My sis Katrina sent me this cute video about how to simplify our lives. 

"What registers as anxiety is typically no freakish phenomenon. It is our mind's logical, enraged plea not to be continuously and exhaustingly overstimulated." 

I love this because so many things–anxiety, anger, etc–make sense! They use a cute napping metaphor to explain why we need to rest sometimes. (I don't agree with them saying we can't change the world–indeed, we must–but the rest is spot on!)

HOW TO SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE | School of Life

Hey, do you know what DEEP FAKES are? You should because they are already changing our world. They are basically videos of people that are fake, but so so convincing because artificial intelligence is that "good." 

For a (very funny) example of it, please enjoy this short video: 

FULL HOUSE OF MUSTACHES | Dr. Fakenstein

True story: I use a *ton* of exclamation points in my emails, but far fewer in this newsletter because using them causes the algorithms to cut down on my email deliverability, which is a stupid thing tech does to ding expressive people.

Also true: I was once told by a boss/business parter that I was only allowed to use one exclamation point per email because he didn't like them. (He also asked me to make fake spreadsheets just for him that showed financials that made him feel less stressed out. Talk about emotional labor! I'm going to use another exclamation point just because that makes me so mad!)

Anyways, this kind of tone policing is really common. And as it turns out, a lot of people have a LOT to say about it:

WHERE DO WE STAND ON THE EXCLAMATION POINT | NYT

My fave little nugget:

"Gen Z-ers use exclamation points more casually because they grew up texting,” she said. (Older generations may be less comfortable with the mark because it didn’t appear on a typewriter; rendering one required three different keys.)"

Please enjoy: 

This periodic table of the elements that shows how each element is used. (I had no idea, mostly.)

I fixed some more glib inspirational quotes.

This super rare and delightfully human interview with Fiona Apple. (The reason she decided to give it to this journalist is interesting and has to do with refugees and the movie "Hustlers.")

After mentioning a few weeks ago that the kind words "Get well soon." are tough to hear for people with chronic illness, I saw this shirt and it cracked me up. :) 

It's finally here! The EFF This! Meditation YouTube channel, which will have a new free guided meditation every single week.

Hop on over, subscribe to get them all as soon as they come out, and check out the first two videos. In the coming weeks, you'll also find body scans, tense & relax meditations, bonus book content, and lots more.

Check it out and subscribe! (And if you feel like it, leave a comment to let me know what you think.)

EFF THIS! Meditation YouTube Channel

I appreciate this piece in the Buddhist magazine Tricycle about "How To Heal After Your Teacher Crosses the Line" because–once again this week–a lineage holder I was studying under was accused of multiple, credible accusations of abuse by people very close to him.

I find spiritual abuse especially egregious, and am glad that "mainstream" Buddhist publications are addressing it. If you're curious about my experience this week, you can click on the "Perhaps Today Satan" picture below. (And remember, you can get my 43-page guide to finding a teacher for free right here; password is LOVE.) 

May we all be safe and protected from harm.