Curated For You: The Best Articles I've Read This Week

A collection of my favorite stories from the newsletters I read each week

You may not know this about me

I read many daily, weekly, and monthly newsletters. Because I do not and will not use social media, outside of LinkedIn, I rely on newsletters to tell me what is going on in the world.

I am also well-known among my friends and family as someone who is in-the-know. I am always sending people opportunities, cool new places to try, and news stories that relate to their niche interests. I love doing this and it helps me connect with people I care about. I am a big believer in reciprocity and want to give to those who give to me.

For this week’s Creativity Playlist, I am happy to share the best stories I read this week. Become a paid subscriber to see my “Special Interest” section of the week. This week I cover 3 taboo stories on Death & Dying. These stories challenged me philosophically, alerted me to the need for creative solutions around end-of-life and honoring ancestors, and I cannot stop thinking about them.

A 72-year old woman & a lighthouse

I have a particular interest in women in their 70s, 80s, and beyond doing amazing things. I found both this story (below) and its photos mesmerizing.

From The Browser newsletter, originally published by Hakai Magazine

The opening quote:

Creatively, I loved this image of chicks that matched the eggs they emerged from.

The final image of this article was also particularly striking to me.

“Snowman rests against the bell stand in June 2023. The bell hanging there today is a replica of a 623-kilogram bell that the keeper used as a fog signal from 1851 until 1871. It, in turn, replaced a cannon. Snowman says what she’ll miss most when she retires is seeing daily permutations of the coastal landscape. ‘Every sunrise, every sunset was different. Every day was different,” she says. “The color of the ocean changed throughout the day. … And I just loved being in [the keeper’s house where] every window had a view.’”

There’s something about a bell replacing a cannon, a space where every window has a view, and this image of a woman in traditional clothing experiencing rest and freedom. It gives me the feeling I felt when watching Women Talking which is a movie I think about regularly and has inspired my art.

“Stay, Leave, Fight” by Shady Kimzey, 2023. This is one of the central themes in the film “Women Talking”.

Want to feel better in 2024?

From the 1440 newsletter, originally published by Self

If you want a list of great tips to help you feel better this year, this is the article for you. One actionable item I am taking away from this list is creating my personal health file. As someone with multiple disabilities and many types of doctors I see regularly, this is something I needed years ago.

What else is in this newsletter for Paid subscribers? My “Special Interest” section with 3 respectful and intellectually-engaging articles on death & dying.

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