Opening Note#
Welcome to the first entry in my blog. In the spirit of National Novel Writing Month, I felt the urge to write more, but I also knew I did not have a novel in me. After some reflection, I decided committing to regular posts here for a year was the write direction.1 So here we are. My goal is one to three entries a week, a modest but earnest attempt at consistency. I will try to be interesting, or at least not boring. I will likely fail.2 It’s always harder to wobble gracefully under observation, but I am glad you chose to come along for the ride.
“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.”
-Semisonic3
Link Shotgun Blast#
- The Most Expensive States to Buy a Turkey This Thanksgiving (And the Least)
- Given supply chains being what they are, AK and HI were no surprise. Number three being IA was a surprise, though; as a farm state, you’d expect it to enjoy lower costs for an agricultural commodity.
- A New Lego ‘Legend of Zelda’ Set Is Coming
- Our household is buzzing after hearing LEGO is releasing a Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time set in 2026. Between our love of minifigures and Zelda, it feels like someone finally built a toy straight from our wish list, and I’m already clearing space for living room battles with Ganon.
- Ken Burns’ ‘American Revolution’ will make you think differently about U.S. history
- Ken Burns is making a documentary on the Revolutionary War, and it should be great since he always delivers something remarkable. The Civil War was unforgettable, and it feels fitting that the Revolutionary War, long overshadowed by the much better known War of 1812, will finally get its moment in the spotlight.
Podcast Pick#
🎧 Crantastic: The Story of America’s Berry
The podcast of the week is an oldie but a goody. The cranberry is often relegated to a cylindrical gel on the Thanksgiving table, wobbling there like an afterthought, but this episode of Gastropod, titled “Crantastic: The Story of America’s Berry,” reminds us there’s much more to it. It digs into the berry’s deep roots in Native American traditions, its rise and fall in American cuisine, and the dubious claims about its medicinal powers. It’s the perfect pre-Thanksgiving listen, especially if you enjoy learning that the most maligned food on the table has a richer backstory than most of your dinner guests.
From the Bottom of the Junk Drawer#
On November 12, 1970, Oregon officials decided to clear a beached whale with dynamite, a sentence that says more about human confidence than any philosophy book ever could. The goal was to feed the seagulls. The result was an airborne meat raffle that dented cars, stunned bystanders, and made local history. It is hard to imagine a better metaphor for problem solving at scale: big idea, bad math, the hubris of man, and one unforgettable mess.
Watch the glorious disaster:
Read more from Oregon Public Broadcasting: “It was like a blubber snowstorm”
Your notes keep me going…#
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