Take my hand. Let us walk together, even with war raging, with the sea rising, with the oriole’s winter home yielding to chainsaw and bulldozer. With so many songs being left unsung, let us sing.| Vox Populi
A word of advice to teachers and students who are still masking: when you are asked (and you will be asked) why you are still masking, calmly and politely explain … Continue reading →| LibrarianShipwreck
I’ve heard what’s happening reminds people of 1984. I’ve heard what’s happening reminds people of Brave New World. I’ve heard what’s happening reminds people of Parable of the Sower. But … Continue reading →| LibrarianShipwreck
My friend, the historian, says she is worried. My friend, the epidemiologist, says they are worried. My friend, the climatologist, says he is worried. My friend, the activist, says she is worried. …| LibrarianShipwreck
A two-person ‘Rengay’ By Nolcha and David db- doors keep closing shut but I lace up my shoes again— one must open soon nf- the race is on I cannot wait best to crawl through a window db- defenestration— just a fancy word that means breaking all the rules nf- my… Continue reading Frame of mind, or: A rengay→| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
When they tell you (and they will tell you) that the precautions you take are pointless thank them for their opinion but politely inform them that you are hesitant to … Continue reading →| LibrarianShipwreck
Had you asked at the pandemic’s start how long I planned on documenting it for I would have said I didn’t expect the pandemic to last too long. If you ask now how much longer I plan on …| LibrarianShipwreck
It used to be that catching the summer wave was how a surfer described what they caught at the beach, as opposed to now when catching the summer wave is … Continue reading →| LibrarianShipwreck
The climatologists say if you look the signs of change are everywhere. The epidemiologists say if you look the signs of the pandemic are everywhere. The political scientists say if you look the sig…| LibrarianShipwreck
Hey, friends. I’d like to let you know my poem “How Swift the Stream” is now live at Hotel by Masticadores. Many thanks to editor Michelle Navajas for publishing this poem. It’s an honor and …| Silent Pariah
My friend, look around and you will see that these are dark times. And, my friend, look around and you will see that these are disastrous times. But, my friend, … Continue reading →| LibrarianShipwreck
Apologies, my friend, I know that these are dark and difficult times but you must remember it is in the moment when you cannot imagine how things can get any worse that you must prepare yourself fo…| LibrarianShipwreck
My friend, the doctor, says right now everyone is getting sick. My friend, the teacher, says right now everyone is using AI. My friend, the activist, says right now everyone is giving up. My friend…| LibrarianShipwreck
A scientist told me the real story is the unfolding of climate change. And a doctor told me the real story is the ongoing pandemic. And an activist told me the real story is the rise of fascism. An…| LibrarianShipwreck
What is the true cause of American Performative Violence? On a recent Saturday in always-sunny Palm Springs, California, a 25-year-old who could have been your son or mine drove his car into a parking lot behind a fertility clinic and set off a homemade bomb within the car, in an effort to obliterate the clinicRead More| JAMES THE OBSCURE
I know a modeler who says we should pay attention to the NB variant. And I know an epidemiologist who says we should pay attention to the XFG variant. And I know a doctor who says we should pay att…| LibrarianShipwreck
You’ve probably heard of that person who knew how to recognize the signs of an approaching tsunami and was thus able to warn their family in time, so please know that in this moment those who…| LibrarianShipwreck
In these dark times we are all of us plagued: plagued by self-doubt and plagued by grief, plagued by guilt and plagued by fear, yes, in these dark times we are all of us plagued by so many difficul…| LibrarianShipwreck
Beauty can’t help but restore our spirits.| Laura Grace Weldon
I know an economist who says at this point none of us really know what will happen next. And I know an epidemiologist who says at this point all of us need to know the pandemic is still happening. …| LibrarianShipwreck
Should they respond to your precautionary ways by asking you: “but what if you’re wrong?” tell them that you can live with being wrong, because if you are right you might not live…| LibrarianShipwreck
Lately, I’ve noticed a recurring theme in my therapy sessions: clients, particularly those in the Gen Z to Millennial age range, expressing frustration over the grip their phones have on them. They often share intentions to reduce screen time, feelings of powerlessness as hours slip away on TikTok or Instagram, and dreams of the activities […] The post How to Quit Doomscrolling: Reclaiming your Attention in the Age of the Infinite Scroll appeared first on Mind & Body Works.| Mind & Body Works
In response: to every piece of grim news my friend writes me to say “I have a bad feeling about this,” and though I worry about him and worry about the news, I am much more worried abou…| LibrarianShipwreck
Apologies, the last thing I want is to romanticize the past, catastrophes and barbarism, cruelty and plagues, none of these things are new, yes, I understand, that we have always lived amidst crise…| LibrarianShipwreck
I sit here with lectures to write, and papers to grade, and emails to send, the world around me is ripping apart, and though I know I should be trying desperately trying to mend those rips, I find …| LibrarianShipwreck
As the economy worsens you may come to regret the money you spent on unnecessary goods, and the energy you spent on marketable skills, but even as the economy worsens please know the time you devot…| LibrarianShipwreck
I do not know if we will make it through these dark times, but I am certain that if we make it it will not be because we just carried on, it will be because we carried each other. * I sent my frien…| LibrarianShipwreck
The scholars who have studied the dark times keep warning that fascism begins not with jackboots on the march, but with empathy in retreat, and I fear, my friends, that this pandemic has convinced …| LibrarianShipwreck
After years of pretending that the current pandemic isn’t still happening we are well prepared we are very well prepared to pretend that the next pandemic isn’t about to happen. * When …| LibrarianShipwreck
“How Swift the Stream”© 2025 by Michael L. Utley as gloaming eventide stalks dying lightto ambuscade the remnants of the daydiurnal requiems give way to nighthow quick the gloomeviscerates its prey…| Silent Pariah
“A Poet’s Lamentation”© 2025 by Michael L. Utley pardon my sorrowand forgive my weeping soulmy humble supplicationloosed into the void on raven’s wingsto fall on deafened ears of fickle…| Silent Pariah
I’d like to let you know my poem “The Daisy Ring” has been published at Hotel by Masticadores. Many thanks to Editor Michelle Navajas for sharing this poem. I’m truly grateful for your kindne…| Silent Pariah
Admit it you always kind of wondered what you would have done had you been alive during the dark times of the previous century, and now that you are here during the dark times of the current centur…| LibrarianShipwreck
I am sorry but it is too late to heed the warnings of those who decades ago said we were on track to wind up right where we are now, but if you would honor Cassandra’s kinfolk you can start b…| LibrarianShipwreck
Hello 2025 and Hello Everyone! Welcome back from our 4 week Christmas/New Year #WWWhimsy break. I feel strongly that a good digital detox break is beneficial for us all. I know I feel more refreshed and ready to start again after a decent break away. If you're interested, you could read the post I wrote| Write of the Middle
I asked my aunt, the doctor, if she believes 2025 will be different from 2024, and she replied: yes, it will probably be different. And when I asked her for more details she explained that in 2024 …| LibrarianShipwreck
It is a difficult task to try to convince people that they should care about sick birds and cows and cats, about dying birds and cows and cats, when recent years have shown that most people donR…| LibrarianShipwreck
There is an old saying that the best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago but the next best time is today. And in this moment in which case numbers are growing know that the best time to start…| LibrarianShipwreck