Dare to dawdle; to create without purpose; to be mediocre, even outright bad, at whatever it is you want to try. In short, let yourself waste time, as if you were young again and too immortal to know any better. Yes, this can and will be terrifying. - The New York Times
It's not just that they came from a culture more like ours than most medieval societies (no hereditary aristocracy, a genuine parliament). It's that, "from a modern perspective, this literary universe combines the best of epic poetry with the best of soap opera." - Literary Hub
The framing of the brain–body complex as a borderless thinking apparatus is interesting, bringing together a wide range of research, from education and business practice to psychology and cognitive neuroscience. - Nature
For centuries, the spruces of Val di Fiemme have been used in the greatest instruments Italy produces, from Stradivari violins to Fazioli pianos. Here's why these evergreens are so good for their purpose — and what threats they face, from bark beetles to wind storms. - Atlas Obscura
Demand for collectibles has surged during the pandemic, along with many other forms of investment, as people stuck at home look for ways to spend their money. - The New York Times
The magazine has secured rights deals with film and TV production companies for more than 20 pieces from its archives so far — a sideline expected to earn $1 million this year. - Business Insider
"While the pandemic magnified the already apparent need for young people to develop artistic and employable media arts skills, calls for racial justice showed the imperative for adults to provide movement-building support and guidance to young people." - Philanthropy News Digest
That's how Joshua Barone of The New York Times categorizes Robert Carsen: "His work is by no means repetitive, cautious or dull. But in more than 125 productions over three decades in the field, he has been peerlessly dependable." - The New York Times
The company's CEO says AMC will be technologically equipped to start accepting Bitcoin payments for U.S. movie tickets and concessions ordered online by the end of the year. - Deadline
The sport's governing body pushed the name change through in 2017, reportedly at the request of the IOC. The athletes weren't consulted, and many are furious that the respect they spent decades earning from the wider sports world may have been tossed away. - The Atlantic
Reservation Dogs (FX on Hulu) and Rutherford Falls (Peacock) "are both Native stories told largely by Native actors, writers, producers and directors. The upshot has been a flourishing of new opportunities for … Native creators and performers." - The New York Times
From TikTok to Spotify to rap videos to new apps, youth from Mexico to Ecuador to Australia are coming up with new ways to express themselves in and spread the endangered tongues of their ancestors. - Global Voices
"Illuminate Coral Gables," an outdoor exhibition of light art that launched only this past winter, has imploded after the Miami-area city's mayor accused two of the artists in next year's show of being communist sympathizers. (Yes, the mayor is Cuban-American.) - Artnet
Even without the pandemic, 2020 was a difficult year for Second City and the iO Theater, two of Chicago's flagships for improv, and both companies ended up being sold. New owners and artistic directors are hoping to lead a renaissance of the form. - The New York Times
The controversial staging, directed by Ivo van Hove, co-choreographed by Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker, and produced by Scott Rudin, barely made it past 100 performances (including previews) before the pandemic shutdown last year. - Variety
