The Next History

Stop. Right now. Just stop.

Stop!

Just take a second to appreciate how amazing this all is.

This is traveling to you through a series of wires and beams of light. Over air, land, sea, and outer space. With a language translated into several different languages only to then be translated back to you, anywhere you can access it, in near real time. Less than a second after I tapped a button with my finger on a device that is small enough to fit in my pocket you could read this from any other point of connection into this network on the planet.

The thing is, those in their 30s and above have a unique memory. We have a solid memory of a time before any of this was possible and today when it all is. We have memory of a time when to call another country required turning a rotary dial so many times and was so expensive that most of us sent paper letters instead — except for the most urgent of news. Now, we can type or record video or sound and have it reach thousands or millions or billions all over the earth, instantly, for free.

Those born today will not remember a time when none of this was possible. This is the new normal. They won’t see it the same way. To them, what we have lived through will be something they read in a history book.

Therefore, it is up to us to not take it for granted. To treat the Internet and all surrounding technology with reverence, respect, and care. To stop, every now and then, and take some time to appreciate it.

And, then, to get back to work and start making it even better. To fuel the innovation, ideas, and giant leaps that will give the ones behind us something to stop and be just as amazed by. To write the next history.

I’m a full-time independent writer who does my part in writing the next history by bringing you things to think about every day. If you enjoy what you read here, please consider a free will donation of any amount.

Buddhas

buddha

I collect Buddhas. Buddha statues mainly. But I have a rule. I never buy them for myself. They must be given to me. Because it’s not just about the statues. It is about those that gave them to me and when and why. Each one tells a story.

I set up this MacGuffin of only collecting them as gifts, in part, to collect not the Buddhas but these stories. I want each one to be special and be connected to a place, time, and person. In this way the statue becomes a prompt to a deeper memory. Hopefully, one filled with sentiment and meaning.

Yet, is this not true of all things we acquire? Even the seemingly mundane? I can tell you where and when and why I bought the jeans I’m wearing. My sweater and my boots too. The iPad I’m typing this on has a story attached to it. As does the app I’m using to write it.

The fact is every interaction has a story. Some more memorable than others. Some we create with purpose. Others are the detritus of a life lived. Yet all are essential in weaving the fabric we call “us”.

Good Stuff For Guys

ForValentines Day my wife hit the ball out of the park with a subscription to Bespoke Post. I had never heard of it before but the idea is great. Each month, they offer a collection of great stuff for guys curated around a theme. You always have the option of opting in to the offering or declining and waiting for the next. If you opt in, they will send it to you.

weekender2

The most recent offering was the “Weekender II”, which included the great bag above and a certificate worth $250.00 to Jetsetter, a travel concierge service. But, if that was not your style you could have opted to wait for the next one. Past offerings have been themed around coffee, wine, socks, shoe care, and more. I opted into the Weekender and am anxiously waiting to see what they offer next.

huckleberry

Another site I have been a member of for a while and deserves equal mention is Huckleberry which offers weekly, limited-time, discount offers on select cool men’s brands. It can be an interesting mix of stuff but always great. Current sales include Wolverine 1883 Shoes, Axis Maps, Sweetwood Jerkey, and Defy Bags. But, you have to be a member to view and order the deals. There has yet to be a week where there is not one thing I have been interested in. Highly recommended. They have a pretty good blog too.

image

Finally, I have been a long time fan of minimal wallets (and carrying as little in my pockets as possible). Therefore, I was honored to be featured on the new site, Minimal Wallet and asked to write a couple of paragraphs about what I use and why I like it. The site chronicles many fine wallet offerings as well so if you are in the market, it is well worth checking out.