Making change, London, and a joyous anniversary
Hello there! ๐
Here in Surrey we had a gentle winter with just one snowfall slightly dusting the shady corner of our yard. Now I look out the window and see the first cherry blossom buds across the way. The sun is out again.
ไบบใฏๆ ๆฅใฏๆๆใใใฎ้ฒ
travelers set out
as the sun rises...
morning dew
โ Kobayashi Issa, trans. David G. Lanoue
Every month when I write these short notes to you, I struggle not to comment on what is happening in the world. This month has been no easier.
I am heartened by a few communities I engaged with this month, trying to make things better. I write about Newspeak in London below. Locally I am refining a project for the Metachrysalis Changemaker Community (more on that in the future). And last night I joined a wonderfully diverse group of folks in an iftar meal and showcase of different co-operatives being incubated at Solid State here in Surrey. There is quite an alternative economy being nurtured here. Since I had bone graft surgery earlier this week (part 2 of my 3 part dental implant journey) and spent a few days in recovery with a swollen face, I wasnโt sure if I would make it to the showcase, but I am very glad I did.
Speaking of showcases, the Protocols for Publishers โจ London Showcase and Stakeholder Forum I put on was a success, and improved on the one we did in NYC last year. I detail my profound visit to London in a very long blog post linked below. If you have thoughts about the conclusions in that post I would love to hear them.
But maybe the most joyous event in this short month: we celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary ๐ฐ๐ปโโ๏ธ๐คต๐ผโโ๏ธ. My wife and I have been together for 26 years now. We met at university in Japan, got engaged in oppressive heat at Angkor Wat in Cambodia, married in snowy Kingston Ontario, had two children, and have lived together in eight different cities. It is because of her support that I have had all the diverse experiences I have been lucky to have. I am lucky she indulges in my curiosity, but I assure you it isnโt all one-way. She says I am the source of all the joy and pain in her life ๐ . Together we are like two rocks on the shore with the world just washing up against us, which is why I marked the occasion by reposting this video from the southern Japanese island of Tanegashima.
In dark times, it is important to be joyful when you can, with your closest people.
Peace ๐๏ธ
Chad
๐ From the Blog
Discovering deep history in London
An unexpected thing happened to me on my first trip to the UK
Newspeak House โ College of Political Technology
Inspired by a tech hub in London
๐งญ Elsewhere
Photos from London:
- ๐ธ Master album with ALL my London photos
- ๐๏ธ The British Museum
- ๐๏ธ Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
- โช๏ธ St Paulโs Cathedral
Another great entry in the semi-annual โarticle illustrating how fโd up Silicon Valley isโ tradition Link โ
Facial recognition cameras revealed Link โ
5 classes I took in High School Link โ
Antidepressants or Tolkien. I only got 15/24 Link โ
๐ What Iโm Reading
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
(47% Complete)
I originally read this masterpiece in 2010, and promised to come back to it. Well, it is time. And oh boy! How fantastic this book is. The writing style, the fantastical elements, the jokes! Strange & Norrell is hilarious in an understated Victorian manner, but also perfectly captures that poignant darkness that classic stories involving faerie have. One of my favourite books of all time, and masterfully narrated by Simon Prebble.
2026 is the year I leaveย GoodReads. Since January I have been using ๐ Hardcover which has been a delight. Connect with me there https://hardcover.app/@chadkoh