I’ve been enjoying the Axe and Anvil blacksmithing YouTube channel, though he doesn’t seem to be active there anymore. I found out about him because he’s teaching an upcoming Mortise and Tenon course.

“What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” Apparently, give too much attention to one of the people least deserving of such attention.

Does anyone else feel like they–along with most Americans–are subject to some strange bewitchment? Is it some kind of New Thought glamor magic that compels so many of us to obsess over him? Is it some kind of magnetism generated by an uninhibited narcissism?

What if we just didn’t? What if we just stopped clicking on news stories about him and trust that if something is important enough, it will find its way to our attention? What if we just nope out of voluntarily surrendering to a man so deeply desirous of having all eyes on him?

Video about the meaning of Gandalf’s speech to the Balrog. “Servant of the secret fire.” I’m putting that on my business card.

Austin Kleon mentioned The Book of Building Fires in a recent newsletter and, of course, I’m interested. Good book so far. I finally got my order of dried guajillo peppers, which means it’s time to make beans again.

There were a couple of us in line to fill up our kerosene tanks in advance of tomorrow’s winter storm. Around here, it seems, only the smallest and dingiest stations have kerosene. The shiny, new ones never do. I wonder why that is?

Any recommendations for reduction in blue light exposure? I wear prescription glasses but I think adding those flip down lenses to my existing glasses would look a bit goofy. I’ve switched my laptop and phone to night mode all the time. I will likely attach a filter to my laptop screen.

I’ve listened to two episodes of “The Telepathy Tapes” and my brain is melting. It’s a podcast series that explores the clear evidence of telepathic (and other remarkable) abilities of some non-speaking people with autism. It’s astonishing–and it pretty clearly breaks scientific materialism.

It’s okay if you don’t like Christmas. Take this as your official permission. 😄 It’s the year’s most potent mix of guilt, obligation, and expectation. Simplify your way out of it wherever you can. And where you do find ways to simplify, utterly refuse the guilt that will try to undo your work.

Rune Hjarnø Rasmussen’s speech on renewing relationship with fire, given before the Yule fire ceremony he’s been working to re-establish. This is the guy who inspired me to light today’s fire with flint and steel.

Darcy works at Bath and Body Works and she reports that–five days before Christmas–there is an influx of men who clearly know nothing about their wives and are looking for the sales clerks to tell them what to buy for the women they have sworn to love and honor for the rest of their lives.