Happy Friday,
This morning, I stood outside and watched two blue jays flit from branch to branch. As I opened my book, I heard a strange chirping sound, and looked up in time to see the jays chase a squirrel away. Hearing a second, different chirp, I put the book down and watched the jays rush over to feed a smaller, fluffier gray jay. How often we miss small but pivotal moments by concentrating on the have to do instead of appreciating what is happening in the moment!
Get outside and enjoy the small moments this weekend.
Here is what I’d like to share this week:
In, “Blessed are the Sense-Makers,” we are treated to an overview of intellectual history, culminating in how egalitarian democracy lends itself to consensus, and as a result, narratives prevail where inspection and reflection should preside.
A full report on Iceland’s recent switch over to a four day work week. Productivity went up, workers reported being happier, sick days went down and there were no decreases in customer satisfaction across a variety of workplace settings. Roughly 86% of the workforce has moved to a shorter work week, or has been given permission to go to the shorter work week. This is a trend which should continue to spread across the Western world.
Anton Chekov describes eight Qualities of Cultured People in a letter of advice to his frustrated brother.
In “The Long Win,” a three-time Olympian looks at the long view of great achievers’ lives and finds widespread depression. Because winning is often a fleeting moment which doesn’t serve for much in the long term, she offers three points of insight for aligning temporary wins with long term objectives.
A response to the war on the classics.
Currently reading: The White Album by Joan Didion
Have a great weekend.
