“Exploring life through fiction, together.”

I’ve always struggled with humour. I’d read joke books and practise the patter in my head. But the words always came out jumbled or mistimed. Or worse, they worked and suddenly I was the centre of attention and everyone was laughing at me.

Fiction Bite - How was I to know it was psychedelic?

“What's that?”

“Err… an ornamental cactus?”

“With a chunk missing?”

“Racoons.”

“Not that size.”

“Big racoons?”

“Sure… You know it's illegal to eat that, right?”

“Racoons? Shit, I thought they were fair game.”

“What am I supposed to tell your mother when she gets back?”

“I dunno. Want a bite? It might help?”

Quote of the Week

“...we were back at home, and I had returned to that reassuring but profoundly unsatisfactory state known as 'being in one's right mind.” ― Aldous Huxley

Book of the month

Joyful: The surprising power of ordinary things to create extraordinary happiness by Ingrid Fetell Lee

This book took the intangible idea of joy and pinned it down with brightly coloured thumbtacks. Ingrid Fetell Lee dances you through the stories and science of how you can manipulate your surroundings to optimise for joy. She also managed to weave a smooth narrative that flitted from personal story to anecdote to scientific study and back again. I learnt, loved the writing, and have been inspired to craft a more joyful house. Also, the hardback is especially pretty.

Final Words

So I quit. But now I’m writing this late at night, after finally convincing my kids to sleep, and I wonder what other things have I learnt to avoid? Walking into a new room of people? Calling out hurtful gossip? How many of my actions revolve around minimising my exposure to laughter and scorn? And if my environment influences my emotions, and my emotions affect my behaviour, what changes can I make to help me embody the virtues I spout?

What things have you given up because they were too hard? What are you not trying? Are there changes you could make that would push you forward? Would you be willing to hit reply? It’d make my day to hear from you.

With Love,

Josiah

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