Research

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, April 12-18, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

Again, I’ve assembled a variety of resources. Some will help you understand what may be happening to you as you physically distance; some will offer some virtual experiences to help fill the extra hours (if you have them); some are the usual interesting articles and posts that will get your mental corn popping.

Brit Dawson explains why we’re all having bizarrely vivid dreams in pandemic lockdown. Dazed

Tanner Saunders compiles a list of 100+ fun things to do at home right now. Then, Evie Carrick shares 13 virtual train rides from around the world. Travel+Leisure

The Toronto Zoo offers online animal streams and educational resources. Durham Radio News

And … watch the Stratford Festival’s YouTube channel for Shakespeare!

Alex Beggs helps you get into making your own pasta. In case you’re tired of baking or have baked yourself into a sugar coma/larger size. Bon Appetit

Monstrum: The Jinn

Ralph Jones interviews Arthur Brand, the world’s greatest art detective. BBC

Matthew Wills: who were the ladies of Llangollen? JSTOR Daily

Emma Taggart: NYC parks are using a designer’s tree font to plant secret messages with trees. My Modern Met

Why the heck are we ticklish? It’s Okay to be Smart

The Mind Circle shares 18 photos that prove the capybara can befriend anyone. ‘Cause we can all use a little calming capy.

Adorbs pictures of dogs (and cockatoos and cats) before and after being called a good boy. Sad and Useless

SciShow explains the delightful mutation that defines Siamese cat appearance.

Thanks for the visit. I hope you take away something to support you in this time of physical distancing, to inspire your next creative project, or to entertain you.

Until next tipsday, stay safe and be well, be kind, and stay strong (even if you don’t think you can). The world needs your stories.

ThoughtyThursday2019

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, April 5-11, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

This week’s curation is a mix of ways to entertain yourself, covid-19-adjacent articles, and general thoughtiness. It’s time to get your mental corn popping.

Sydney Perkowitz: how to see the invisible universe. JSTOR Daily

Jamie Cater says, your cosmic address is the trippiest thing you’ll learn today. Travel + Leisure

Space germs were a literal thing. Why the Apollo 11 astronauts were quarantined. Vox

Brian Ferguson reveals Scotland’s claim to fame as the birthplace of the f-word (and an interesting BBC documentary to watch if you have access). The Scotsman

Erin Blakemore explains why plague doctors wore those strange beaked masks. National Geographic

Arthur C. Brooks shares the three equations of a happy life. The Atlantic

Livia Gershon explains how people during the Depression managed to laugh. JSTOR Daily

Mary Alice Miller: digital burnout was coming, and the pandemic is expediting it. Vanity Fair

Jonathan Watts shares his journey into the Antarctic. The Guardian

Jessica Leigh Hester wants you to let your mind wander with these gloriously detailed maps. Atlas Obscura

Zoe Baillargeon recommends the best online cooking classes and tutorials. The Manual

Camryn Rabideau suggests six indoor gardening projects for *any* size of home. Food52

SciShow introduces us to the white smokers of The Lost City and how they may have had a role in the origin of life on our planet.

Atlas Obscura shares images of Puzzlewood, the inspiration for the Lord of the Rings movie.

Corinne Segal shares this livestream of the bird library for you and your cat(s) to enjoy. Literary Hub

Jonna Jinton – The Wolf Song

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you took away something to inspire your next creative project, or just to fill the well until inspiration strikes.

Until next tipsday, be well and stay safe, be kind, and stay strong. The world needs you … and your stories!

ThoughtyThursday2019

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, March 29-April 4, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

Here are a bunch of resources and useful information for your time of physical distancing. It’s time to get your mental corn popping.

Rachel Donadio explains how a millennial Prime Minister is leading her country through crisis. Vogue

Rodger Sherman: the eight types of people we turn into on Zoom. The Ringer

Erin Blakemore wonders what people used before toilet paper? Cause toilet stuff is fun 🙂 National Geographic

Amber Gibson: there’s an art to isolation—here’s how to stay centred. Medium

Sherpa says, wash your paws!

Starlight Williams shares five inspiring no-travel experiences. National Geographic

Joe Berkowitz lists 88 movies, music, series, and books releasing in the next month. Fast Company

Jennifer Nalawicki says that you can watch these six flower bloom events from your couch. The Smithsonian Magazine

Mike Mettler lists six must-see rockumentaries to shelter in place with. Sound & Vision

A.R. Williams: untouched 4,400-year-old tomb discovered in Saq’qara, Egypt. National Geographic

Michael Greshko: interstellar space is even weirder than expected. National Geographic

Robin George Andrews reports on the bizarre lifeforms found thriving in ancient rocks beneath the sea floor. Cause extremophiles! National Geographic

Jeff Goodell is concerned about rising tides, troubled waters, and the future of our oceans. Rolling Stone

Marina Koren considers the changes in land, sea, and air that have already resulted from the pandemic. The Atlantic

Chris Sweeny: the wondrous life and mysterious death of golden eagle 1703. The Guardian

Giedrė Vaičiulaitytė shares 30 photos by Julius Kähkönen that look like they come from dreams. Bored Panda

True facts about the giraffe. Ze Frank

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you took away something to support you in these challenging times, or to inspire your next creative project.

Until next tipsday, be well and stay safe, be kind, and stay strong. The world needs your stories.

ThoughtyThursday2019

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, March 22-28, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

In need of some distraction? You’re in luck. Thoughty Thursday is here to get your mental corn popping 🙂

Alex Beard: can AI ever replace the classroom? The Guardian

Laura Millan Lombrana: the post-virus economic recovery could be a green one. This is the hope of many people I know. Bloomberg

Elizabeth Landau discovers that the Fibonacci sequence is everywhere—even the stock market. The Smithsonian Magazine

Allison Meier: 18th Century lovers exchanged pictures of their eyes. JSTOR Daily

Stevie Keen shares ten photography projects you can do at home. Amateur Photographer

Eric Gross shares photographs of frozen waves in an alpine Colorado lake. PetaPixel

Jessica Stewart shares enchanting photos of Madeira’s Fanal Forest and its 500-year-old trees. My Modern Met

How Earth’s tides gave us life as we know it. SciShow Space

Tom Ward takes us inside Victor Vescovo’s mission to reach the bottom of all the world’s oceans. Wired

Ruth Doherty reports that Google Earth has released virtual tours of 31 of the world’s most incredible national parks. Country Living

Stella’s best leaf jumps of all time 🙂 Joy!

Lydia Schrandt shares ten of the best animal live cams for you to watch. 10 Best

PBS Eons answers the age-old question. The egg came first.

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you take away some inspiration for your next creative project, or just some interesting reading and entertainment to ease your isolation.

This weekend, I’ll be diving into my March next chapter update.

Until then, be well, be kind, and stay strong. Now, more than ever, the world needs your stories!

ThoughtyThursday2019

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, March 15-21, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

I’ve tried to stay clear of covid-related news. We’re all consuming enough of that and I want to create a space for inspiration and learning and just plain entertainment. Still, there’s covid-adjacent material. I couldn’t avoid it completely.

Still, I hope you can get your mental corn popping in a positive and relatively stress-free manner this week.

Sophia Quaglia says, this ancient fish with arms might be the reason we have hands. Inverse

The wild reasons older people need less sleep. SciShow

Dr. Tracey Marks explains what night terrors are. I used to have these … and sleepwalk. It’s why I have an interest 🙂

Amy McKeever explains why we evolved to feel panic. National Geographic

Diana does 20 easy experiments in about five minutes. You can try these at home! Physics Girl

Liz Hund shares ten iconic museums you can tour online. The Points Guy

Is everyone going crazy? Nothing but Thieves

Be well, be kind, and stay safe and strong. The world needs you … and your stories.

ThoughtyThursday2019

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, March 15-21, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

I hope you’re all staying safe and well in these troubling times. If you’re self-isolating or quarantining, you’ve probably already had a chance to see all the informal writerly learnings I share. If you haven’t, please see this as a helpful resource to spend you time productively if you’re having trouble concentrating for long stretches of time.

I am still working, but I work in employment that has been considered a critical service and, unfortunately, our virtual network is at capacity. Still, several of my colleagues are off because of the school and day care closures and I maintain social distancing to the degree possible. I bring lunch from home and eat at my desk. I have not travelled. When I don’t work, I only leave the house to walk the dog. My spouse is our designated shopper and is also taking care of shopping for our Moms. We’re all being as safe as we can.

Vaughn Roycroft: it’s the end of the world as we know it (and writing feels fine). Dave King says, do it again, do it again! Some practical advice about writing series. Barbara Linn Probst: 36 debut authors tell it like it is. Writer Unboxed

K.M. Weiland tackles five questions about how to manage multiple points of view in your stories. Helping Writers Become Authors

Then, she suggests five inspirational reads (if you’re self-isolating or quarantining).

And … six happy movies or series. This video came first, actually. Katie starts off by explaining her covid-19 inspired idea for a video series.

Emily E.J. Wenstrom: writing unlikable characters readers will root for. Jane Friedman

Lucy V. Hays explains why all writers need a structural toolbox. Writers Helping Writers

Shaelin discusses how to plan a series. Reedsy

And … the trilogy, specifically. Reedsy

Leanne Sowul helps you write through depression. Pamela Taylor wants you to create authentic details about food. Then, Gabriela Pereira interviews E.J. Wenstrom about bringing a fantasy series to a close. Rosie O’Neill shares five ways to rekindle inspiration for your current writing project. DIY MFA

Then, E.J. Wenstrom visited Fiction University to explain how she tricked her pantser brain into plotting.

Oren Ashkenazi provides six tips for avoiding repetitive conflict. Mythcreants

She never wrote more than a page a day, but now, Eden Robinson has a Canada Reads finalist book. CBC

Stay safe and be well. Take care.

Tipsday2019

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, March 8-14, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

There’s enough information on the interwebz about covid-19. I don’t need to add to the deluge here. But I have assembled a nice batch of resources to get your mental corm popping.

Joe looks at daylight saving time and whether it’s still a good idea. It’s okay to be smart

Katie Weeman: time has no meaning at the North Pole. Scientific American

Maria Popova: how Kepler invented science fiction and defended his mother in a witchcraft trial while revolutionizing our understanding of the universe. Brain Pickings

Stephanie Vozza explains how to tap into your brain’s four attention states to get more done. Fast Company

Tom Lamont tells the incredible tale of Dominic Van Allen, the homeless man who built a life underground. The Guardian

Jessica Stewart announces that a 100-year-old illustrated herbal has been available online since 2017. My Modern Met

When the Sahara was green. PBS Eons

Research shows that Mangrove conservation will pay for itself in flood protection. Phys.org

Sarah Keartes shares super macro photos that reveal the magical world of the tiniest creatures of the sea. Yes. It’s old, but it’s just so dang beautiful! Earth Touch News

Greta Keenan shares a recording of fish singing a dawn chorus on reefs just like birds. New Scientist

The Mind Circle shares pictures of Japanese and Siberian dwarf flying squirrels because they’re the cutest animals on the planet (!)

Ze Frank offers some true facts on the freaky nudebranchs.

Thanks for visiting. I hope you found something to inspire your next creative project (or at least entertain you).

Until next time, be well, be kind, and stay strong. The world needs your stories.

ThoughtyThursday2019

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, March 1-7, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

It’s time to get your mental corn popping. It’s also time to celebrate the coming weekend—happy Friday eve!

Brigit Katz: “David and Goliath” was once attributed to Giovanni Francesco Guerrieri, but it was actually painted by Artemisia Gentileschi. The Smithsonian Magazine

Priyanka Borpujari uncovers India’s forgotten power broker, Begum Samru. National Geographic

Eddie Linehan tells the tales of defiant Irish women in honour of International Women’s Day. A wee bit rambly, but that’s a storyteller for you 😉

Ian Hanington introduces us to the woman who discovered global warming—in 1856! The David Suzuki Foundation

Valerie Stimac tells you the best places to see the northern lights. Forbes

Aaron Kesel: physicist says parallel universes definitely exist and we may soon explore them. The Mind Unleashed

Veritasium explores the concept of many worlds with Sean Carroll.

Tesla’s solar panels a turning salt water into drinking water for 35,000 Kenyans. Return to Now

Jennifer Nalewicki explains how to surf Alaska’s bore tide. I don’t surf (and probably never will) but this is cool. The Smithsonian Magazine

Andrew Nikiforuk is talking to the botanist who talks to trees. The Tyee

AAA State of Play offers a clickable list of birds and the sounds they make.

Nara Schoenberg: near Fulton, a rare bald eagle thruple (two dads and a mom) comes together to mate and parent. The Chicago Tribune

Maddie Stone: the Great Barrier Reef is heading for a mass die-off of epic proportions. Vice

Sarah Cox: to understand BC’s push for the Coastal GasLink pipeline, think fracking, LNG Canada, and the site C dam. The Narwhale

Genevieve Carlton introduces us to meganeura, a prehistoric dragonfly with a two-foot wingspan. Ranker

Twisted Sifter shares a video that shows all the wildlife that crossed the fallen log over this stream.

Coming around to visual art again, someone created a guide on how to recognize famous artists and it’s surprisingly accurate (and funny). deMilked

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you found something to inspire your next creative project.

Until next time, be Well, be kind, and stay strong. The world needs your stories.

ThoughtyThursday2019

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Feb 23-29, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

It was a news-heavy week. Take some time to get your mental corn popping.

Catharine Tunney: OPP arrest ten protestors at the Tyendinaga blockade site. CBC

Maria Cervantes reports on how Peruvian indigenous group wins suit to block oil exploration in Amazonian region. Reuters

SciShow Psych considers why we can’t remember our dreams.

Josh K. Elliott: Dagmar Turner plays the violin during brain surgery to retain her musical skills. Global

Lauren Smith: Leah Reddell creates “henna crowns” for women with cancer. HealthiNation

Elisha Fieldstadt reports that Katherine Johnson, the “computer” depicted in Hidden Figures has died at 101. NBC

Roy Allela invents gloves that turn sign language into audible speech. Black Business

Francky Knapp: the first man to reach the North Pole was an African American desk clerk the world forgot. Messy Nessy Chic

Ed Pilkington covers Harvey Weinstein’s conviction on two of five rape charges. The Guardian

Dr. Becky looks into the mystery of where all the antimatter has gone.

This solar-powered barge collects up to 50 tonnes of plastic waste a day. Return to Now

Greg Rosalsky explains why America is losing the toilet race. (I didn’t even know there was one …) NPR

Physics girl looks at the science of rainbows, fogbows, sun dogs, and glories …

James Burch: if dragons don’t exist, why are they everywhere? All Things Interesting

Max Knoblauch shares a video of a humpback whale breaching like some kind of hotshot dolphin. Mashable

Lisa Cinelli explains that your cat has a legitimate reason for getting hyper at bedtime. PopSugar

This is an old one, but funny. Bored Panda shares 30 pictures of animals that look like they’re about to drop the hottest albums of the year.

And that was a fairly full thoughty Thursday. Thank you for visiting and I hope you take away some ideas to inspire your next creative project.

Until next tipsday, be well, be kind, and stay strong. The world needs your stories.

ThoughtyThursday2019

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Feb 16-22, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

I’m back, and it’s time to get your mental corn popping.

Juhyundred examines colonialism in Parasite. Amazing analysis. Tropics of Meta

SciShow investigates a possible cure for cancer (that was discovered by accident).

How unprocessed trauma is stored in the body. Medium

David Keys: a treasure trove of fine textiles reveals the importance of fashion to Bronze Age Britons. The Independent

Catherine Boeckmann shares the meanings of flowers. The Old Farmer’s Almanac

Sarah Barnes introduces us to Matt Burgess, the photographer who captures the moods of waves. My Modern Met

Madeleine Stone reports that the Antarctic peninsula is setting heat records, but they won’t stand for long. National Geographic

Does consciousness influence quantum mechanics? PBS Space Time

Lori Dorn shares an amazing video of an industrious mouse tidying up a retire electrician’s tool shed each night. Laughing Squid

The mating dance of the peacock spider. Ze Frank (who else?)

And that is your edutainment for the week. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you’re taking away something to inspire your next creative project.

I might get my next chapter update out on the weekend.

Until then, be well, my writerly friends 🙂

ThoughtyThursday2019