between

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This whole "I'm finished for now with one project and don't have another except things I started a long time ago" space is weird. I know it would be the space that Rick Rubin would call the seed gathering phase (or something like that) and I've got them percolating around and about, but it's been a long time since I've been here. Not sure I particularly want to revisit those things I had started long ago, before my grandfather's death (or even, in some cases, before my mother's death more than a year and a half ago): I'd rather find something new to play with. On the other hand, I do feel like I can't get on with this next chapter of my life (and my work, perhaps) until his house is empty and out of my hands; anything else would be in the "before times" and I want whatever I write to be of the moment (which would be this slightly maddening "between"). Think I'll consider the best I can do right now to be to show up and write something and will duly consider this to be that something until something else pops up.

victory(!?)

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One of those (pleasantly) surprising (and rare) mornings: think I just finished MainFictionThing, the feature for the second issue of PRESS (A) TO START. Hopefully it heralds the dawn of a faster, more pulp/punk ethos of creation: that was always the goal with it – though this one took a lot longer than I expected (or hoped). Current plan is to hold off on putting the second issue together until January, until after my grandfather's house is empty and in the hands of the new owners (read: no longer my problem), and spend my mornings working on new things through at least the end of the year, then do the final pass in the typography and design of the issue itself. Very excited to send this one out into the world. I'll happily notch the victory.

"Negativity was employed in a quest to become free of unnatural restraint..."

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Intriguing look at ancient Cynicism, as opposed to today’s knockoff (via Psyche):

The ancient Cynic outlook was negative, but the Cynic did not become trapped by their negativity, or use a negative outlook on life as an excuse for doing nothing, for giving up on life, or for giving in. Cynic negativity was not associated with the idea that if everything is bad, nothing can be done, so let’s do nothing. Rather, Cynic negativity spurred the Cynic into action. Negativity was employed in a quest to become free of unnatural restraint, and to conjure a less servile state of mind. Negativity released the Cynic from social obligations, and social ties, and allowed the Cynic to think differently about the world around them.