Captivations is a monthly feature with links, stories, and news that captivated me. Take a look at all the things captivating me lately.
Hello!
Well, we made it! Can you believe it’ll be 2018 soon? I spent half of this month sick with a cold but there were plenty of great days too. Like celebrating my birthday with friends, seeing the new Star Wars movie (I liked it!), visiting my family in Dallas, celebrating the birthdays of friends, and going to a few holiday parties. In Dallas, we saw Kusama’s pumpkins exhibit (pictured above) at the Dallas Museum of Art. Forty-five seconds is way too short to experience the beauty of this exhibit fully! (I liked the previous Kusama exhibit we saw more.)
Saving the Earth
Hopefully one day soon we will all agree that climate change is real and global warming is happening. I’m sure you’ve seen the viral video of the starving polar bear. Or maybe you’ve read about how climate change is impacting communities in Peru. What can be done? Here are a few things.
- Keep politicians in check.
Patagonia is doing it. Shrinking protected lands means destroying the earth and native’s historic grounds for unnecessary measures. - Buying less stuff.
Less stuff bought means less stuff produced and less stuff in a landfill. Instead, think about these gift ideas. It’s what many people want anyway! - Support slow food.
Eating sustainably grown produce grown by your local farmers means getting rid of chemicals in the ground, overconsumption of the earth, and food waste. Local means the food travels a shorter distance to your plate. Learn more about slow food and take the pledge! - Support organizations and media fighting for change.
This documentary about the state of our oceans and the beautiful creatures that live in them is currently only available in Australia and New Zealand, but you can find plenty of documentaries on Netflix. (I recommend Chasing Coral.) Donate to organizations that do research and conversation, like these marine conservation nonprofits.
Privilege
If you’re reading this right now, you’re in the 51% of the world with internet access. In that 51%, I’m sure there is a percentage that has online access for a limited time period per week or might have logistical access but not financial access. #Gratitude
Getting Unstuck
These seven questions are very helpful to come back to when you’re feeling unsure about your purpose in life or feeling stuck where you are. I recommend coming back to them frequently to stay on track.
What You Eat When Everyone is Starving
This article speaks for itself and it’s a good read. This year, 3 million Nigerians struggled to feed themselves every day. The number soars to almost one-third of citizens during periods of poor rainfall or the lean period between harvests. Even having food on the table is no guarantee of good health. Diets lacking in nutrients mean nearly 73% of the country’s population under 5 are anemic.
Welcome to Hell
Have you seen this Saturday Night Live video?
Hospital Bags Around the World
This feature on hospital bags around the world was very interesting! It shows what expecting moms pack.
Marriage
Marriage involves intertwining your life with someone who will find you at your best and your worst. They’ll encourage you to be better for the sake of yourself and your relationship. Sometimes that means facing the demons and pain that you keep hidden. Being vulnerable to allow someone to see you at your worst isn’t easy. From everything I’ve read about marriage, it all comes back to communication. This post by Hannah illustrates it clearly.
If you’ve read my blog regularly this year, you might have noticed I talk about marriage a lot. I’ve been trying to wrap my head around it and be ok with the unknown five or ten years down the line in marriage. You have to feel the fear and uncertainty and be ok with it, and I’m trying to be ready for that. Bad things might happen, or maybe they won’t! Here are a few other interesting articles:
- 13 Questions to Ask Before Getting Married
- 5 Things I’ve Learned from My Almost 10-Year Relationship
- 4 Things That Kills Relationships (and other helpful tips based on research)
Now Listening: Music
- Criminal by Lindsey Ell
- Craig by Walker Hayes
- Wolves by Selena Gomez and Marshmello
- Perfect by Ed Sheeran ft. Beyoncé
Good Thought
https://www.instagram.com/p/BbMlRo9B91b/?taken-by=thegoodquote
Being “Man Enough”
Actor Justin Baldoni (you might know him from the show Jane the Virgin) is on a mission to change the conversation about being a man. His TED talk (below) is about what being “man enough” means and how that is good/bad for society. He has also started a web series to go deeper into the subject.
Best Movies of 2017
Need a movie to watch? Check out this list from New York Times. Looks like I’ve got some movies to watch. I’ve only seen Get Out and Wonder Woman from this list. Also, have any of you checked out the website goodfilms? It’s like Goodreads for movies.
Book Recommendations
Need a book recommendation? Check out what Bill Gates is reading. You can also check out what I’m reading through my Goodreads account. I am open to all suggestions so if you’ve read a good one lately, let me know!
Politics
I didn’t use to be “political.” That meant I didn’t make the time to think critically or learn about what was going on in the world of politics. That meant I was so privileged that policies didn’t affect me and I didn’t care who it ended up affecting, positively or negatively. That meant not being empathetic and turning a blind eye. But being involved is a privilege and maybe if we could fix the system, it wouldn’t be about buying politicians. Some policies might not affect me directly but sometimes the indirect effects are worse. Because who knows, maybe one day new policies will have a big affect on my life and I’ll be hoping others will make time to help me fight them.
Simplify Your Life
As we coast into 2018, think about simplifying your life. Here are 18 ways to do it.
We’re ready for you, 2018.
I can’t watch this video without choking up. There was a lot of hurt, fear, and hard times in the world this year. This video reminds me we have so much to do to make this world a better, safer, friendlier place.
Forget Legacy. Do Work That Matters
I’ve talked about legacy before. I’ve wondered what I want to be known for. But what if the motivation isn’t what people think about you but about doing what matters? This article inspired me.
What’s captivating you lately? What are you hopeful for? See you in 2018!
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