Hi Bill,
On the subject of "all events are somehow, in some way, interconnected" -- I recently stumbled into a used book store in Houston and bought a book entitled, "Rapt" -- as in rapt attention. I am a psychologist who is having a love affair with ADD; what is it, why, why so rampantly diagnosed? The point: Love this used book, as the author thoroughly explores her subject matter. Then, today, I decided I wanted some fresh data (I am on fire about this attention/focus inner management notion) and ended up here. With you. Really with you. Like, enough to write and thank you for being you. Ashely Siegel
This is one of my favorite comments in the entire history of Readup. I read it this morning at the library, lost my cool with excitement, but then (ironically) got distracted by a bunch of other dumb/small things. I ended up drafting a reallllllly long/crazy/awkward comment about my personal history with (undiagnosed) ADD, self-medicating with marijuana through my 20s, and eventually finding peace and progress with reading, solitude, and also just accepting that I’ll always be easily distractible and that’s okay.
Anyway, I have been “on fire about this attention/focus inner management notion” for most of my adult life. Please read my blog post “The Importance of Being Earnest About Screen Time.” And if you’re down, let’s hop on the phone. Regardless, email me: bill@readup.com
So yeah - Really with you too. (Great to meet you & welcome to Readup!)
In Houston, we -- in the "striving for high consciousness" subset -- LOVE Brene Brown. We all do. Especially me. She has 2 TED talks and a new Netflix documentary. But she also has a new book, entitled "Braving the Wilderness, a Quest for blah, blah, blah"). In it, she goes into great detail about "Creatives" -- those people who are terminally unique (not in a neurotic way), often misunderstood, highly creative and super vulnerable -- if they have the courage to "stand alone in the arena of public opinion as an innovator". These people often have a history of self-medication, isolation and of feeling that they are outsiders; even in their families of origin. Furthermore, we are painfully intuitive and self-conscious, and often prone to what looked like dysthymic depression to the established psychiatric community (my addition), but who, oddly, respond amazingly to the new ADD drugs (Adderall, Vyvanse, etc.). I know that you will not read this as a call for medication, but rather as an "ah-hah". To my knowledge, the mechanism as to why we respond so well to methamphetamine is not entirely understood, but the fact that I do is really odd to me. And even more odd is the Brene book and the "Rapt" book -- along with your wickedly honest Read-up post in the same day.
Editorial aside: I don't know how to underline on this keyboard so my punctuation is punctuated, or something like that.
Anyway, I am done. Off to read your blog post on Earnesty ... is that a word? It should be ... Ashe
I’m a creative. For sure. When I’m alone, I forget how nutty my life’s is (living in an RV, 32 years old, Stanford degree but no money, lots of passions, fewer “focuses.”) I guess it’s been hard, sometimes, but mostly it’s been great. I read the front/back cover of Daring Greatly and the Table of Contents at a bookstore and I felt like that was enough. Unless it’s overwhelmingly urgent, I try to avoid self-helpy kind of stuff, but I’ve heard so much about Brown that I might be willing to make an exception. (“Mindset” by Carol Dweck changed my life. Check that one out!) I’ll watch the Brown videos for sure.
I recently read Patti Smith’s memoir Just Kids. She’s a great example of a give-no-f*cks artist/creative, someone who “stands alone in the arena of public opinion as an innovator.” A true inspiration. That book was like a shot of adrenaline for me.
Underlining isn’t possible (yet!) in Readup comments, but I’ll consider that a feature request! :)
I’m really interested in this Adderall conversation, but the problem is that I get easily addicted to stuff. That’s why I’m sticking to reading and long walks, healthy things to be addicted to. ;)
I’m really glad to have you on here. I have 5 million more things to say about ADD, Readup, social media. Stay tuned. Soon we’ll have a follow feature (so we could, like, read ADD-related articles together and stuff!) but in the meantime, just don’t forget to keep checking back in!
Bill I can so understand your apprehension and self consciousness. It IS such a vulnerable position to be in. I know this can sound perhaps too simplistic, but just do Bill and don’t worry what others think. There’s that great line; “What others think about me is none of my business.” When you are writing from the heart, writing to share your thoughts, that’s not only brave, it’s compelling! I am so proud of your courage, creativity and insights. And even though I’m JUST a mom, I hope you feel encouraged!
Zoom out, play in that waterfall, trust in the truth and keep on blogging.... As MO might ask, What are you doing with this one precious day? Cant wait to read your blog about you and Rebecca sharing a park bench..
Speaking of Rebecca, I recently gifted my copy of A Field Guide to Getting Lost to the owner of the most magical bookstores I’ve ever been to in my life. I was legitimately lost and running out of gas when I stumbled upon it. The owner, who goes by Mother Mary, had already given me a special book, free of charge, so I raced to Sputnik to find the best thing I had. She held Solnit in her hands with her eyes closed after I gave it to her and said, “Yes, I will like this.” And then she looked at the back cover and looked back at me and said, “Annie Dillard. Yes. This will be good.” I read the first chapter of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek at a bookstore in Copper Harbor and YES it’s good. Have you read any Dillard? I was feeling some May Sarton vibes.
It's so natural to want to capture life. You're a writer! You always have been, even when you weren't writing everyday. And that's what writers do: translate their life into words. It's what all artists do: painters express their lives in brushstrokes on canvas, musicians with instruments and voices, photographers with cameras.
Your third paragraph reminded me of something a yoga teacher said today: "We have minds. We aren't our minds."
Question: If you had to press pause on your heart or your brain, which would you choose? Would you rather let your heart keep expanding, but stop learning? Or would you wish to acquire more knowledge and wisdom at the expense of emotional connection?
I want to want to choose heart (and kill the brain) but I think if someone had a gun to my head right now, I’d choose brain (and fuck the heart), only because I can imagine living without a growing heart but not without a growing intellect.
The heart has it’s own brain Bill! And it’s a scientific fact! Go to the Heart Math Institute web site. The heart contains more wisdom, no ego and has all of humanity in its best interest. The heart is the Truth. It never lies. Living from your heart is like seeing and being both a child and God. Power versus force - ease, flow, it’s natural state. Heart wins for me, where I choose to reside. Ego is your false self and should only serve you but most tend to serve it! Love is the answer in every situation - every one.
Hi Bill, On the subject of "all events are somehow, in some way, interconnected" -- I recently stumbled into a used book store in Houston and bought a book entitled, "Rapt" -- as in rapt attention. I am a psychologist who is having a love affair with ADD; what is it, why, why so rampantly diagnosed? The point: Love this used book, as the author thoroughly explores her subject matter. Then, today, I decided I wanted some fresh data (I am on fire about this attention/focus inner management notion) and ended up here. With you. Really with you. Like, enough to write and thank you for being you. Ashely Siegel
This is one of my favorite comments in the entire history of Readup. I read it this morning at the library, lost my cool with excitement, but then (ironically) got distracted by a bunch of other dumb/small things. I ended up drafting a reallllllly long/crazy/awkward comment about my personal history with (undiagnosed) ADD, self-medicating with marijuana through my 20s, and eventually finding peace and progress with reading, solitude, and also just accepting that I’ll always be easily distractible and that’s okay.
Anyway, I have been “on fire about this attention/focus inner management notion” for most of my adult life. Please read my blog post “The Importance of Being Earnest About Screen Time.” And if you’re down, let’s hop on the phone. Regardless, email me: bill@readup.com
So yeah - Really with you too. (Great to meet you & welcome to Readup!)
Hi, Thanks!
One more quick aside about acceptance, etc.
In Houston, we -- in the "striving for high consciousness" subset -- LOVE Brene Brown. We all do. Especially me. She has 2 TED talks and a new Netflix documentary. But she also has a new book, entitled "Braving the Wilderness, a Quest for blah, blah, blah"). In it, she goes into great detail about "Creatives" -- those people who are terminally unique (not in a neurotic way), often misunderstood, highly creative and super vulnerable -- if they have the courage to "stand alone in the arena of public opinion as an innovator". These people often have a history of self-medication, isolation and of feeling that they are outsiders; even in their families of origin. Furthermore, we are painfully intuitive and self-conscious, and often prone to what looked like dysthymic depression to the established psychiatric community (my addition), but who, oddly, respond amazingly to the new ADD drugs (Adderall, Vyvanse, etc.). I know that you will not read this as a call for medication, but rather as an "ah-hah". To my knowledge, the mechanism as to why we respond so well to methamphetamine is not entirely understood, but the fact that I do is really odd to me. And even more odd is the Brene book and the "Rapt" book -- along with your wickedly honest Read-up post in the same day.
Editorial aside: I don't know how to underline on this keyboard so my punctuation is punctuated, or something like that.
Anyway, I am done. Off to read your blog post on Earnesty ... is that a word? It should be ... Ashe
I’m a creative. For sure. When I’m alone, I forget how nutty my life’s is (living in an RV, 32 years old, Stanford degree but no money, lots of passions, fewer “focuses.”) I guess it’s been hard, sometimes, but mostly it’s been great. I read the front/back cover of Daring Greatly and the Table of Contents at a bookstore and I felt like that was enough. Unless it’s overwhelmingly urgent, I try to avoid self-helpy kind of stuff, but I’ve heard so much about Brown that I might be willing to make an exception. (“Mindset” by Carol Dweck changed my life. Check that one out!) I’ll watch the Brown videos for sure.
I recently read Patti Smith’s memoir Just Kids. She’s a great example of a give-no-f*cks artist/creative, someone who “stands alone in the arena of public opinion as an innovator.” A true inspiration. That book was like a shot of adrenaline for me.
Underlining isn’t possible (yet!) in Readup comments, but I’ll consider that a feature request! :)
I’m really interested in this Adderall conversation, but the problem is that I get easily addicted to stuff. That’s why I’m sticking to reading and long walks, healthy things to be addicted to. ;)
I’m really glad to have you on here. I have 5 million more things to say about ADD, Readup, social media. Stay tuned. Soon we’ll have a follow feature (so we could, like, read ADD-related articles together and stuff!) but in the meantime, just don’t forget to keep checking back in!
Bill I can so understand your apprehension and self consciousness. It IS such a vulnerable position to be in. I know this can sound perhaps too simplistic, but just do Bill and don’t worry what others think. There’s that great line; “What others think about me is none of my business.” When you are writing from the heart, writing to share your thoughts, that’s not only brave, it’s compelling! I am so proud of your courage, creativity and insights. And even though I’m JUST a mom, I hope you feel encouraged!
“Be who you are and say what you will, because the people who matter don’t mind and the people who mind don’t matter.” -Dr Seuss
Exactly! Love the Doctor!
Enjoyed reading this one on the square stand iPad at the coffee shop. Keep it up!
Quill points for you, sir.
Zoom out, play in that waterfall, trust in the truth and keep on blogging.... As MO might ask, What are you doing with this one precious day? Cant wait to read your blog about you and Rebecca sharing a park bench..
Speaking of Rebecca, I recently gifted my copy of A Field Guide to Getting Lost to the owner of the most magical bookstores I’ve ever been to in my life. I was legitimately lost and running out of gas when I stumbled upon it. The owner, who goes by Mother Mary, had already given me a special book, free of charge, so I raced to Sputnik to find the best thing I had. She held Solnit in her hands with her eyes closed after I gave it to her and said, “Yes, I will like this.” And then she looked at the back cover and looked back at me and said, “Annie Dillard. Yes. This will be good.” I read the first chapter of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek at a bookstore in Copper Harbor and YES it’s good. Have you read any Dillard? I was feeling some May Sarton vibes.
It's so natural to want to capture life. You're a writer! You always have been, even when you weren't writing everyday. And that's what writers do: translate their life into words. It's what all artists do: painters express their lives in brushstrokes on canvas, musicians with instruments and voices, photographers with cameras. Your third paragraph reminded me of something a yoga teacher said today: "We have minds. We aren't our minds."
Hope your yoga training is going well .. Living from our hearts instead of our minds makes life so enriching . Happy 4th hugs to Puck
Question: If you had to press pause on your heart or your brain, which would you choose? Would you rather let your heart keep expanding, but stop learning? Or would you wish to acquire more knowledge and wisdom at the expense of emotional connection?
I want to want to choose heart (and kill the brain) but I think if someone had a gun to my head right now, I’d choose brain (and fuck the heart), only because I can imagine living without a growing heart but not without a growing intellect.
What an insane thought experiment.
The heart has it’s own brain Bill! And it’s a scientific fact! Go to the Heart Math Institute web site. The heart contains more wisdom, no ego and has all of humanity in its best interest. The heart is the Truth. It never lies. Living from your heart is like seeing and being both a child and God. Power versus force - ease, flow, it’s natural state. Heart wins for me, where I choose to reside. Ego is your false self and should only serve you but most tend to serve it! Love is the answer in every situation - every one.