Microcosm #1: Reddit Threads & Library Lists
a reddit thread, a folder of photos from a stranger, a list of libraries + more.
Something I’ve wanted to introduce to the Another Realm-verse is a regular feature that’s less serious and more accessible. As I traverse this new landscape and stretch my writerly muscles, I’ve noticed that my pieces have slowly become heavier, for lack of a better word. I would love to incorporate a little more joy and irreverence, or at the very least, something more easily digested than my long-form content.
Thus, the Microcosm was born. I went back and forth on what to call it, and at one point, it was just called "smattering,” but something about that didn’t feel quite right, and its proximity to the word splattering started sounding gross to me. But Microcosm felt right, and it’s one of those words that finds its way into my vernacular more often than you’d think. I love thinking about the process of writing and sharing as the creation of tiny little worlds. It’s cute.
Starting the week after next (after the wedding madness has subsided), I will send out a new Microcosm each Sunday morning for paid subscribers and another letter for all subscribers on Wednesday. However, this inaugural Microcosm is gratis to give you a little preview of what’s to come.
This week, I had social media on the brain (shocking, I know) as my Instagram hiatus continued. I took a break from the platform a little over a week ago, and it has been, unsurprisingly, wonderful. I’m not plagued by the near-constant fear of falling into irrelevancy or feeling bad about where I am in life, something I was constantly reminded of while I mindlessly scrolled on the app. I don’t really know what anyone is up to these days, and it feels great.
As a result, I unintentionally sought resources either directly tackling or adjacent to this very concept: What does life without Instagram look like, and is it possible for a self-employed individual to have a successful and profitable business without it? Then I realized that, collectively, everything I gathered looked a little bleak, directly opposing my original intention of making this a ~fun~ feature. So, I sprinkled in some weird, irreverent things I found on the internet this week (sugar, if you will) to make it taste a little better.
The Internet Will End Soon, a podcast from Pursuit of Wonder. It discusses the origins of the word “spam” for the junky content we receive in our email inboxes, the Dead Internet theory, and where the Internet is currently headed. I had no idea this word's modern use was derived from a Monty Python skit. You learn something new every day. (I discovered this podcast from Jordan Long’s recent essay, The Algorithm Killed the Follower, which I highly recommend.)
I’m currently reading Bitter Water Opera by Nicolette Polek, and I’m roughly halfway through. I’m finding it disorienting, but in a good way. It’s a departure from what I’ve read lately and probably a pretty good book to read immediately before starting Swann’s Way, which is my current plan. Many reviewers stated that the brilliance hit them a few days after they finished it. I’ll let you know if I have a similar experience.
This Off the Grid episode with Michelle Pellizzon Lipsitz. I’m an MPL fan girl at this point, but Holisticism is my go-to for business resources as a “squiggly-brained” person, and there are many gems to be found in Amelia and Michelle’s conversation. (Also, this Monday Hour One Notion template from Holisticism was particularly life-altering in my undiagnosed and unmedicated days).
The Carnival at the End of the World Tarot deck has recently caught my fancy, and like any neurodivergent person with a hyper-fixation, I can’t stop thinking about it. The illustrations are so beautiful and strange. I love it, and I need it.
New terrifying data from TikTok suggests that you become addicted to the platform in just 260 videos, or roughly 35 minutes, as well as a new lawsuit against the app (wake up babe, new social media lawsuit just dropped) due to TikTok’s recent admission that it was “designed with the express intention of addicting young people to the app.” Also the algorithm prioritizes “beautiful people”. Gross.
An are.na board full of photos someone took accidentally while walking. I do not know this person. It’s weirdly compelling, and weirdly sentimental. There’s a short story or poem in there somewhere.
This map of my favorite libraries in Los Angeles might help you find your way into a beautiful library (and stay off your phone) if you’re in the area. Libraries have become even more valuable to me after losing my job, as they provide me with a much-needed change of scenery that doesn’t require me to spend any money. I love libraries. I’m in one right now, actually.
Democracy Dies on Instagram, a post published by Taylor Lorenz earlier this week, discusses how Meta artificially suppresses content that mentions hot-button subjects, such as reproductive rights or COVID-19 vaccines. We throw this word around a lot (for a good reason), but it’s dystopian, to say the least.
My friend Michela just launched the website for her shop, Good Friend, and there are so many beautiful things. Consider these border terrier salt and pepper shakers, this sweet little mug by Kati von Lehman, or this cool dandelion cube by Usagi no Nedoko. You can also get 10% off your first order if you subscribe to their mailing list. I’m not being paid to say this, I just believe in my friend and her beautiful shop.
This Reddit thread encouraging the OP to fight petty with petty. This was posted about two days ago, and the number of comments amassed encouraging this bride to be petty at her wedding had me giggling. I was originally on Reddit looking for reviews of a raspberry leaf tea and somehow stumbled upon this. I thought it was apt to share given that my own wedding is next week.
An interview with Lauren Groff from Girls on the Page. Lynx Books is a bookstore opened earlier this year by writer Lauren Groff, championing the works of BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities “with an emphasis on literature that is banned or challenged in Groff’s adopted home state of Florida.” I loved this article, and I love Groff’s mission. Lynx Books is a beacon of hope in a world hell-bent on eliminating critical thinking and access to knowledge. Girls on the Page has so many fantastic interviews. I also loved this one with Margaret Atwood.
In case you missed it:
I’m shocked by how well this essay lamenting our shortened attention spans was received. So far, it’s my most liked post on Substack. It seems that we all just want to disappear into the forest and read Proust.
I wrote this piece about October’s themes of permanence and change. I’m sending out another ~energetic update~ and collective tarot reading for Scorpio season soon, so look out for that.
Lastly, if you enjoyed what you read here, consider liking, commenting, or sharing it with someone you think would enjoy it. You can also support my work by upgrading to a paid subscription for $5/mo or by buying me a coffee.