The death of minimalism Nostalgic tavern vibes, Target goes THC, New wave drug educations for minors, the drive towards art [[Hot off the press]] - good newsletters this month ### Nostalgic Tavern Vibes [Maximalist Aesthetic](https://www.instagram.com/p/DQOtICqCfBo/?img_index=5&igsh=anI0ZHlrZzI0MGhw) - After the Cracker Barrel rebrand travesty, it has become more apparent that millenial minimalism is really no longer chic. People are craving comfort and designers are leaning into more nostalgic and maximalist vibes that can help people forget the economic/political shitshow we're going through as a collective . - Even though I'm a self-proclaimed minimalist at time, I am really here for this aesthetic because it is so transformative. I love being able to feel like I can time travel and arrive in some other more warming time period where I don't have to shy away from extravagance in the form of patterns, textures, color and craft that takes time and patience to execute. Also I love the use of natural materials like wood, stone, metals the weight and density is grounded which helps me feel more embodied. - Everyones favorite chatchquees. This small trinkets and artifacts create a feeling of reverence and worship to an tiny, in sequential item because it has it's own story, or energy that gave it a place at the table, Catcheques are meant to steal ones attention even for a moment to smile, ponder, be transcended somewhere else in the smallest of spaces between throughts and conversation. ### THC Drinks at Target [THC Target](https://www.marijuanamoment.net/target-to-begin-selling-thc-infused-cannabis-drinks-as-congress-debates-possible-hemp-law-reversal-companies-say/?utm_source=beehiivemail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=the-scariest-part-about-psychedelic-mainstreaming) [Psychedelic Water at UO](https://doubleblindmag.com/urban-outfitters-psychedelic-water/) - Cannabis drinks in target makes me cringe. Accessibility to minors, poorly branded graphic cans that look like video games covers and the capitalistic dilution of any quality at all. - I dont know if pots gotten better or worse since legalization has begin spreading across the country towards completion. Maybe its not the legalization but the regulation preventing craft brands and market quality control to siphon out the forward corporate BS. When I visit a cannabis brand website and see people in lab coats starring into beakers I know this isn't what I want from my weed. I'll grab my psychedlic water from urban outfitters and be on my way thank you. - As we wait for our ayahuasca tinctures that will eventually come with shamanic talking-head advertisements complete with product placements and act-now sales advantages. The cringe is getting tighter. ### Informing teens on Drugs [Know Drugs](https://knowdrugs.com/blog) Kids need better drugs education. Im not sure what the beat on the street is concerning marijuana or other psychedelics and narcotics but there as been at least two categories I can think of: Junkie, life wasting, poverty addicts which have your heroin, meths, pills and even alchol these days. and then you have your psychedelic, cool, hippy spiritual drugs like cannabis, shrooms, LSD, MDMA these are the drugs that are now being claimed to have medical benefits and being promoted for treatments to depression, addiction to the bad drugs, PTSD and ADHD of course still prone to misuse but under the right guidance in the right set and setting they could be helpful. SO how do we use them? What could go wrong? Why, as a underage teen shopuld you avoid such 'mind expanding opportunity?' Enter Know drugs - a grassroots inititive to educate our young one from a balanced and informed perspective. I love when my kids arent being indoctrinated but instead taught to think critically with an open but discerning mind. ### The Drive towards art Nick Huno’s recent [newsletter](https://substack.com/home/post/p-177364531) hit home with what myself and many other purpose-seekers are feeling these days and it starts with a hunch that the fulfillment we seek involves creating more art instead of doing more business Art is self expressive and authentic without any hidden or alternative agendas. The art is the thing. Not the money, not the infrastructure, not the branding... anrt simply exists as an end in and of itself - completely original new and unique to its creator. Basically i think we all want to be able to see ourselves more clearly - to look into a clear mirror and see a complete and honest reflection of ourselves. This is getting harder to do amongst the noise and echo chambers of social media, the internet, and commercial marketing by and large, We crave to see the naked truth of who we are and we’re running out of places to look. Both creativity and contemplation offer us a glimpse of the self-realization we’re rapidly forgetting. In a world being flooded with AI slop, prompt generated copyright, and narrowing algorithm, the human urge to make art is both an act of resistance and proclamation. It seems more deep thinkers are changing course towards the primal act of artistic creation ### Tasks - [x] Finish 1st Floor Renovation - [x] Mortgage Pre-Approval Letter at Chase - [ ] 3 IG Posts - Relevant reflections and intentions for SM moving forward - [ ] 1 Substack post - Fish through existing Substack and rebrand - A moment in time 6 months into becoming a dad and 10 months into relocating to the Pennsylvania countryside, I’ve finally feeling a sense of rhythm again. This slowness of winter this r on what’s really working for me creatively and what am I wasting my time with. How do I need to invest my efforts and where can I find refuge? /001 Another Mercury Retrograde November 9th has kicked off another season of Mercury retrograde and will last about three weeks until November 29th, just after Thanksgiving. The stationing happened to be on a very rainy and lazy Sunday here in Pennsylvania where my wife and I chose not to even leave the house but instead scrolled through current events, play with our 6-month old and chip away at household related chores. Trump announced $2,000 tariffs dividends for ‘non-rich’ americans and the government reached a deal to end their shutdown. Not sure how to interpret these political events on retrograde stationing day, but my guess is there will be a few re-negs and re-evaluations of these deals before moving completely forward. But I hope the market makers like what they hear regardless and and we can retrace some of the losses from this month. Oh, and let’s not forget the new 50-year mortgage plan head scratcher, which may or may not be the answer millennials are looking for? Mercury in Sagittarius likes big picture ideas but often doesn’t spend too much time ironing out the details which is probably why no one really knows how these dividends might be received. So try your best to back up your bold claims with some action steps and planning. Being a bit more diligent about the details behind an idea can go along way to avoid sabotage and backtracking. --- 002/ Workflow Revolutions I have been tinkering with PKM tools for the past few months but this Novemeber I have upped my game on Obsidian. PKM stands for Personal Knowledge Management and it is the system or Ideaverse as Nick Milo calls it, that I have been desperately needed. I love taking notes but they rarely do anything for me anymore. They have no real place to live, no hierarchy of ideas and become completely isolated thought streams with no ocean to flow into. Enter Obsidian, my PKM of choice which grants me the power of “linking my thinking” Linking notes to each other creates a dynamic web of interconnected ideas that go on to become content maps, workflows and project management systems. I’m still a noob in the PKM world, there is a lot of nerding out on how to make the most of this note making technology but I’m already feeling the benefits of having a space that captures my ideas without losing them to the void. It’s really a joy to watch my notes form an infrastructure of their own just by working the system and enabling myself to add, relate, and communicate (ARC method again, Nick Milo) --- /003 The Drive to Make Art Nick Huno’s recent [newsletter](https://substack.com/home/post/p-177364531) hit home with what myself andother purpose-seekers are feeling these days and it starts with a hunch that the fulfillment we seek involves creating more art instead of doing more business Art is self expressive and authentic without any hidden or alternative agendas. The art is the thing. Not the money, not the infrastructure, not the branding... anrt simply exists as an end in and of itself - completely original new and unique to its creator. Basically i think we all want to be able to see ourselves more clearly - to look into a clear mirror and see a complete and honest reflection of ourselves. This is getting harder to do amongst the noise and echo chambers of social media, the internet, and commercial marketing by and large, We crave to see the naked truth of who we are and we’re running out of places to look. Both creativity and contemplation offer us a glimpse of the self-realization we’re rapidly forgetting. In a world being flooded with AI slop, prompt generated copyright, and narrowing algorithm, the human urge to make art is both an act of resistance and proclamation. It seems more deep thinkers are changing course towards the primal act of artistic creation --- /004 Taking Buddhist Refuge When we moved to PA one the first places I search for on Google was for a Buddhist Temple. This is how I discovered The Jinyin Temple in East Stroudsburg. Still a decent 40 min drive from our house in Kunkletown, it was the closest in the area. Turns out Jinyin is part of a special type of Mahayana buddhsim called, “Chinese Estoteric Buddhism” and it is centered around it’s Guru, the Vajra Master. Laura and I immediately felt at home in the temple despite the majority of disciples being Chinese. Their is a close knit group of western practitioners as well and a very amicable disciple named Matt who leads meditation each week. We were asked to perform our music for their fall Peace festivals and are now being asked to help collaborate on creating musical arrangements for the vast store of mantras they use. Sunday was a Guan Yin Recitation assembly and after circumventing the temple and a hearty vegetarian lunch Laura and decided to take refuge during a brief ceremony that culminated the day. We wore robes and received dharma names and everything. My dharma name is Jinyue which means to ‘transcend beyond’. I thought it was fitting. While I wasn’t expecting it, I had been thinking about refuge at Jinyin after hearing it come up in conversation prior and I was happy Laura felt the same positivity in doing so. The temple has been a very hospitable place for us and they really have embraced our baby daughter Raina which makes it feel that much more wholesome and aligned. Especially since I have struggle to find a social fit for myself, the Jinyin temple has given me a sense of community and spiritual support. Projects: Creative Clarity Book Moonbyrds Music Workshops More…