things i read, people i love, other awesome stuff. plant seeds!GOOD
I get the daily emails, chocked full of positive projects, initiatives, and concepts for building community.
Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
I got into preserving and canning a few years ago. This is a great guide for beginners, esp. for recipes.
Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning (Deborah Madison)
My other fave preservation guide. I use her techniques to can fruity jams the old-fashioned way!
Wild Fermentation (Sandor Katz)
If you are curious about fermentation, this book is for you. I’ve used it for my kombucha and kimchi. Ferment foods! It’s fun.
Northeast Foraging (Leda Meredith)
I probably reference this at least once a week. Great photos, descriptions, and some recipe ideas for the adventurous, wild edible seeker.
YES! magazine
‘Powerful ideas, practical actions'. YES! is inspiring. Full of stories on revolutionary organizing, new ways to honor and build community, and re-thinking/exploring alternative economies.
Positively Positive
Affirmative, daily emails. Guest writers include psychologists, social workers, yogis and the like. Very pop-psychology, but there's wisdom and encouragement inside too.
Joy of Cooking
In my home, I use the 1975 edition. I particularly enjoy the sections on 'entertaining' and the recipe for eggnog, which reads "if you are preparing this drink for an invalid (sic), see a note on uncooked eggs on 743”. But for reals, this is my go-to for most recipes.
Neon Audio
Greg is one of my brothers and Neon Audio is his business, specializing in sound-mixing. If you require sound mixing, sound recording, or a video editor, he is your man. He also has a kick-ass wife and daughter (& soon-to-be-new-little-one), deeply adores David Bowie, and would sooner wear eyeliner than ‘Nantucket Red’ shorts to a bachelor party.
deep thoughts with cill in brazil
Cill is my friend: an actress, creative writer, and master of comedy. Until recently, she lived in Brazil with her husband and dogs (now, they live in Germany). I like visiting them, but I miss the days of when we lived in the same place. Watch her award-winning web series!
anenocena
Ana is an extremely talented typographer, graphic designer and illustrator. She calls me “Blonde” and thus appropriately, she is “Brunette”. She teaches me how to speak Catalan, and in exchange I have taught her many naughty words in English. She is my favorite person with whom to enjoy a glass of wine, and laugh about the subtle complexities of life, language, love and relationships.
Spectacles
Susan, a friend and colleague, writes this blog. And soon, a book! She is full of life and story-telling. She writes the most kind and thoughtful birthday cards, and also gives great hugs.
win/win reactor, Detroit, MI
Greg & Maina are incredible humans and my dear friends. Their many talents include: natural building, permaculture, midwifery, world-traveling, wild crafting, delicious cookery, courageous living, and all-around joyousness. They recently bought a home in Detroit, which is their new locale for fantastical project-making.
Maka Angola
My roommate has contributed to this blog, about human rights abuses and social injustices in Angola. She is Angolan-born herself, also a filmmaker, an activist, an awesome cook, and fantastic person to live with. She recently became part of the prison yoga project, teaching women at Riker's Island, which I happen to think is extremely cool.
dMass: leadership through resource performance
Created by several colleagues, a platform for helping businesses do better with less. I was a writer/contributor in their foundational years, and am excited to see where their work takes them.
Mr. Money Mustache
Financial planning advice for life-loving, DIY-ers who seek to abolish the traditional concept of the "9-to-5" and pursue financial independence. Class-A badass kinda stuff. I recommend the 'MMM Recommends' section of his blog.
Pema Chodron
Buddhist nun, speaker, author. Two of her books, 'When Things Fall Apart' and 'The Places that Scare You' have been especially useful for me during trying times.
Wendell Berry
Poet, farmer, activist, writer of fiction and non. I especially enjoy listening to him speak and when he reads his poems, like the one below...
...Go with your love to the fields.
Lie easy in the shade. Rest your head in her lap.
Swear allegiance to what is nighest your thoughts.
As soon as the generals and politicos can predict the motions
of your mind, lose it.
Leave it as a sign to mark the false trail, the way you didn't go.
Be like the fox who makes more tracks than necessary,
some in the wrong direction.
Practice resurrection.
The Possibility Alliance, La Plata, MO
An educational homestead that hosts folks by donation, to teach radical simplicity, permaculture, community, reflection, and joy--all without the use of electricity or petroleum. I visited over a series of days in 2011 and was warmed by their acceptance, approach to living, and how challenged I felt by the entire experience. Check them out if you are ever find yourself in northeastern Missouri.
Boggs Center, Detroit, MI
Incredibly awesome community-based leadership organization in Detroit, started & inspired by the organizing efforts of James and Grace Lee Boggs. I had the honor of meeting some of these incredible folks on a visit to Detroit several years ago. Totally rad, helping to create (re)volution in Detroit in the 21st century.