Author Archives: Brian D. Butler

Appetite For Solitude

    Martin Amis, 14 Rules for writers (2009)  

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No Monopoly On Fun

The old fashioned board game has been making a comeback in North America, especially with Gen Z. Many attribute the renewed interest in this decidedly nondigital pastime to the Covid Pandemic. Along with the iconic games such as Monopoly and … Continue reading

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‘Many try to take us down, but we fight back.’

A big tip of the hat to TBTP loyal follower Will G. from the UK for reminding me about the project called Anna’s Archive. This literary anarchist site keeps popping back up even when entire nations try to drive a metaphorical stake … Continue reading

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It’s all one thing

HYMN TO TIME by Ursula K. Le Guin Time says “Let there be” every moment and instantly there is space and the radiance of each bright galaxy. And eyes beholding radiance. And the gnats’ flickering dance. And the seas’ expanse. … Continue reading

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What time to leave for the airport

 

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Remember, therefore, that outcasts must never be afraid.

The true artist has always had to fight, but it is, and will be, a more ferocious struggle for you, and the artists of your generation, than ever before. The working man, this time, will be better looked after, he … Continue reading

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Waving, not drowning

I have had the opportunity to see original prints of Katsushika Hokusai’s iconic work The Great Wave Off Kanagawa at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Now, the Art Institute of Chicago, which … Continue reading

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signs, signs, everywhere signs

An animation built from road signs is a whirlwind study of flash communication Warning: this film features rapidly flashing images that can be distressing to photosensitive viewers. “The UK filmmaker Daniel McKee is known for videos in which he arranges … Continue reading

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Great writer, artist not so much

In 1952, when the quintessential Beat writer Jack Kerouac began marketing his second novel On the Road to publishing houses, he designed his own book cover. He sent it to a potential publisher A.A. Wyn, with a little note typed … Continue reading

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Stand Your Ground

A few years back, I was taking a short hike around a glacial lake below the Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska and nearly walked up on a bear. Fortunately after seeing the fresh bear tracks, I reversed my course and found … Continue reading

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