Intentional Consumption - #03
My mind is a somewhat different place.
Intentional Consumption:
If you're new here, Intentional Consumption is where I round up what's been on my mind or what I've consumed this week. This is part of an experimental phase I'm working on for August—so it's a moving target. Scroll down if you're curious, or feel free to run away—it's entirely up to you.
My mind is a somewhat different place.
We've made it to the final Intentional Consumption of August, and that feels pretty damn good. I'm not one to celebrate wins often, but I will take a moment this long holiday weekend to celebrate completing this writing challenge. The Parental Notion has been a big experiment for me over the past 30 days—focusing on creation rather than just consumption.
If you've been holding off on starting to write/create, let me say—hit post. There's a lot of fun waiting on the other side of worrying if it's good enough. And to everyone who's read my work over the last month—thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Now, what was the intent behind my consumption this week? Honestly, there wasn't much of one. This week was about returning from vacation, catching up on work, prepping the kids for school, and staying on top of this writing challenge. But that didn't mean I mindlessly scrolled through the week—I didn't have a specific goal. In the future, I plan to have an Intentional Consumption mix of what I like and what I'm learning. We'll see how that goes.
What I Saw: Play
The week was long, with plenty of to-dos, but I saw my kids settling back into being home—making messes, playing, just being kids. Play - I need more of that. This week's goal: play a bit more.
What I Watched: Youtube
It's a coffee video. No surprises there. But I enjoyed this one. It wasn't just about the coffee but about Arnaldo, the guy in the video. You can tell he'd make coffee daily even if he didn't get paid. That kind of passion is something I admire, though I'm still working on wrapping my head around it ( I suffer from a case of capitalism). My partner Jalesa Dodson is the same with her small business—she'd still be crafting even if no one bought her work.
I’m a sucker for architecture. It was my dream job in high school until I got my hands on my first Python book—then everything changed. But this YouTube channel is fantastic. Here’s my theory: if we made better use of what we have—the space we occupy—and indeed took care of it, we’d be happier. It’s the constant desire for more that leads us down the rabbit hole of stress and anxiety. The people featured on this channel are incredibly intentional about their spaces—more thoughts on coming.
What I Read: Substack
Marc Typo Writing always hits home, but this one… man, this one got me. It brought back all those memories of leaving the kids behind, tears in their little brown eyes. One of the most complex parts of being a parent is finding the time to be a couple again, to have moments for yourself and togetherness. We love our kids but must remember that our love brought them into being. Marc, I don’t know if leaving the kids behind ever gets easier. I’ve been doing it for 12 years, and they’re still the main topic of conversation when we’re out. But those moments away help us recharge and become better parents.
" Rarely, if ever, are the outcomes I experience the ones I set out to achieve when I begin a journey.” Jamal Robinson , brother, these words made their way into my commonplace notebook and have crossed my mind several times since reading them. I love the story of someone’s life—every life is an extraordinary expression of existence. And those words perfectly sum up the outcomes we experience. Rarely are they what we expect, but God’s plans for us are always so much bigger than we can see.
“I am a creative that enjoys other creatives. I love to sit with the work that others have put their blood, sweat, and yes even tears into and just…relax.” - Robert the contemplative
At this point, I knew that whatever this was, it would be amazing - I’ve always loved the Actors on Actor videos. It’s a joy to see what always seems like a genuine conversation between two humans who respect and appreciate the works of others. and Bethany Nicole I loved the image you selected that sums up your writing. It was a fantastic pick, my friend. If you haven’t yet, you should definitely check out this work—it is filled with fantastic moments. One of my favorite things when I read to my kids is playing with the accents for all the characters—I haven’t done that in a while. Thank you, Robert the contemplative, for creating this idea. I look forward to more work.
A Note that Made Me Think:
I've seen a few start-ups aiming to create AI parents for children, and I can't express how opposed I am to that. I, without a doubt, want kids to learn to code, robotics, and how the internet works—this, in my mind, should be a requirement. I don't know how to feel about my kids befriending AI bots/companions. It's a research topic I'm currently planning. Although I strongly agree, the current education system isn’t ready or built for all that AI and robotics will bring in the coming years.
Coffee I Consumed: Organic Heartstrings; I’m working on my fall menu but must eliminate the summertime syrups first.
Fantastic coffee. The fruit flavor came through strong in both drip and espresso. I made a killer espresso tonic, and I've had more than I probably should this week.
Recpie:
two shot essprso
Waterloo Black Cherry Water
tablespoon of French lavender madeleine syrup.
Until Tomorrow,
John D
Love the exploration bro ❤️