Derived from this bliss is a new-found unapologetic presence I cherish at the turn of Q1. Yet, I caveat that structural news consumption and a routine of informational stimuli fairly systemically inherent in many Arab households that had the old Al Arabiya soundtrack as white noise growing up sets the foundation for leveraging inner-child spontaneity for nuanced takes.
As adults, we still have that but suppress it based on personality traits or experiences that hinder the purpose of tapping into that virtue. Yet, in the dawn of new seasons calendar or personal , productive pause is a new practice, as I learn that intricate interdependencies and independences of markets and people are more noticeable in those laid-back times that require a handbrake and unbound questioning.
Handbrake entails a subjective, different look of pause for everyone. So, mine still entails a lenience towards print media and Wall Street story times lol. Cute little cafe trotter sparked conversations on Indonesian elections and UK real estate. Thanks Aspen. Hands down, it's a gem of a book. An addition to my academia directory. Will probably dedicate another Substack as to why.
Being in and around the English and Scottish countryside as a kid, from Devon, Hampshire, to Glencoe, I did not decide to start reading fiction until getting a hand on this book. Anna Nan Shepherd, author of The Living Mountain Nan Sheperd gives an account to an area I spent quite some time nearby since she was raised and lived almost all of her adult life, in the village of West Cults, three miles from Aberdeen on North Deeside.
IN: Manual Organizing. This technique of digital wellness refined my May'today tariff reflections, opting for selective check-ins on Substack and a select few of academic articles every couple of weeks instead of passive binge-reading on a daily. I have been blown away by the efficiency Substack is providing in providing digestible quick takes on topics in a very informal manner, free from politicised article curations of U. Yes, Substacks dedicated to geographies of MENA, let alone the Gulf Arab states, isn't common yet, but here are my recommendations for starters:.
