Signs of life—real, hands-on life
4 days ago • 3 min read1 July 2025 Talk and Tales from Coco, Optimist in Charge at The Shiny Butter Blog Signs of Life—real, hands-on life Coming to our senses, literally... plus, a giant new playlist for you 🎵 Just a beautiful little miracle of sunlight I saw the other day A Big ol' playlist from Coco—Click to go to spotify: Fly Robin Fly • citizencoco Fly Robin Fly • Silver Conve... PREVIEW Hey there, Reader, I doubt anyone named Al laughs at the wisecracks I'm pretty sure they get about "AI." I sure would get...
READ POSTCurly hair as a metaphor
25 days ago • 4 min readWarning: mangled frizz ahead Talk and Tales from Coco, Optimist in Charge at The Shiny Butter Blog 10 June 2025 curly hair as a metaphor What to do when you look like Roseanne Rosannadanna In today's email Quote of the Week Curly Hair as a Metaphor Note About AI More Shiny Things Follow and Share Quote of the Week Play the hand you're dealt like it's the one you wanted. Anonymous Curly-headed greetings, Reader, My mom was a hairdresser before she had me back in ye olden days of 1963. (Fun...
READ POSTA bit of a rant
2 months ago • 4 min read22 April 2025 A Bit of a Rant Call it an earth-day special. Behold, the mighty dandelion Shiny greetings, Reader, Funny how we have Earth Day, when you'd think every day would be earth day for those of us who live here. You'd think, seeing as how we never really leave, we'd make a point of honoring and outright glorifying this very cool planet swirling around in the universe, with us somehow attached to it. It's not about politics You'd think we'd take good care of our beautiful home! But...
READ POSTThis mysterious journey
3 months ago • 4 min read25 March 2025 This Mysterious Journey On wandering off... and picking back up in pursuit of what we really want. Sunshiny greetings, Reader, Maybe I'm preaching to the choir, but it seems to me life is a big ol' self-discovery journey. It's experimental, avant garde, a whole lotta jokers and wild cards, a whole lot of winging it and making things up as we go, and basically meta-physical and meta-everything else, too. And seeing as how this is a largely experimental endeavour rather than a...
READ POSTLet's light the world up
6 months ago • 3 min read31 December 2024 Let's light the world up Something for the eve of 2025 One swan a-swimming on this seventh day of Christmas. Happy almost new year, Reader! Sure, there's more than one way to nail down when, exactly, the new year begins, what with the lunar new year vs. the Gregorian calendar vs. various other options to identify when the beginning begins. But because the regular old, common people's calendar right now say JANUARY 1 tomorrow, beaucoups of us don't need any more reason than...
READ POSTHere's what I choose
8 months ago • 4 min read8 November 2024 Here's what I choose What I'm changing and what I'm not changing. A gentle hello to you, Reader, What a week. My inbox is full. Full of reaction, reflection, and analysis about Tuesday's US election. Reactions are easy to come by, which is understandable, as this is where we often begin. Reacting, responding, reflecting When I wrote What to Do When Someone Throws You a Flaming Beach Ball I was talking about adjusting our tendency to react rather than respond to things. We have...
READ POSTIf we don't turn up the energy, who will?
9 months ago • 4 min read14 october 2024 If We Don't Turn Up the Energy, Who Will? On using our powers for good. The lotus—read on for why I'm sharing this picture... Dear shiny reader, You're invited to become a financial supporter of The Shiny Butter Blog right here for $5 per month. It may seem small, but it makes a difference. THANK YOU. Shiny greetings, Reader, While I've been round-the-clock busy following my stepdad's stroke three weeks ago (and am storing up plenty to talk about pertaining to the US medical...
READ POSTBe the light when it's so easy to see darkness
9 months ago • 2 min read8 october 2024 Be the Light When it's So Easy to See Darkness Five (Short) things that are on my mind Let the light in Hello, your magnificence, You're invited to become a financial supporter of The Shiny Butter Blog right here. THANK YOU. (Friday Club members, thank you for already being a supporter. I'm so glad to have your confidence.) Gorgeous greetings to you, Reader, Things feel frantic and weird right now. Here are a few things on my mind. 1 The internet where I am at the moment is...
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