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Comforting Thought
Bite-sized comfort and spirituality in a turmultuous world
36 Questions for Creating Closeness
At many times in my #life I’ve felt like I was alone and this made me feel extremely sad and lost. However in contrast, the really best times of my life have been where I’ve bridged that gap and managed to develop a genuine and real #connection with someone and formed a meaningful #friendship or…
Comforting Thought: The Peace of Wild Things
When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds. I come into the…
Comforting Thought: Getting Real, the Velveteen Rabbit
“Your days are numbered. Use them to throw open the windows of your soul to the sun. If you do not, the sun will soon set, and you with it.” — Marcus Aurelius #quote #stoic #philosophy #soul #life
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Ancient Word of the Day
Words dredged up from the pelagic zone of language
A history of the world’s languages as a gnarly willow tree
The world’s mother tongues have blended and intermingled since humans first stood upright and emerged out of the primeval forests. Here’s a really awesome family tree beautifully illustrated by Minna Sundberg. Minna is an immensely talented illustrator who has been creating a wonderful tales set in northern Europe for her online web comic Stand Still,…
Ancient Word of the Day: Stravaig
Stravaig derives from eighteenth-century Scots extravage, meaning ‘wander about; digress, ramble in speech’, in turn derived from Medieval Latin extravagari ‘wander, stray beyond limits’. Stravaig, in various forms, is found in a wide range of Scottish texts from the late eighteenth-century onwards. Read more
Ancient word of the day: Athene Noctua or Athena’s Owl
The Greek goddess Athena had as her sacred animal familiar the owl, also known as the Athene Noctua in Latin. The Romans, fond as they were of stealing from the Greek pantheon, renamed Athena to Minerva. Athena and her owl are considered to be symbols of wisdom, in both cultures. Athene Noctua Athena’s owl or…
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10 Cool Things I Found On the Internet
A weekly palate cleanser of quirky wonder
10 Interesting Things I Found on the Internet #125
Bliss out with an uplifting short animation about a contented introvert, lessons in creativity by Prince, a lentil curry recipe, hopeful news for Scottish trees and much more. It’s edition #125 #Interesting Things #ContentCatnip. Tell your pals!
10 Interesting Things I Found on the Internet #124
Enjoy funky drum n’bass, tiny quaint junkyard islands, a spinach curry, the art of Zdzisław Beksiński and more, it’s edititon #124 #ContentCatnip
10 Interesting Things I Found on the Internet #123
This week, learn how colours got their names, the value of friendship over the lifespan, funky flowing 90’s hiphop, ultra realistic paintings of life in small-town Texas, the legend of Rez Dogs, tasty evening snacks and much more it’s edition #123 of #InterestingThings by #ContentCatnip
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Book Reviews
Mind-expanding fantasy, quirky history books and more
Book Review: Island of Wings by Karin Altenberg
This is a book about the raw majesty of St Kilda as a place, and about the spirit, community bonds and resilience of its people. But it’s also a tragic tale about the devastation of colonialism and 19th century morality.
Book Review: A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
Hi, my name is Nao. I am a time being. Do you know what a time being is? Well if you give me a moment, I will tell you.
A time being is someone who lives in time, and that means you, and me and every one of us who is, or ever was, or…
Book Review: Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss
*No spoilers A book about experimental archaeology and family violence that’s brimming with glorious dread and that closes in around you like a vice. The novel’s short 160 pages are absolutely electrifying and seem far bigger. Best enjoyed during the witching hours of 11pm and 3 am. Ghost Wall opens with an ancient hair-raising scene,…
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Artists, Writers & Musicians In Their Own Words
Unique and inspiring art by interesting people
Artists and Writers In Their Own Words: Jane Cornwell
Jane Cornwell creates soothing and emotional art that speaks to the soul I was accepted for Glasgow School of Art age 16 and I loved it… I have a notebook from school, age 5, with a little drawing of me standing at an easel. I’ve always had a compulsive need to draw, paint and make…
Artists and Writers In Their Own Words: Wayne Wolfson
Northern Californian artist and writer Wayne H.W. Wolfson is completely self-taught and has had an expansive career. He has amassed a large body of work in a riot of colours and eclectic styles. This makes him one of the most striking, interesting and chameleon-like artists around. I have written and compulsively doodled since my earliest…
Artists & Writers in their Own Words: Monica Olivia
Introducing my poetic, spiritual, wise and beautiful friend from Norwegian Lapland Monica Olivia. She is a self-taught Sámi artist who makes art of mind-blowing beauty using a palette of vivid hues found in the most northerly regions of the earth. Monica also has a spiritually nourishing and beautiful blog ‘Ask the Mountains’ where she writes…
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The Natural World
Organisms, real, imagined, extinct and extant.
The quirky origins of Australia’s native animal names
In Australia there are more than 250 Indigenous languages including around 800 dialects. Languages are living things that connect people to Country, culture and ancestors. Many words for Australian native animals come from these languages. ‘Keriba gesep agiakar dikwarda keriba mir. Ableglam keriba Mir pako Tonar nole atakemurkak.’ — The land actually gave birth to…
Book Review: ‘Industrial Scars’ The Beautiful Toxic Scars of the Earth
What happens when humans burn too much waste and destroy the planet? Modern Art. Photographs of the aftermath of environmental devastation aren’t normally considered art. However photographer J Henry Fair has reimagined the decaying and suffering environmental landscape in the aftermath of human abuse in his mesmerising book entitled Industrial Scars. Fair wanted to poignantly…
Exploring the Spiritual Wisdom of Japanese Wildlife: A Journey Through Shinto and Zen Buddhism
The fauna of Japan, rich in diversity, is intricately woven into the tapestry of Shinto and Zen Buddhist traditions. Each animal is not just a part of the ecosystem but a bearer of profound spiritual messages and teachings. This article delves deeply into the shamanic symbolism of eight Japanese animals, revealing their roles in folklore,…
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Te Ao Māori
All about the indigenous culture of Aotearoa, New Zealand
Dolphins as Taniwha in New Zealand
Dolphins are mystical beings full of intelligence, compassion and consciousness. For different Māori iwi, dolphins hold sacred significance and they are known as taniwha. They are considered tapu (sacred) and possessing a powerful mauri (lifeforce). What are Taniwha? Taniwha (pron. tan-ee-far) are mysterious creatures that dwell in the sea, rivers, lakes or in caves. They…
Short Story: Awhiina finds her orb
In the heart of the Pacific, there lies an island so remote it is whispered about like a myth. This island, cloaked in lush greenery and bordered by the endless blue, is home to Awhiina, a woman of quiet strength and profound connection to the natural world around her. Awhiina lived in a small village,…
Words and Music: Earth the slumbering pūriri
In the Beginning Earth Breath on me Earth the cool breath of life Earth the slumbering pūriri Earth the misty valley Earth the departed sun Earth the tingling blue sky Earth the dark sheen of a woman river Earth the mottling tides tumbling ashore Earth the sweeping godwits Earth our home Earth the giving land…
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Content Catnip TV
Transportative videos made by Content Catnip
Travel: Kolejcowo is a cute and creepy version of Poland in miniature
When I was in Poland in 2019, I didn’t hesitate to visit the Kolejcowo in Świebodzki Station in Wrocław. This is the largest model railway in Poland, but also a rather amazing depiction of how life in Poland actually looks. Everything, right down to the petrol stations, graffiti, and the shops actually exists in real…
Content Catnip TV: Team Lab Borderless, Tokyo
TeamLab Borderless in Tokyo is a remarkable audio-visual attraction in Tokyo and a must-see in the city if you ever visit. It’s on expansive, harbour-facing area of Odaiba which is encircled by the very scenic train ride, along with excellent shopping centre Diver City, which features a showcase level of award-winning ramen restaurants from throughout…
Enoshima Dreaming on Content Catnip TV
This surfy, ultra chill and slightly magical island was more amazing than we imagined.
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Travel Tales
Nostalgic travel from the time before ‘you know what‘ happened
Travel: Exploring Sydney’s exquisite vintage architecture at QVB
The Queen Victoria Building (QVB), is an enchanting architectural wonder in Sydney’s central business district. The style of the building is a Romanesque Revival architectural masterpiece and was originally designed by George McRae. Constructed between 1893 and 1898, this heritage-listed building originally served as a marketplace but has undergone various uses and renovations over the…
Travel: Wellington’s Chinese New Year Lantern Festival
#Wellington’s annual #Chinese New Year Festival went ahead in early 2020 despite COVID-19. The waterfront became a sea of dancing colours with luminous koi fish, red dragons dancing, and illuminated Māori wahine and much more #travel #NewZealand
Tea for Peace in Shibuya farmers market
On November 1st 2023, PB and I went to Tea for Peace in Shibuya. At UNU towards the back of the weekly farmer’s market, was a showcase of dozens of passionate tea makers from across Japan, China, Taiwan and Korea. Each tea producer was friendly and eager to tell the story of their teas and…
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Obscure Music
Unusual little-heard music to inspire creativity
Underground Resistance: Detroit Techno as a Personal Revolution
Underground Resistance subverted the racist stereotype of the “black trouble-maker” and turned it on its head. Through their provocative, uplifting and joyful techno, Underground Resistance gave young black people with a different way of being and living: an empowering, positive, uplifting and autonomous way of seeing oneself in the world. This is perfectly expressed in…
Moondog: The enigmatic jazz wizard of post-war NYC
I came across Moon dog on one of those long and meandering trips through obscure music on YouTube. He was a true innovator and an avante-garde enigma. For one he looked like Gandalf or Hagrid. Aside from this, he also invented several new musical instruments including a small triangular instrument he called the Ooo and…
The art of Kulning: Night-scented stock are called in for the long summer evening
Kulning is an ancient, sweet and sorrowful form of Scandinavian music used to herd cows and goats back down from their high mountain pastures in parts of Norway and in certain provinces of Sweden, Jämtland and Härjedalen. In practical use since medieval times, the mysterious tones were also thought to be a deterrent to potential predators like wolves…
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Quirky History
Lesser-known morsels of olden day stuff
Nostalgic Art from 70’s Star Wars
Ralph McQuarrie was responsible for designing many #StarWars characters, including Darth Vader, Chewbacca, R2-D2 and C-3PO. He was also responsible for the conceptual design of the #film sets and props. #art
Here be the Viking Hoard: The Mystery of the Lewis Chessmen
The Lewis Chessmen are a treasure of Viking and Scottish history and have elicited awe and wonder since they were first discovered. They were likely to have been made in Trondheim in Norway from walrus ivory. This kind of bone was hard to come across at the time (1150-1200 A.D). The craftsmanship of these tiny…
The heartwarming story of Hachiko, Japan’s most loved dog
Born in 1923, the #Akita #dog named Hachiko became a living symbol of unwavering love and devotion. His story began as a tiny pup in a quaint town in Japan, quickly evolving into a life intertwined with his owner, Professor Hidesaburo Ueno. #history #Japan #Hachiko #Shibuya #Tokyo
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