Seventeen Life-learnings from The author of The Marginalian

From one of my most enjoyable newsletters, "The Marginalian" - as it hits another anniversary. Maria Popova states:

Seven years into this labor of love, which had by then become my life and livelihood, I decided to set down some of the most important things I learned about living in the course of writing this personal record of reckoning with our search for meaning. Every year in the decade since, I have added one new learning and changed none of the previous. (It can only be so — a person is less like a star, whose very chemistry, the source of its light, changes profoundly over its life-cycle, and more like a planet, like this planet, whose landscape changes over the ages but is always shaped by the geologic strata layered beneath, encoding everything the planet has been since its birth.)

For brevity sake, I'm just going to give the first sentence of each of her "important things she learning about living." You can go to her site to see the full extent of them.

17 Life-Learnings from 17 Years of The Marginalian

 1. Allow yourself the uncomfortable luxury of changing your mind. 

2. Do nothing for prestige or status or money or approval alone. 

3. Be generous. Be generous with your time and your resources and with giving credit and, especially, with your words. 

4. Build pockets of stillness into your life.

5. As Maya Angelou famously advised, when people tell you who they are, believe them. Just as important, however, when people try to tell you who you are, don’t believe them. 

6. Presence is far more intricate and rewarding an art than productivity.

7. “Expect anything worthwhile to take a long time.” 

8. Seek out what magnifies your spirit. 

9. Don’t be afraid to be an idealist. 

10. Don’t just resist cynicism — fight it actively.

11. A reflection originally offered by way of a wonderful poem about pi: Question your maps and models of the universe, both inner and outer, and continually test them against the raw input of reality.

12. There are infinitely many kinds of beautiful lives.

13. In any bond of depth and significance, forgive, forgive, forgive. 

14. Choose joy. 

15. Outgrow yourself.

16. Unself. Nothing is more tedious than self-concern — the antipode of wonder.

17. Everything is eventually recompensed, every effort of the heart eventually requited, though not always in the form you imagined or hoped for.

Happy Winter Solstice!

 Today's quote:

We can be more like trees opening our crown to the Universe and rooting down deep with our feet into mother earth.

Banyan Tree in Lahaina Hawaii, after August 2023 wild fires. photo by Mary Foster

By Veronica Virag

A Pagan costume for the Green Man of the Trees

Oh how many castles in my imagination have I sent off in bubbles! You?

Solstice Night, by Sue Ellen Parkinson

I just skimmed some past Winter Solstice blogs...here's one about Celtic Symbols. I'll share more about Newgrange HERE.

The year before that, I posted this in 2012 , some doomsday predictions said that would be the end of us all, and yet here we are...

In 2019 this was more melancholy as I felt my love for my 3 sons, who all live distant from me. There's also a beautiful poem.

2020 I had another brief poem, and focused on the threads of life, including quilts.

For 2021 I included a video by Leonard Cohen singing Anthem.

In 2022 I finally learned how the tilt of the earth gives us seasons. 

The actual tilt remains the same,  23-1/2 degrees. Here's what I finally wrote when I understood it:

The angle always points the same direction as the earth rotates daily, and as it moves along it's orbit of the sun. So when the angle has the bottom of the globe pointed to the sun, it's summer in the southern hemisphere. And moving a quarter of the way around the orbit, the angle still points the same direction, but now the sides (north and south) of the earth get equal amounts of light from the sun...thus either spring or fall. And when it ends up on the opposite side from where we started...the bottom of the globe is now pointed away from the sun at the same angle, with the top getting more light...thus northern hemisphere has summer.

Big thanks for AC being patient in explaining this to my ancient mind!

My ancestor and an early world map

Open Culture this week offers a good article about an early world map, commissioned by King Roger II of Sicily, who is supposedly an ancestor of mine.

 Look at the article if you're interested, but beware, the map is oriented with south at the top of it...for a reason.

the-world-map-that-introduced-scientific-mapmaking-to-the-medieval-islamic-world

Inspiration

 

Debutant ball in Harlem in the 1940s

Winter Solstice in 4 days

Christmas in 8 days

It's a positive climate movie

 If you haven't seen this movie yet, it's a climate positive experience that has been highly recommended by a lot of my friends who are more advanced in their knowledge and actions than I am. 

The Need to Grow documentary. It's only available free for 2 more days. And if you log onto it, and can't watch it in that time, they offer a sales price of $7. I think I saw it a year or so ago, and was highly impressed. So I just skimmed through it this time, but had to stop every once in a while, to see what they were saying about some of the more interesting ideas.

Have a good Saturday night to all!

Different ways to help the poor (And recap of COP-28)

 NPR reported last week on a project that's been going on for a while:

It's one of the biggest experiments in fighting global poverty - now the results are coming in.

"It's an unprecedented – and massive – experiment: Since 2017 the U.S.-based charity GiveDirectly has been providing thousands of villagers in Kenya what's called a "universal basic income" – a cash grant of about $50, delivered every month, with the commitment to keep the payments coming for 12 years. It is a crucial test of what many consider one of the most cutting-edge ideas for alleviating global poverty. This week a team of independent researchers who have been studying the impact released their first results.

"Their findings cover the first two years of the effort and compare the outcomes for about 5,000 people who got the monthly payments to nearly 12,000 others in a control group who got no money. But, just as significantly, the researchers also compared the recipients to people in two other categories: nearly 9,000 who received the monthly income for just two years, without the promise of another decade of payments afterward; and another roughly 9,000 people who got that same two years' worth of income but in a lump-sum payment."

Apparently the folks with lump sum payments had a much greater ability to start businesses and thus prosper, compared to those who just received monthly payments. I was intrigued by the independent research being done, which suggests that those who received monthly payments devised a way by forming a rotating savings club, so they could each have lump sums available...and thus were also able to start businesses. I urge you to read the article.

"The lump sum and the long term [monthly payments] look similar at two years," Suri says. "But the question is, does the lump sum [impact] fade after year five? Year six? Does it just disappear? Or was this enough to keep [the impacts] going forever?"

Because if so, she adds, "Then we're good. I don't have to spend 12 years of money. I just have to spend two years' worth and just structure it correctly." 

To find the answers, Suri says she's committed to continuing this study for as long as it takes."

 

Today's quote:

Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present.

ALBERT CAMUS

10 days till Christmas

6 days till Winter Solstice

So COP28 agreed to "transitioning" away from fossil fuels

(A repost (because it was late getting added yesterday about the COP28 results:)

Catching up on COP28 - It was extended an extra day because not all delegates could agree on wording as to phasing out fossil fuels. This isn't a surprise, considering where the conference was held, an oil rich country. I'm waiting for written news that I can quote. The verbal BBC reports said (on Tues morning) that a lot of the issues haven't been adequately addressed in the final report.

And Wed. morning this was said on NPR:

COP28 president Sultan al-Jaber opened Wednesday's plenary meeting, and within a few minutes announced that agreement had been reached on the main document. "It is a plan that is led by the science,'' al-Jaber said. "It is an enhanced, balanced, but make no mistake, a historic package to accelerate climate action."

Sultan al-Jaber of the United Arab Emirates... celebrates the end of the COP28 climate meeting. The final deal included a modest reference to transitioning away from fossil fuels, which scientists say is crucial to avoid catastrophic warming.  

"It's embarrassing that it took 28 years but now we're finally there. Now it finally seems like the world has acknowledged that we need to move away from fossil [fuels]," said Dan Jørgensen, Denmark's climate minister.

The agreement comes after more than two weeks of contentious negotiations among nearly every country in the world at the United Nations climate conference in Dubai, known as COP28.

The science on climate change is clear. To limit the worst effects of planetary warming – runaway sea level rise, mass extinction of plants and animals, and damaging and deadly wildfires, hurricanes, droughts, heatwaves and floods – the world needs to rapidly reduce its emissions of climate-warming fossil fuels.

In 2015, world leaders agreed to limit warming to below 2 degrees Celsius, and ideally below 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit), compared to pre-industrial times. Scientists say that warming above 1.5 degrees Celsius would put global food systems at risk, spell the end of most of the world's coral reefs and potentially trigger climate tipping points like the melting of permafrost, which could accelerate warming regardless of other human actions.

The world has already warmed roughly 1.2 degrees Celsius, said Jim Skea, chair of the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, in an interview at COP28.

Keeping 1.5 alive, the oft-quoted goal of these climate summits is "still possible – just," Skea said. But, he added, "We continue to emit. So it's becoming harder and harder to imagine that we're going to limit warming at 1.5 degrees and at some point, if we carry on as we are, we'll run out of rope."

One of the biggest breakthroughs of COP28 is that, for the first time, millions of dollars will be directed to developing countries that are already suffering damage from climate change.

For years, developing countries have argued they're paying for devastating impacts that richer nations are largely responsible for. Wealthier countries like the U.S. and those in Europe have historically contributed the biggest share of emissions from fossil fuel use that are causing the planet to heat up. As weather extremes get worse and sea levels rise, developing countries are shouldering the cost of what's known as "loss and damage."

At climate talks a year ago, nations agreed to establish a new loss and damage fund. Now, more than $700 million has been announced for it, most from European countries and $100 million coming from the United Arab Emirates.

-------------------------

Today's quote:

Understanding each other puts a new awareness on what we can and cannot expect and where we need to put boundaries to avoid negative outcomes.

Tonight the eighth candle is lit on the Menorah. It's the last day of Hanukkah.

Winter Solstice is in one week

Christmas is in 11 days

The Good News report from AoCC CATCHING UP ON COP28

 Progress on issues previously featured in the Americans of Conscience Checklist

• In Texas, a federal court orders the repositioning of dangerous floating barriers in the Rio Grande intended to unlawfully deter people seeking refuge.
• Since 1997, people with felony convictions have had their voting rights restored in 26 states and the District of Columbia.

Good news list 

• The Gila River Indian Community will install solar panels to generate electricity for crop irrigation.
• The White House announces the Initiative on Women’s Health Research, an effort to close the gender gap in medical research.
• A newly FDA-approved medication for Alzheimer's disease will be covered by Medicare.
• CA will change all future ballot referendum language to choose “repeal the law” or “keep the law” over the contradictory “yes/no” option.
• MA becomes the the fifth state allowing incarcerated people to make phone calls for free.
• MS’s Supreme Court strikes down a portion of a law that would have undemocratically  deprived Jackson residents of the right to vote for their circuit court judges.
• NY: Under the Clean Slate Act, returning citizens with criminal records will have their records automatically sealed, affording them better access to employment, housing, and education.
• TN Rep. Justin Jones sues the speaker of the state House for unconstitutionally expelling him from his elected position.
• Several Oklahoma school districts promoting accurate and complete social studies instruction by opting out of curriculum with an unaccredited nonprofit.
• A legal settlement determines that people detained in CoreCivic’s immigration detention facilities have the right to labor protections.
• Employees and some corporations explore retirement pensions instead of less stable retirement accounts.
• The nonprofit RIP Medical Debt cancels $33M in debt owed by nearly 16,000 Cleveland residents thanks to funds allocated through the American Rescue Plan Act.
• The startup CarbonBuilt works towards creating low- and zero-carbon concrete.
• Students with children find support through the Virginia State University’s student-parent apartments and child care center.
• Researchers and engineers improve safety by creating the first car crash test dummy modeled on a female body.
• In his will, the unassuming Geoffrey Holt leaves $3.8M to his town of Hinsdale, NH.
• A host of hundreds of thousands of Caribbean king crabs will help restore the ecosystem of FL’s coral reefs.
• A species of holly tree thought to be extinct for nearly 200 years is rediscovered in Brazil.

Support the good news list

Some very special people help make our lists of good news and positive actions possible. Thank you, patrons! Join them to get the good news a week early! Learn more here.

 

Gratefully,

-- Jen Hofmann and the AoCC team

-------------------

Catching up on COP28 - It was extended an extra day because not all delegates could agree on wording as to phasing out fossil fuels. This isn't a surprise, considering where the conference was held, an oil rich country. I'm waiting for written news that I can quote. The verbal BBC reports said (on Tues morning) that a lot of the issues haven't been adequately addressed in the final report.

And Wed. morning this was said on NPR:

COP28 president Sultan al-Jaber opened Wednesday's plenary meeting, and within a few minutes announced that agreement had been reached on the main document. "It is a plan that is led by the science,'' al-Jaber said. "It is an enhanced, balanced, but make no mistake, a historic package to accelerate climate action."

Sultan al-Jaber of the United Arab Emirates... celebrates the end of the COP28 climate meeting. The final deal included a modest reference to transitioning away from fossil fuels, which scientists say is crucial to avoid catastrophic warming.  

"It's embarrassing that it took 28 years but now we're finally there. Now it finally seems like the world has acknowledged that we need to move away from fossil [fuels]," said Dan Jørgensen, Denmark's climate minister.

The agreement comes after more than two weeks of contentious negotiations among nearly every country in the world at the United Nations climate conference in Dubai, known as COP28.

The science on climate change is clear. To limit the worst effects of planetary warming – runaway sea level rise, mass extinction of plants and animals, and damaging and deadly wildfires, hurricanes, droughts, heatwaves and floods – the world needs to rapidly reduce its emissions of climate-warming fossil fuels.

In 2015, world leaders agreed to limit warming to below 2 degrees Celsius, and ideally below 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit), compared to pre-industrial times. Scientists say that warming above 1.5 degrees Celsius would put global food systems at risk, spell the end of most of the world's coral reefs and potentially trigger climate tipping points like the melting of permafrost, which could accelerate warming regardless of other human actions.

The world has already warmed roughly 1.2 degrees Celsius, said Jim Skea, chair of the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, in an interview at COP28.

Keeping 1.5 alive, the oft-quoted goal of these climate summits is "still possible – just," Skea said. But, he added, "We continue to emit. So it's becoming harder and harder to imagine that we're going to limit warming at 1.5 degrees and at some point, if we carry on as we are, we'll run out of rope."

One of the biggest breakthroughs of COP28 is that, for the first time, millions of dollars will be directed to developing countries that are already suffering damage from climate change.

For years, developing countries have argued they're paying for devastating impacts that richer nations are largely responsible for. Wealthier countries like the U.S. and those in Europe have historically contributed the biggest share of emissions from fossil fuel use that are causing the planet to heat up. As weather extremes get worse and sea levels rise, developing countries are shouldering the cost of what's known as "loss and damage."

At climate talks a year ago, nations agreed to establish a new loss and damage fund. Now, more than $700 million has been announced for it, most from European countries and $100 million coming from the United Arab Emirates.

Today's (other) quote:

Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know.

PEMA CHÖDRÖN This is the seventh day of hanukkah 8 days till Winter solstice 12 days till christmas

Beyond Human Intelligence

Consider what is intelligence.

Listen or read interview (link below) from Emergence Magazine with James Bridle, author of Ways of Being: animals, plants, machines: the search for a planetary intelligence.

I have a hold at the library here to maybe get to read that book. In the meantime, I listened to the interview, though sometimes I had trouble with James' accent. But I do still have a written text of it as well, in the Magazine, Vol. 4. (I wonder if there will be a Vol. 5.)

An Ecological Technology This link will have the audio version as well as written text.

I was particularly interested in his views on Artificial Intelligence.

And as I mentioned in a previous blog, I was reading the book: Eve: How the female body drove 200 million years of human evolution, by Cat Bohannon.  And coincidentally reading the chapter about the brain and intelligence, when I was able to listen to this interview with Bridle which urged me to consider other sources and kinds of intelligence.

The tree intelligence immediately came to mind. Then just the whole of life on earth, sharing together so many interdependent things.