This week’s #InterestingThings include how #autistic and #neurodivergent people express #love, how #animals see #colours, 90’s throwback #house music, armchair travelling to #Uzbekistan and much more, get ready kids.
Baianรก by Nia Archives
This reminds me of the OG jungle and DnB tunes of 90’s UK from LTJ Bukem and Goldie. It’s an iconic bangin track. The videoclip set Rio has an energetic, vibrant and youthful dancey vibe. My gosh…there is so much 90’s rave nostalgia packed into it. Listen and let me know what you think!
Mixing a full set here of classic and new jungle tracks…
Amazing video shows how animals experience colour
Traditionally, efforts to replicate animal vision through methods like spectrophotometry have been hindered by their inability to capture moving images and their time-consuming nature. However, a breakthrough in camera technology now enables researchers to record videos in four distinct color spectrums simultaneously: ultraviolet (UV), red, blue, and green. This innovative camera system provides ecologists and zoologists with a tool to accurately depict how animals perceive their surroundings in motion.
What a millennial mid-life crisis looks like
I can say I’ve experienced three out of four of these scenarios as a mid-life milennial. I guess that makes me basic AF hahahaha ๐
The ways that autists and those with ADHD express love for each other
I am well familiar with these and they fill me with joy.
It’s always tea time by Sumegha Malhotra
Donny Benet – American Dream
I found this funky wonder about six months ago courtesy of the Youtube algorithm and I discovered that Donny Benet is from Melbourne! and has worked up quite a following over the past ten years for his particular brand of summery jazzy house and retro 80’s synth groove. American Dream is just the tip of the iceberg and he is incredibly talented. I recently saw him live and it was one of the best live shows I’ve ever been to!
The joy of mending, altering and restyling your existing clothes
In this Guardian article, they propose a challenge too cut down on consumer waste, only buy five new items of clothing per year – excluding underwear and socks. One woman only ever keeps 33 items in total in her wardrobe at any given time! When I was backpacking for several years I only ever owned about <20 clothing items including underwear plus one pair of sandals one pair of walking shoes. Gradually this has increased I am sad to say and I have again accumulated more crap than I need.
Autistic human animals
Jorn Bettin has the most incredible blog, all about the cultural, economic and psychological aspects of being autistic. He deep-dives into incredibly insightful realms of understanding. His blog resonates deeply with me, particularly the part where he says that being autistic means being highly sensitive and having a reduced capacity for cognitive dissonance. Also understanding the interrelated nature of interspecies justice and why fighting for it is necessary, it’s no coincidence so many animal rights and human rights advocates are neurodiverse. Please follow Jorn’s blog Neuroclastic I think you will gain so much from it.
The unusual heightened baseline sensitivity profiles of Autistic human animals means that they have a reduced capacity for maintaining cognitive dissonance.
Autistic human animals are unconstrained by culturally defined gender norms and have the capacity to relate deeply to other human and non-human living beings. Their sensitivity profiles limit their ability to think hierarchically and engage in transactional human busyness.
In the hypernormative culture that dominates the modern world, it is hard to explain to non-Autistic people what the immersion inย healthy Autistic cultureย feels like and what the development ofย healthy sacred lifetime relationshipsย between Autistic people feels like. In mainstream society people donโt understand howย Autistic human animalsย support each other, love each other, and care for each other in ways that go far beyond theย culturally impaired neuronormative imagination.
70’s Synth and International Dance Mix
This might bring a cheeky smile to your dial….infectious.
Ear Scratches give this doggo a brightening smile that will make you smile too…
Travelling to an underrated gem of the Silk Road: Uzbekistan
From the incredible travel blog Strafari. I highly recommend you follow this blog. I now have a fervent dream of going to Uzbekistan because of this post!
The fragrance of incense mingles with the smell of shashlik (skewers of marinated meat grilled over a wood fire). Stalls along the streets and in the courtyards are full of beautiful silk and cotton silk fabrics, gloves and hats made from camel wool, fluffy woolen telpek hats, or traditional embroidery. The ochre walls contrast with the blue of the domes and mosaics. At twilight, dusty shades are added to the color palette.
Big Blue Sky: A Christmas Story
This is the heartwarming and uplifting story of two turkeys named Clarence and Luca who live jammed into a factory but dream of seeing the blue sky for the first time. A festive happy ending ensues for them. Download the full Christmas story for free and make sure you follow the amazing writer and illustrator Violet Plum on her blog! She has some great and meaningful books for children (and adults) about animal rights on her website.
I wonder why, under this sky,
That some are free and some are pie.
The joy and love and other things
That Christmastime’s cold season brings,
Are cancelled out, it seems to me,
Because they serve up death for tea‘Big Blue Sky: A Christmas Story’ by Violet’s Vegan Comics
Giant versus tiny baby Jesus statues in Mexico
Giant baby Jesus in Zรณquite, Mexico. He has a weight of 750 kilos and a height of 6.5 meters. Via Reddit
‘El Niรฑo del Cacahuatito’ is the smallest venerated baby Jesus in Mexico. It is 5 cm tall. It was found in 1810 while digging a hole in search for water in Mezquitic, Los Altos de Jalisco region
Thich Nhat Hanh’s inspiring message about the Buddha nature in everything
I think God is on Earth, inside every living being.
What we call “the divine” is none other than the energy of awakening,
of peace,
of understanding, and of love, which is to be found
not only in every human being, but in every species on Earth.
In Buddhism, we say every sentient being has the ability to be awakened, and to understand deeply.
We call this Buddha nature.
The deer, the dog, the cat, the squirrel, and the bird all have Buddha nature.
But what about inanimate species: the pine tree in our front yard, the grass, or the flowers?
As part of our living Mother Earth, these species also have Buddha nature.
This is a very powerful awareness which can bring us so much joy.
Every blade of grass, every tree, every plant, every creature large or small are children of the planet Earth and have Buddha nature.
The Earth herself has Buddha nature,
therefore all her children must have Buddha nature, too.
As we are all endowed with Buddha nature,
everyone has the capacity to live happily and with a sense of responsibility toward our mother, the Earth.
Being social is a skill
As I’m a person who enjoys her ownย company immensely, I loved this succinct tip on how to socialise better with others, by one of my favourite writers Robert Green.
The Enchanted Hour: An interactive digital artwork that changes according to where you are viewing it from
The Enchanted Hour is a mesmerising digital artwork by Ryan Koopmans and Alice Wexell. The duo breathes new life into forgotten architectural marvels. As the hours unfold you can witness a majestic owl glide through the space, marking time’s passage with her hoots. This piece is a modern twist on the classic cuckoo clock, transforming each hour into a moment of wonder. The digital artwork revives historical structures with lush vegetation, cinematic lighting, and animated surprises, creating a bridge between past and present in a virtual world. Via The Inspiration Grid and the Enchanted Hour.
Watch the video here of the owl and time transition at 7pm!
The greatest poem ever known by Christopher Morley
By my dear blogger friend Noir/ Sedge808 who writes insightfully and beautifully about his own life overcoming a lot of early life trauma and PTSD and he shares a lot of his photography. A very interesting blog and one you should definitely follow. Here he shares a poem, I had never heard it before this and it blew my mind! This really captures the essence of childhood for me and the beautiful innocence of children that should always be protected.
The greatest poem ever known
Is one all poets have outgrown:
The poetry, innate, untold
Of being only four years old.
Still young enough to be a part
Of Natureโs great impulsive heart,
Born comrade of bird, beast and tree
And unselfconscious as the bee-
And yet with lovely reason skilled
Each day new paradise to build
Elate explorer of each sense,
Without dismay, without pretence!
In your unstained transparent eyes
There is no conscience, no surprise:
Lifeโs queer conundrums you accept,
Your strange Divinity still keptโฆ
And Life, that sets all things in rhyme,
May make you poet, too, in timeโ
But there were days, O tender elf,
When you were Poetry itself!
“I would love to live like a river flows, carried by the surprise of its own unfolding.” โ John O’Donohue
Did you enjoy this collection? let me know what you think of it below. Thank you for reading my dear friends!
Content Catnip 
I deeply value the insightful infographic detailing relationships between individuals with ADHD and autism. As a lesbian couple where both my wife and I are proudly neurodivergent, this visual representation profoundly illustrates the nuances of our connection. It captures the essence of how we navigate our relationship, which functions more as an extraordinarily close and supportive friendship than a conventional romantic partnership. This dynamic suits us perfectly, honoring both our unique neurodivergent traits and the profound emotional bond we share. Thank you for sharing!
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Thank you so much dear Thomas for reading ๐ and for the comment. I’m really glad you can see yourselves reflected in that infographic….me too! Big hugs
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Lots of fascinating stuff you’ve found – I really enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing it all here (and for sharing my story ๐ ). I agree with you completely about that last poem –
“Still young enough to be a part
Of Natureโs great impulsive heart,
Born comrade of bird, beast and tree
And unselfconscious as the bee-“
It reminds me of conversations with Miranda (who has not lost her inner child at all) and she remembers when she was small and told her small friends about animals who needed help, their responses were immediate – no hesitation- “Yes! We’ve got to help them!”
Lurved the smiling dog having his ear rubbed too โค gorgeous.
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Thank you so much too Violet for your beautiful stories you make. Is Miranda a friend of yours? Sounds like an awesome person to have around. Yes this dog is a super ‘good boy’ for sure hehe. Have a nice week and speak soon, sending hugs ๐ค
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Right back at ya ๐ Miranda is the other half of Violet’s Vegan Comics – all the stories here are by Violet Plum or Miranda Lemon ๐ Yes, she is great to have around, couldn’t do it without her ๐
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Beautiful ๐ yay for amazing friends and partners for these things. You are both very talented and kind people for doing this for the animals! I appreciate it ๐
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Thank you so much โค
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I love squirrels so I love the thought of them having a cuppa together.
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Thank you so much! Yeah I love that thought too ๐
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