Commonplace #3
Some things that caught my interest - October 2024
Exploring Life and Literature
Dear Friends,
This has been an interesting month for me. It is my first official month of retirement, as my obligation to the Navy ended on 30 September 2024. I was using up some saved vacation time for a couple of months prior to that, so it felt like I was already retired. However, it hit home when I had to turn in my active-duty ID card and get my retired one. I suppose that is when it felt real for the first time. It was a good feeling but tinged with its own longing and loss. I love the idea of America, and I love the people who call this country home. It was a privilege to serve for so many years.
I also published a vulnerable and revealing essay sharing some of my life's darkest moments. It was difficult to write and even harder to send it out into the world. However, I knew that it was important, not only for my own healing journey but also for the impact it might have on others who need to know they are not alone. The response to that essay has been overwhelmingly positive and encouraging. I appreciate all the sincere comments, people reaching out to me in private messages, and conversations I have had with other survivors. I also hope that by reading that essay, you understand a little more about my journey to becoming a writer and why I endeavor to find connections between life and literature. You can read that essay at the link below if you missed it.
Here are some things that caught my interest in October 2024:
“Sometimes when you’re in a dark place you think you’ve been buried, but you’ve actually been planted.” – Christine Caine
Homegrown National Park is an excellent resource for those looking to rewild their properties, creating space for natural plants and critters.
- shares why he had a “No Rules” policy when he was a school principal in his article - A Postcard from the Principal’s Office: #2
- published an article entitled The Things We Carry about the death of renowned ballerina Michaela DePrince. In it, she also explored the hidden burdens that we all carry in our lives.
- spent 24 hours riding the subway in NYC. She chronicles her adventures at her wonderful publication, CAFÉ ANNE.
I love
’s writing and in a recent essay he shared some snippets from his meditation journal - When Everything that Changes has Changed, What is left?My wife and I watched Wicked Little Letters. This excellent and funny movie is based on a true story set in a small English village. It is highly recommended.
Are you a fan of Jurassic Park?
writes an intriguing essay exploring the real science behind De-Extinction and the Resurrection of the Wolly Mammoth.I met
when we worked together during my last tour in the Navy. In addition to his duties in the Navy Reserve, Ben is a college professor and social scientist. He writes intelligent and engaging articles in his publication, Reckoning.- shares her thoughts on A Simple Cup of Coffee. This essay pairs well with the upcoming theme for my November essays.
If you appreciated my essay on loneliness earlier this month, you might also enjoy
’s essay, How to Eradicate the Loneliness Epidemic.On my wife’s birthday, we watched two movies that she wanted to see. The first was Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, and the other was Afraid. They are two very different movies, but both are good in their own way. We loved the Christopher Reeve documentary, as we both grew up with him as the original Superman. The second movie is about an AI system gone rogue. It didn’t last very long in theaters and was only a so-so movie. However, the subject matter is pretty important and relevant for today. It makes me wonder if people skipped watching it because it was too realistic, and they didn’t want to face the reality of what is happening in the world around them.
I have mentioned
before and her excellent climate fiction. This month she kicked off a read-along of Kim Stanley Robinson’s, The Ministry of the Future. I am enjoying the book and if you think it might be something you would enjoy you can join in - We’re reading climate fiction together!
Books I read in October:
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion. - “Life changes in the instant. The ordinary instant.”
The Promise by Damon Galgut. - “What happens in a room lingers there invisibly, all deeds, all words, always. Not seen, not heard, except by some, and even then imperfectly. In this very room both birth and death have taken place. Long ago, maybe, but the blood is still visible on certain days, when time wears thin.”
This Other Eden by Paul Harding. - “The King in Heaven a servant; every king on earth a tyrant.”
The Singing Stick by
. - Phyllis reached out to me and offered a copy of her book to read. I had a busy summer so didn’t get around to it for a bit. Once I did, I read it in a couple of sittings as I couldn’t put it down. Her writing keeps the reader engaged and her themes are timely and relevant. The characters in her story are attempting to navigate complex family relationships, dementia, and COVID. Many of us have wrestled with those same things in our lives. I recommend grabbing a copy and giving it a read.Becoming Little Shell: A Landless Indian’s Journey Home by
. I discovered Chris through his own newsletter and I enjoyed reading his book. He does a fantastic job of bringing to light not only his own journey, but a good picture of the overarching story of native people in North America. When Europeans came to this continent and began settling in areas inhabited by indigenous cultures they made a lot of mistakes. I encourage you to take the opportunity to learn about the people who lived here before us and the traumatic experiences their communities have experienced in the last couple hundred years.Super Juice Me! by Jason Vale. My wife and I decided we needed to take some intentional action to improve our health and we decided that a complete nutritional reset would be best. We did a lot of research and settled on this program. Our start date was October 25th. I will let you know how it goes.
Audiobooks I listened to in October:
The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien and narrated by Andy Serkis. - “All have their worth and each contributes to the worth of the others.”
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy and narrated by Thandiwe Newton. - “It's not given to people to judge what's right or wrong. People have eternally been mistaken and will be mistaken, and in nothing more than in what they consider right and wrong.”
The Hundred-Year Marathon: China’s Secret Strategy to Replace America as the Global Superpower by Michael Pillsbury and narrated by Malcolm Hillgartner. - “The Chinese censorship army is so widespread that June 4 (the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests) is sarcastically known as “Internet maintenance day.”
Photos I took recently:
I am always amazed by the unbelievable advances in technology, and this video caught my attention recently. Enjoy.
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Until next time,
Matthew, thank you for thinking to mention my Singapore piece. The journey that took me there began with my own retirement. Every new beginning starts with an ending!
If you appreciate Joan Didion's writing in The Year of Magical Thinking, I strongly recommend Blue Nights. Equally beautiful, fragile writing.
Thank you my friend for the shout out! That was unexpected and thrilling. To be recognized by someone I admire, in so many ways, is humbling. I just reread that post of yours you referenced, “In the Heart of the Void.” And again I’m struck by the strength, vulnerability, and courage one must have to share that. Ironically, all essential for healing. This is Substack at its best. So grateful to be a part of your community here Matthew. Thanks again.