The bit about Futures (the café) reminded me of a similar place I used to go to a lot a decade ago. It's no longer there but used to do the same you did: you hear a word, a sentence and it's like a beam of light, all of a sudden a story comes together... The AI bit didn't connect with me as much as the rest did. Thank you for the inspiration.
Oh by the way I also gave “Futures” by Kilometre Club a listen and I really liked it! I also downloaded Presents: Futures Reworks into my library I thought that was really good too
Oh nice. Yeah I still play the Futures album a few times a week. It’s a special one. I didn’t know there was a reworks version I’ll have to check that out!
Taegan you liked a comment I made on Notes so I stopped by and I am so glad I did! I agree with Nadia’s adjectives for this piece, it really resonated with me and I love the accompanying pictures. Thank you for a great piece of writing.
Hi Teagan, Your line "Right now there is an arms race for our attention." , is a subject or experience, close to my writing mind, as in how to approach it. How does a person decide where to put their attention, in the concrete world of nature and people or the world of this, right here for example.
The connectivity between people that we meet or respond to online, maybe only for a brief time. As the years add up in my life; it feels vital as to where to intentionally put my attention and lets face it, for many of us it's a luxury "where to put our attention" it separates us in a not good way from many who have no choice in the matter. Again, though, tech and virtual tied to innovative engineering is here to stay and I'm interested in how it can offer solutions to some of today's problems.
These days, sometimes I catch myself before before diving in to the virtual world or any project and ask, Why am I doing this?
That’s a great line of questioning Kristen! I don’t quite have an answer for you, but I definitely believe attention must be connected to personal meaning. We’re all on unique paths, and where you place attention should guide you forward on that path. Part of the danger is when I feel confused about where I’m supposed to be going. There’s whole pockets of the internet that act like swamps to get us stuck and focused on things that don’t help us move forward, you know?
Thank you Taegan for reading my stuff. I caught your comment on the way to having a close look at the back of my eyelids before taking a nap.
Found that inviting thought at Harmony Polis Dispatch where there was also:
Public Apologies
Lisa Boudreau would like to apologize to Ed MacNeil for the thing that happened. We are assured that Ed knows what thing. Lisa will make it up to Ed, and we are again told that Ed knows how.
Imagine a chocolate bar made with the finest dark chocolate, crafted with artistry and skill, small batch, organic, fair trade, the good stuff. Delicate, silky, pure. You purchase that bar, you take it home and you make the decision that you will eat it piece by piece over several days, possibly weeks, savouring each single bite, letting it melt and be absorbed and move through your body and brain. You do not want that bar to end. Each piece is somehow different, but each piece moves you to be still. To stop and think.
That is how I feel about your posts, Taegen. I am saving them. Savouring them. I know there are more yet to be experienced, but I don't want them to be over, so I'm spacing them out.
This one felt even more poignant after your Music thread on Notes. I've listened to Futures on my commute EVERY morning since you posted about it. It's now my reading music, where I sink into my book and blot out the world around me whilst hurtling along tracks towards my office, students, chaos. It's probably also going to become my writing music. I already feel so much of what you describe when I listen to that album. It's amazing to hear some words by the artist behind it.
I don't think I've said it in any comments yet, but I'm so sorry about your father. I can't imagine what you must have gone through then. And as a teenager, too. All I can say is that I'm glad you're writing and expressing some of that here.
I just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to read these words with such care and attention. It's a humbling experience -- and it's been a real treat on my end to read your comments. The finest dark chocolate bar is how it feels for me, too.
Futures is a special album. It's a great reading and writing album. I still listen to it often -- in fact, listening to it now. I'm hoping I can include Daniel in a video One Word down the line, but that's way out there in the maybe pile at the moment!
Thank you for the condolences. I've accepted that my dad is a character in One Word as much as anyone else I interview. Especially now that I can include the VHS tapes and have access to some old video of him.
My original goal when I started the newsletter was to complete 12 One Words. Now, the goal is also to give myself these 12 words to explore the latent grief I still hold onto. So if you hear him come up more, especially in June or July, that's partly why.
Future Bistro is such quintessential Toronto establishment. If you ever do come to the city, I think you'd like the area where the Bistro resides. It's got an academic vibe since the University is nearby. And the coffee isn't bad, either!
That was beautiful, nostalgic, bittersweet, hopeful.
Thanks so much Nadia!
The bit about Futures (the café) reminded me of a similar place I used to go to a lot a decade ago. It's no longer there but used to do the same you did: you hear a word, a sentence and it's like a beam of light, all of a sudden a story comes together... The AI bit didn't connect with me as much as the rest did. Thank you for the inspiration.
Hey Mikehail, thanks for your thoughts. A real good cafe is a true gift. Shame yours shut down. A lot of that happening these days.
Oh by the way I also gave “Futures” by Kilometre Club a listen and I really liked it! I also downloaded Presents: Futures Reworks into my library I thought that was really good too
Oh nice. Yeah I still play the Futures album a few times a week. It’s a special one. I didn’t know there was a reworks version I’ll have to check that out!
Taegan you liked a comment I made on Notes so I stopped by and I am so glad I did! I agree with Nadia’s adjectives for this piece, it really resonated with me and I love the accompanying pictures. Thank you for a great piece of writing.
Thank you! So glad you stopped by I’m glad it resonated with you.
Hi Teagan, Your line "Right now there is an arms race for our attention." , is a subject or experience, close to my writing mind, as in how to approach it. How does a person decide where to put their attention, in the concrete world of nature and people or the world of this, right here for example.
The connectivity between people that we meet or respond to online, maybe only for a brief time. As the years add up in my life; it feels vital as to where to intentionally put my attention and lets face it, for many of us it's a luxury "where to put our attention" it separates us in a not good way from many who have no choice in the matter. Again, though, tech and virtual tied to innovative engineering is here to stay and I'm interested in how it can offer solutions to some of today's problems.
These days, sometimes I catch myself before before diving in to the virtual world or any project and ask, Why am I doing this?
That’s a great line of questioning Kristen! I don’t quite have an answer for you, but I definitely believe attention must be connected to personal meaning. We’re all on unique paths, and where you place attention should guide you forward on that path. Part of the danger is when I feel confused about where I’m supposed to be going. There’s whole pockets of the internet that act like swamps to get us stuck and focused on things that don’t help us move forward, you know?
Slightly transparent.
I think that’s a good thing?
Thank you Taegan for reading my stuff. I caught your comment on the way to having a close look at the back of my eyelids before taking a nap.
Found that inviting thought at Harmony Polis Dispatch where there was also:
Public Apologies
Lisa Boudreau would like to apologize to Ed MacNeil for the thing that happened. We are assured that Ed knows what thing. Lisa will make it up to Ed, and we are again told that Ed knows how.
Mischievous.
Thanks Erl! How are your eyelids?
Imagine a chocolate bar made with the finest dark chocolate, crafted with artistry and skill, small batch, organic, fair trade, the good stuff. Delicate, silky, pure. You purchase that bar, you take it home and you make the decision that you will eat it piece by piece over several days, possibly weeks, savouring each single bite, letting it melt and be absorbed and move through your body and brain. You do not want that bar to end. Each piece is somehow different, but each piece moves you to be still. To stop and think.
That is how I feel about your posts, Taegen. I am saving them. Savouring them. I know there are more yet to be experienced, but I don't want them to be over, so I'm spacing them out.
This one felt even more poignant after your Music thread on Notes. I've listened to Futures on my commute EVERY morning since you posted about it. It's now my reading music, where I sink into my book and blot out the world around me whilst hurtling along tracks towards my office, students, chaos. It's probably also going to become my writing music. I already feel so much of what you describe when I listen to that album. It's amazing to hear some words by the artist behind it.
I don't think I've said it in any comments yet, but I'm so sorry about your father. I can't imagine what you must have gone through then. And as a teenager, too. All I can say is that I'm glad you're writing and expressing some of that here.
If you'll allow me, I posted some feelings of memory on a place, back at uni. A carpark, of all things: https://slake.substack.com/p/a-memory
If I'm ever out your way, I will seek out Future(s) Bistro.
Hey Nathan,
I just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to read these words with such care and attention. It's a humbling experience -- and it's been a real treat on my end to read your comments. The finest dark chocolate bar is how it feels for me, too.
Futures is a special album. It's a great reading and writing album. I still listen to it often -- in fact, listening to it now. I'm hoping I can include Daniel in a video One Word down the line, but that's way out there in the maybe pile at the moment!
Thank you for the condolences. I've accepted that my dad is a character in One Word as much as anyone else I interview. Especially now that I can include the VHS tapes and have access to some old video of him.
My original goal when I started the newsletter was to complete 12 One Words. Now, the goal is also to give myself these 12 words to explore the latent grief I still hold onto. So if you hear him come up more, especially in June or July, that's partly why.
Future Bistro is such quintessential Toronto establishment. If you ever do come to the city, I think you'd like the area where the Bistro resides. It's got an academic vibe since the University is nearby. And the coffee isn't bad, either!
That's really touching. It's amazing that you're doing this and what that process is.
Well maybe someday I'll be over in Toronto. I'll let you know if I am 😁