Content Catnip
Quirky Internet Wunderkammer
Comforting Thought
Bite-sized comfort and spirituality in a turmultuous world
Comforting Thought: We remember what we like/we like what we remember
Memory functions in curious and fascinating ways according to the fascinating guide to why we like things called ‘You May Also Like’ by Tom Vanderbilt. One of the simplest and most innocent forms of bias is memory itself. In various types of competitions, people who performed later seemed to do better. You might think, asContinue reading “Comforting Thought: We remember what we like/we like what we remember”
Comforting Thought: I am what I look at
“In essence, one becomes what one participates in. In other words, I am what I look at.”― Olga Tokarczuk, Flights
Comforting Thought: We all have four limbs and a shared history
“Just as all humans are the same and each human differs. All species are the same and each species differs, and within that, each creature too, is an individual. It is a matter of mystery and delight compounded that so many species can bring that buondary between us, so that the hawk looks for theContinue reading “Comforting Thought: We all have four limbs and a shared history”
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Ancient Word of the Day
Words dredged up from the pelagic zone of language
Ancient Word of the Day: Nightmarish Nursery Rhymes
The sweet little rhymes and refrains that fills out childhoods are actually full of ghoulish and gruesome revelations. Here are some creepy examples… The rhythmic patterns of nursery rhymes provided an ideal framework for infants and children to develop language. Mary, Mary, quite contrary,How does your garden grow?With silver bells, and cockle shells,And pretty maidsContinue reading “Ancient Word of the Day: Nightmarish Nursery Rhymes”
Ancient Words: Cute words in Polish and how to say them
PB and I were thinking about what we would name our pets. Once we get a place where we can have a backyard so that animals can run around, we will be getting a rescue dog and cat or perhaps a whole menagerie. What we discovered was an astonishing number of cute words in Polish,Continue reading “Ancient Words: Cute words in Polish and how to say them”
Ancient word of the day: Adder
Snakes, serpents, vipers, adders – they all convey ancient power of life over death, of emerging in ones full power to take back what belongs to them, of transformation and return. A potent ancestral spirit and augur from the Land of the Dead. Adder The Adder Vipera berus is the only venomous snake in Britain.Continue reading “Ancient word of the day: Adder”
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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 #78
Do you have a love of cybernetic dogs, Prince or the artist formerly known as, how about frogs that are designed to be camouflaged on the edge of creeks? Do you like hero dogs? Then you will like edition #78 of 10 Interesting Things. Stay cool muchachoes… Tati the French cybernetic dog Tati is aContinue reading “10 Interesting Things I Found on the Internet #78”
10 Interesting Things I Found on the Internet #77
Hello friends, this week we drink in some Buddhist philosophy, indulge in an armchair tour of a greek island at sunset, meet some unusual spirit gods deep in the forest, some smiling grass and much more. Let’s jump on the train to funkytown it’s edition #77 Creepy doll stand-ins populate an abandoned town in JapanContinue reading “10 Interesting Things I Found on the Internet #77”
10 Interesting Things I Found on the Internet #76
In edition #76 we will check out a Pink Floyd concert in Venise, read adoring odes to beautiful trees, see a beetle’s face up close and meet a man saving apples from extinction. I hope you enjoy this trip… Remarkable macro-photography of a Longhorn beetle Cerambyx Scopolii by Thorben Danke Originally tweeted by Thorben DankeContinue reading “10 Interesting Things I Found on the Internet #76”
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Book Reviews
Mind-expanding fantasy, quirky history books and more
Book Review: The Body Keeps the Score: Mind, Brain and Body in the Transformation of Trauma by Bessel Van Der Kolk
Publisher: Penguin Genre: Non-Fiction, Psychology Rating: 🌟🌟🌟 This is a comprehensive guide to trauma. Unlike other guides, it places emphasis on the physical body and how past buried traumas are inextricably connected to the body, or in other words: ‘The Body Keeps the Score’. Although this book is more of a clinical guide for psychologists,Continue reading “Book Review: The Body Keeps the Score: Mind, Brain and Body in the Transformation of Trauma by Bessel Van Der Kolk”
Eight ‘classic’ and popular books that are unreadable…
Do you have any books that everyone else seemed to love and you absolutely hated, or that you found to be a bit mediocre? Do you disagree with my assessment on these books and want to give me a good talking to? Let me know below.
Book Review: Ordinary Beauty: Meaningful Moments in Everyday Life by Mary McEvoy
Publisher: Hachette Books Ireland Genre: Non-Fiction, Spirituality, Wisdom, Buddhism, Paganism Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 This is a book of wisdom, quotes and treasures is from writer Mary McEvoy. She has lived experience of depression and anxiety. So she understands intimately how to handle and manage the dark times of life. How to look at the darkness squarelyContinue reading “Book Review: Ordinary Beauty: Meaningful Moments in Everyday Life by Mary McEvoy”
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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 makeContinue reading “Artists and Writers In Their Own Words: Jane Cornwell”
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 earliestContinue reading “Artists and Writers In Their Own Words: Wayne Wolfson”
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 writesContinue reading “Artists & Writers in their Own Words: Monica Olivia”
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The Natural World
Organisms, real, imagined, extinct and extant.
The Anatomy of Fantastical Creatures
Do you know what the juicy interior of a Kraken looks like? Have you ever seen the inside of a unicorn’s magical horn? What about the biochemical transformation of a man into a a werewolf? Here are some marvellous anatomical figures from French Chimerologist Camille Renversade who in 2014 combined zoology charts, anatomy boards andContinue reading “The Anatomy of Fantastical Creatures”
Six Quirky Facts About Red Pandas
Red pandas are sweet looking, unobtrusive and stunning mammals that live in the mountainous forests in the Himalayas. With their lustrous and vibrant reddish brown fur and round sweet faces; they have the vague appearance of a fox rather than a Giant Panda. Here’s more about a mysterious animal that my boyfriend and I fellContinue reading “Six Quirky Facts About Red Pandas”
The Sky Bastard Who Ate My Ancestors in New Zealand
Here is another rough diamond plucked from the caverns of Content Catnip’s vault, this post from 2014 and resuscitated for your enjoyment. I still love megafauna just as much, even now. Introducing the Sky Bastard who once sparked universal terror in the hearts of my Māori ancestors. Common Name: Haast’s Eagle Scientific Name: Harpagornis moorei (DiscoveredContinue reading “The Sky Bastard Who Ate My Ancestors in New Zealand”
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Te Ao Māori
All about the indigenous culture of Aotearoa, New Zealand
Comforting Thought: Saying sorry will go a long way
Kuoa rongo ake au… Akakoa iti noa te kuru pounamu He taonga tuku iho kia kaha, kia toa, kia māiai, kia mataara kia manawanui I have learned… A thoughtful note to someone you’ve avoided Saying sorry will go a long way
Phone someone today and say, ’I care…’
Kua rongo ake au… I tēnei rangi tonu toro atu Tōu ringa ki tō tamaiti, whāngaia tōu hinengaro Patua he waea ki tetahi atu, ki atu, ’Ko au e whakaaro nui atu nei, kia kaha’ I have learned… Today reach out Hug your child Pat a cat, appreciate our country, Phone someone today and say,Continue reading “Phone someone today and say, ’I care…’”
Words and Music: Call on a karakia
Kua rongo ake au… Mā te karakia mā te īnoi, mā te noho puku Ka taea e au ngā mea katoa I have learned… That I can call upon a karakia When I look for solutions to the Challenges that face me.
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Content Catnip TV
Transportative videos made by Content Catnip
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 throughoutContinue reading “Content Catnip TV: Team Lab Borderless, Tokyo”
Enoshima Dreaming on Content Catnip TV
This surfy, ultra chill and slightly magical island was more amazing than we imagined.
Travel: Arashiyama boat ride, Kyoto
This is a nostalgic trip down memory lane for me and the Polish Bear, we went on a boat tour in Arashiyama in Kyoto in 2019, it was unforgettable. I took a lot of footage from my Canon and used a gimbal to smooth out the rocking on the boat and put it together asContinue reading “Travel: Arashiyama boat ride, Kyoto”
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Travel Tales
Nostalgic travel from the time before ‘you know what‘ happened
Travel: The Beautiful Terrace Windows of Triana, Sevilla
Back in 2010 during a particularly sweltering summer, I visited Andalucia and soaked in the beautiful architecture in Sevilla. The best way to see all of the charming neighbourhoods and historic monuments was going the tourist routes with an open-top bus. This also afforded me excellent views onto all of the terrace houses with theirContinue reading “Travel: The Beautiful Terrace Windows of Triana, Sevilla”
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 realContinue reading “Travel: Kolejcowo is a cute and creepy version of Poland in miniature”
Cuba Dupa Wellington 2021
Each year at the end of March there is a street festival in Wellington. Cuba Dupa is always vibrant, vibrational and brings out the wild and vivacious side of the little city. Even though I’m a total introvert, strangely enough I really like loud concerts and street festivals where I can dance and have aContinue reading “Cuba Dupa Wellington 2021”
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Obscure Music
Unusual little-heard music to inspire creativity
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 andContinue reading “Moondog: The enigmatic jazz wizard of post-war NYC”
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 wolvesContinue reading “The art of Kulning: Night-scented stock are called in for the long summer evening”
Awesome low-fi / house / ambient / psychedelic artists from New Zealand
Skip to the end for an amazing playlist of these artists on Youtube Aldous Harding From Christchurch, Aldous Harding is known throughout the world for her strange, unnerving stage presence and her delicate and yet raw brand of folk. She’s quite enigmatic and unlike any other artist. You may take a while to warm toContinue reading “Awesome low-fi / house / ambient / psychedelic artists from New Zealand”
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Quirky History
Lesser-known morsels of olden day stuff
Netsuke & Gashapon toys Ancient Japanese treasures and modern collectibles
Netsuke are uniquely Japanese and sublime in their beauty. They are tiny objects carved of ivory, ceramic, wood, tortoise-shell, gold or many other materials. They tell the story of the culture of Japan during the old Edo period and before. Netsuke featured fishermen and farmers, who rubbed shoulders with scholars, samurai warriors, royalty and evenContinue reading “Netsuke & Gashapon toys Ancient Japanese treasures and modern collectibles”
Ancient word of the day: Twankle
Twankle To twang your fingers on a musical instrument or absent-mindedly strum or play an instrument without thought. Other concatenations include: Twiddling, twandling, tootling, plunking, noodling, thrummling or tudeling. Tudeling (origin) German dudeln – to perform badly. The crappiest song that almost everyone can play on the piano Chopsticks was invented in 1877 by composerContinue reading “Ancient word of the day: Twankle”
Map Porn Part 2: The Most Beautiful Geological Maps on Earth
Where Art Meets Science Scientific visualisations often can look just like objects of visual art. The previous installation of this series, there were topographical surveys visualised on both our moon and Jupiter’s moon. This time, we are focusing on our own Pale Blue Dot. These maps are not only utilitarian and functional, they are worksContinue reading “Map Porn Part 2: The Most Beautiful Geological Maps on Earth”
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Content Catnip 