Not least for those who are called foreigners, for they are not foreigners. For while the various segments of the earth give different people a different country, the whole compass of this world gives people all people a single country, the entire Earth, and a single home, the world. Diogenes of Oenoanda
Diogenes of Oenoanda, (Greek: Διογένης ὁ Οἰνοανδεύς) was a follower of the philosophy of Epicurus. A wealthy man in the ancient city of Oenoanda he had a portico wall on his land built and inscribed in Greek with a summary of the Epicurean philosophy of epistemiology, ethics and physics. The portico wall inscriptions originally extended about 260 metres and included about 25,000 words. However only a third (80 metres) of these remain today. His famous inscription is still just as relevant in the year 2020 as it was more than 2,000 years ago when it was written.
The joys and sorrows of being highly sensitive; mythical chameleons; dinosaur puppets; the key to self-esteem; cognitive distortions; sea angels and much more. edition 136 #ContentCatnip #Interesting Things
Thanks to my long time blogger friend Wiliam who first introduced me to this awesome Aussie band Tropical Fuck Storm. This is an epic cover of the same song Stayin Alive. William’s blog is amazing if you love alternative music.
“The chameleon is abundantly represented in the art of Burkina Faso peoples (Bwa, Bobo, Lobi, Nuna). It’s considered one of the original primordial creatures created by God. They are considered magical & powerful because of their ability to change color when aroused or frightened. Its deliberate manner of walking also makes it an animal to fear.”
If you inherited your heightened sensitivity, you have one or more variants of three types of genes. All involve your body’s neurotransmitters—specifically serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine—which are chemical messengers that affect your nervous system and health.
Serotonin most notably affects your mood and digestion. An HSP has a variant of the typical serotonin transporter gene that causes low serotonin levels, which increases sensitivity.
Dopamine gives you the desire to do something that makes you feel good, like deciding that a single serving of ice cream means consuming the whole pint or checking your cell phone constantly. The HSP brain responds differently to dopamine. You’ll be more thoughtful and observant rather than reward-centric. You might even leave the house without your cell phone on purpose.
Norepinephrine, the fight or flight chemical, helps you deal with stress. The HSP’s variant causes you to perceive the world more intensely.
Self-care recommended
The highly sensitive often need to measure their steps and spend limited time with, or totally avoid, people and places that leave them exhausted or anxious. Including social media, which Lyon has observed to be a key cause, along with the trauma of the pandemic, of anxiety in the world.
Not many bands drop 25 albums in one decade and have them all sounding unique, interesting, well produced and deep in meaning. This band from Melbourne has gone from an obscure garage band to being one of the most loved cult band in the world in the space of a decade.
Their cult-like following and at times unapproachable sound reminds me a bit of Frank Zappa. This video explains their various albums and just how different they all sound.
She plays by ear and manages to be completely synced and on the beat and showcasing her incredible drumming abilities. A lot of the commenters seemed astonished that she had never heard the song ‘Bulls on Parade’ before, but as she is young it is possible.
🐦 Dive into the captivating world of Laura Mathews’ Flying Puppets! Laura’s fascination with biological mechanics is beautifully portrayed through her intricate creations.
This remarkable mammoth ivory figurine of a cave lion (about 40,000 years old), from Vogelherd Cave, Germany. One of the earliest known works of figurative art, it was crafted when hunter-gatherers and cave lions shared the Ice Age landscape. Via Archeohistories on Mastodon.
A 4000 year old carving of a Cave Lion from Germany
People with high self-esteem may think they are more popular and well-liked, but those with contingent high self-esteem, are usually perceived as unsupportive and unlikable (which makes sense if they consider relationships a means to bolster their self-esteem). Just as with grades, social acceptance seems to boost self-esteem, not the opposite.
In other words, self-esteem isn’t a cure-all. Even the most confident, attractive, intelligent people experience relationship breakups, job loss and anxiety.
So, how do we develop healthy, stable self-esteem? By focusing on effort.
It’s impossible for us all to be exceptional and outperform our peers. By assuming those things, we set ourselves up for constant blows to our self-esteem. Instead, we can try to base self-esteem on doing better, not being better. Behaving in ways that align with our goals, and giving ourselves something to be proud of, will develop self-esteem that isn’t contingent on results or others’ opinions.
For example, if your self-esteem is currently contingent on relationships, try focusing on how kind or helpful your actions are, rather than how liked you are. If your self-esteem is contingent on productivity, try focusing less on how much you get done and more on the impact of what you get done.
When building self-esteem in others, this means complimenting their efforts, not their results. For example, telling your child “Wow, you worked so hard on this!” or “Wow, you’re learning so much!” instead of “Wow, you’re so smart!” Kids can’t control how smart they are, and they’ll never excel at every subject, so those things shouldn’t define their self-worth. The same goes for adults.
Encouraging kids to work hard, be curious and appreciate the results of their efforts helps them build self-competence and belonging. This gives them a realistic sense of their abilities and an appreciation for their relationship to others.
Tang Yau Hoong is a highly imaginative Malaysian artist and illustrator, renowned for his ingenious conceptual illustrations that playfully harness negative space to craft optical illusions. His artwork captivates and puzzles viewers, drawing them into a world of visual wonder.
Tang’s creations are characterized by their simplicity and clever composition, using negative space to unveil hidden images and meanings. His work has gained international acclaim, gracing numerous publications globally. He also runs an online store, offering fine art prints of his enchanting pieces.
The allure of Tang’s art lies in its storytelling power, conveying emotions and narratives without a single word. His mastery of negative space enables him to produce visuals that are not only aesthetically appealing but also stimulate the mind, offering a unique blend of visual artistry and intellectual engagement. Via Inspiration Grid on Mastodon.
The uplift of a fearless heart will help us over barriers. No one ever overcomes difficulties by going at them in a hesitant, doubtful way.” ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder
Did you enjoy this collection? let me know what you think of it below. Thank you for reading my dear friends!
This is a slim book. In little more than 200 pages you are able to sink into a well-rounded and thoroughly immersive story. In the hands of a less-skilled writer, this would be impossible.
For Murakami though, 200 pages is more than enough to captivate and absorb. Big in scope, the story weaves through the life of Hajime, from being a young teenager to being a successful middle-class man, owner of several high-end bars in Tokyo. Hajime recalls with relish, (and we relive) his obsessive romantic fantasies. I will leave it there in terms of the plot to avoid any spoilers.
The characters are well-formed things, deeply compelling and
instantly likeable- as all of Murakami’s characters tend to be. This book is
much like its physical setting, a smoky, lounge-bar affair, full of lustful and
romantic desire and haunting memories. If you have ever experienced unrequited
love or lustful longing then you will love this book. It’s a way to know
intimately about the luscious erotic longing of one man, who is a stand-in for
every man or woman you have ever met. It’s exquisite literary fiction sure,
with smatterings of soft porn here and there. 5/5 stars.
I’ll be honest I love reading 📚, writing, walking and listening to podcasts and cycling.
All of these things rarely involve other people and I’m just fine with that. I love immersing myself in these activities and often find other people a distraction. Overall, socially distancing for me during Covid was a golden time.
However, another part of me wonders if I’m missing out on entering through doorways into other people’s fascinating worlds by being so happily introverted.
Anytime I see a friend again after a long time apart and we have a leisurely, amusing and funny time together, for many hours, I am reminded of this. How amazing and energising other people are! How fascinating, weird and unique they are!
Of course, this only applies to spending time with people who are generous with their time, energy and spirit and not those who are energy vampires.
Other people (the people you choose) are great, spending time with them can be enjoyable, eye-opening, hilarious. Being with them makes you feel like you are a part of something bigger, a part of the kinder side of humanity.
When we see each other’s pain and humanity, we see ourselves better in the mirror.
Adorable Sculptures of Mythical Creatures by Clémentine Bal
I really wanted to love this book because I am a huge Mary Beard fan and I love her enthusiastic, passionate and fascinating documentaries about the Romans. As a novice to this topic, I was really craving a book that would educate me and also sustain my interest.
About a decade ago, I waded through another tome of classical history by Robin Lane Fox ‘The Classical World’. However, I couldn’t get through it because I found the style of writing too boring.
I made my way through the first 200 pages of SPQR’s 600 or so pages. Throughout each chapter, Beard focuses heavily on the limitations inherent in historical sources and the myths espoused by the Romans themselves.
There are plenty of insights to be gleaned from this book about the Romans, their lives, how they thought about the world and reconceived their own identity to suit their own ends. And also there are insights into human nature and the world as it currently is today.
I enjoyed that Beard focuses as much as she can on the lost and forever silent parts of Roman society: women, slaves, children and foreigners.
Although I struggled with this book because of the lack of a linear narrative and compelling storytelling about the saga of Roman history. All of the dramatic events and controversial characters who once thundered around on the earth are diluted by Beard’s digressions into the faulty nature of historical sources and what this writer or that writer thought of the Romans, and why they were right or wrong.
I found this distracting and definitely not as interesting as simply reading about the Romans themselves. I understand why this is necessary, because it needs to be underlined and reinforced that history is always being remade and reconceived to serve political and cultural ends. However this oscillating between storytelling and academic reflection was jarring and distracting. Eventually I grew bored of SPQR for this reason.
Don’t let what I say about it put you off though, a lot of people on Good Reads have loved it and found SPQR riveting and enjoyable. Give it a go! Still, I would give it **** because of the immense scholarship of this book and because I am a Beard fan.
Napier is one of the sunniest and most lovely places in New Zealand. PB and I love to explore this region on a regular basis by bike, the area is almost completely flat. The wide open spaces seem to stretch out forever. Although the ocean is tumultuous and not safe for swimming, there is plenty to do on land with a lot of wineries, pubs, galleries and shops. Known for its Art Deco architecture and Sea Walls graffiti, it’s a must-see if you are in the centre of the North Island. Definitely worth a weekend trip away. As you can see here, you can definitely get a more authentic perspective of the land and sea when travelling by bike.
Share a story about the furthest you’ve ever traveled from home.
When I was in my 20’s I became very ill and almost died. Luckily for me I overcame it. However, it involved a step-change in everything I held dear. Suddenly freedom to experience the world because I survived became the focus. So I traveled to the far-reaches of the world.
Deep into a blue oasis 💙 in the Atlas mountains of Morocco – the ancient town of Chefchaoen. And to the farthest reaches of the UK mainland, to Neist Point lighthouse, a decommissioned and abandoned outpost on the northern tip of the Isle of Skye in Scotland.
The two places couldn’t be more different. I love putting distance between my “home” and other places. I’ve done this ever since I was a teenager.
In the blue of distance, the blue of calm and peace, the whole world’s layers peel back like an onion revealing the wisdom of lands, animals, history, languages and people into an exhilarating heart-stopping song. The ballad of life, living and love: for self, for other, putting new protective layers over the past and sending tendrils of knowledge into the future.
Content Catnip 
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