even if the reasons for splitting aren’t altogether novel, the milestones of midlife may push couples to the brink. Once they no longer have to deal with the daily pressures of child-rearing, empty nesters naturally have more time to focus on their spouses. “These couples,” Crowley says, “are basically staring at each other and saying, ‘What is the value of this marriage? What am I getting out of it? What are the problems in this marriage?’” This discontent may have been growing for years, but the distraction of parenting — or the pressure to stay together because of the kids — may have led couples to power through.”
“While younger divorcees may adjust to their new life circumstances within one to two years, Brown found people over the age of 50 take up to four years. “Gray divorce is associated with an increase in depressive symptoms,” she says, “and that tends to persist for about four years after a divorce.” Understanding the emotional and practical ramifications of the split could make the transition less disruptive, she says.”
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‘Chilean scientists develop reversible dog neutering vaccine’ (Reuters)
“There was no sedation or surgical procedure, just a simple injection that the developers say is an immunocastration vaccine called Egalitte. Leonardo Saenz, a veterinarian and professor at the University of Chile who developed the vaccine, says it works by blocking the hormone in charge of reproduction and is reversible.”
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‘World’s Longest Treasure Hunt Ends After 31 Years, 5 Months, and 9 Days’ (Gizmodo)
“The treasure hunt for the “Golden Owl” in France appears to be over after several European news outlets report someone has finally cracked the code and found the statuette. That makes it the world’s longest treasure hunt after 31 years, 5 months, and 9 days.”
“French author Régis Hauser buried a statuette of an owl somewhere in France back in 1993 as a kind of promotion for his book, On The Trail of the Golden Owl, which he published under the pseudonym Max Valentin. Hauser said that the 11 puzzles in his book would reveal the location, something he assumed would happen relatively quickly.”
The following is the takeaway I would encourage reflecting on:
“Before he died, Hauser insisted in 1996 that the puzzles really weren’t that hard if the people working on them would just work together. “If all the searchers put all their knowledge together, the owl would be found in… two hours,” Hauser said according to the BBC.”
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‘Lost biblical plant with medicinal properties resurrected from 1,000-year-old seed’ (CNN)
“Botanists have grown a long-lost tree species from a 1,000-year-old seed found in a cave in the Judean Desert in the 1980s.”
“The researchers involved in the project say they believe the tree species, which is thought to be extinct today, could have been the source of a healing balm mentioned in the Bible and other ancient texts.”
“However, the tree, which is now more than 14 years old and almost 10 feet (3 meters) tall, has neither flowered nor borne fruit. Without these more easily identifiable features, it’s not possible to identify the cryptic species with certainty, the study added.”
What follow is important for future generations of humanity:
“What’s surprising in this story is it was just a single seed and to be able to have one chance for that to germinate is extremely lucky.”
“Working in a seed bank, seeing the potential for that extreme longevity gives us hope that banking and storing seeds that some at least will survive for very long periods of time.”
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Spirit Halloween is upping its game.
You may have noticed some crossover campaigns in recent years.
Spirit Halloween x Auntie Anne’s
Spirit Halloween x Chipotle
Spirit Halloween x Kung Fu Tea
It sounds like some Spirit Halloween stores will transform into Spirit Christmas stores after they, well, turn into a pumpkin in November.
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‘Home Depot says corporate employees have to try working in actual stores’ (yahoo)
Good idea. Stay in touch with what is actually happening. It may also provide a smidge more confidence in higher ups from retail staffers.
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‘Ranked: Worst Cities For Rush Hour Traffic Worldwide’ (Visual Capitalist)
As I’ve long suspected (after moving back to Philadelphia in 2019)… Philly ranks at #14. It was clear that traffic congestion had increased presumably due to increased population density. The numbers vary by source, but it appears evident that Philly metro pop has increased substantially over the past decade. Even basic census data bears this out.
You won’t be surprised that that Top 3 are often listed on a t-shirt.
New York
London
Paris
Sorry Milan. Not listed.
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‘Mapped: Global Real Estate Bubble Risk in 2024’ (Visual Capitalist)
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Ranked: The Costliest Hurricanes To Hit The U.S. (Visual Capitalist)
Is it possible to bankrupt a country due to climate catastrophes and our negligence to stop them?
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Wildlife populations in decline. Extremely sad and a massive concern for our planet’s ecosystems.
“The study found that freshwater populations suffered the "heaviest declines," falling by 85%. This was followed by terrestrial populations, which declined by 69%. Marine populations were found to have declined by 56%.” (ABC News)
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‘I’m Running Out of Ways to Explain How Bad This Is’(The Atlantic)
Notable sections in here about the dark reality of misinformation and disinformation that has become disturbingly normalized.
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::: News of the Weird :::
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‘The million-dollar mystery of milk.com’ (the Hustle)
$10,000,000 or no deal.
Is the guy behind milk.com a real life Cartman?
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Oddly semi-related…
‘Breast milk for adults: wellness elixir or unscientific fascination?’ (Guardian)
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‘More than 100 raccoons besiege house of woman who had been feeding them’ (Guardian)
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Tesla concept “robovan”… is a bus… or a train car… it’s futuristic…but also retro.
It also looks a bit like an automatic stapler.
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History is wild.
If true, it really is shocking someone could pull this off while on hallucinogens. These were not the days of microdosing.
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::: Questions :::
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Consistent Recommendations:
Heather Cox Richardson’s Letters from an American – daily news with historical context
ONE ART: a journal of poetry – daily poems
Verse Daily – daily poems
Chill Subs – down to earth submissions resource
** Want to subscribe? Get a discount using this ONE ART exclusive affiliate link.
Becky Tuch’s LitMagNews – literary community news & essential resource
Trish Hopkinson – resource for the literary community
Erika Dreifus – resource for the literary community
C. Hope Clark’s Funds for Writers –weekly email newsletter contains invaluable short essays
Jane Friedman – blog, email newsletter, resource for the literary community
The Poetry Space_ with Katie Dozier & Timothy Green (podcast)
Commonplace: Conversations with Poets and Other People (podcast hosted by Rachel Zucker)
The Gray Area with Sean Illing (podcast)
Hidden Brain (podcast)
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Thanks again, Mark, for bringing us the array of good things to know.