12/22 Atlas of Musings | Weekly Newsletter

Curating intrigue, wonder, and the will to live

Hello Muselings, we meet again!

We’ve entered that strange pocket of the year where everything is technically festive, the weather is decidedly hostile, but there's an undeniable magic in the air. Lets begin.

vibe check

This week’s vibe is That ’70s Show holiday episode energy. Sure, it's chaotic, but it will make for fond memories. Many years from now. We’re accepting our fate and calling it seasonal alignment. 

🎄 → Comfort Christmas watching for people who don't want to cry

small fact, big feeling

Reindeer eyes actually change colour from golden brown to deep blue so they can absorb more light during the dark months. Their vision literally adapts to the season.

🦌 → Even nature adjusts when things get bleak.

some cool art

Gizem Bozkurt’s paintings feel like memories. Soft, quiet, familiar moments that you reach for when everything else feels loud. They make me instantly nostalgic.  

👩‍🎨 → Wander through her beautiful world.

linguistic oddities

Hell-bent: To be doggedly determined, to the point of recklessness. Shockingly, this is not used as a compliment. The phrase dates back centuries and originally implied being driven by forces beyond reason.

☄️→ Determined. Possibly ignoring advice. Modern decision-making in a nutshell.

a writing prompt

Describe the fading of a memory over time; how it gets soft around the edges despite you clutching it tightly.

🎞️→ Feeling brave? Tag us on IG if you post it.

dream house alert

This cottage runs on one principle: if it looks intentional, it’s doing too much. As it's owner says, “You should never be able to name the origin of everything in a room.”

🧶→ Step inside this collected, not overly curated, Christmas dream.

the free shelf

Because capitalism is exhausting and your budget deserves a break.

🕹️ → This week’s gem: Neal.Fun A whimsical playground of interactive web curiosities that feel like the internet’s way of saying “look at this thing I made because I could.”

from my lens

No, this one isn't Christmas related. It was taken on a decidedly Spring afternoon in San Francisco. But, this image embodies unbridled joy in a way that's synonymous with Christmas morning. At least, that's what I see. What do you see?

until next time...

If this email made you feel an inkling of wonder or chuckle once, it was all worth it.

Same time next week?

If you enjoyed this, consider sharing it with someone you don't hate.

Until next Monday, xoxo