21 Comments
User's avatar
Susan Wingate's avatar

“A lot of what we lost that made daily life more human wasn’t outdated. It was just in the way of someone’s business model.” This quote was a Wow moment for me.

Dan Blank's avatar

Right?! Thanks Susan!

Susan Wingate's avatar

Great article, Dan. Thank you.

Dan Blank's avatar

Thanks Susan!

Deb Lund's avatar

Susan! Yes. And hello! ❤️

Susan Wingate's avatar

Hi Deb! Good to "see" you here. xoxo

Elena Brunn's avatar

What Jeff Knuppel says about our lives today defines for me what I've been merely intuiting lately. Of course, I learned about it on my phone first and then my laptop. Maybe this is why the acronym, IRL, creeps me out?

Your always sweet photos of your son includes one of him lighting the Shabbat candles. I was delighted to see your version of our hanukkiah. They look as if they were made by hand.

Dan Blank's avatar

Thank you Elena!!!

Marlene Cullen's avatar

Jeff's observations are so comforting and things I'll be thinking about.

Dan Blank's avatar

Thanks Marlene!

Samantha Dion Baker's avatar

😍😍 thank you, Dan! Love seeing that page colored!!

Dan Blank's avatar

Thank YOU Sam!

Mo Issa's avatar

Great post! Thought provoking, scary and also enjoyable! Thank you Dan.

Dan Blank's avatar

Thank you Mo!

Susan J Tweit's avatar

Dan, I came back to your Substack because I realized I hadn't read you in a long time, and this was the perfect post for me right now. I needed those reminders of being present with my work, choosing less stimulation rather than more, focusing on what matters to me and what I bring to readers, and finding new ways to practice my craft.

Also, you may be delighted to know that after we worked together two? years ago, your help understanding my mission and the purpose of my writing gave me the idea for my new bestselling Substack, and the book of the same name, Earthbound, A Year of Mindful Connection in Nature, which is coming out this October. I have been hand-writing postcards about the book to my readers, to thinkers and creators I admire, and bookstores and others in order to spread the word in my own organic, grassroots way. And recipients are responding by pre-ordering the book, asking me to set up events, and opening doors! It's incredibly rewarding. I would love to send you a postcard, so I'm going to look for your mailing address.

Thank you for giving me tools to be clear about and true to my work and my essential self!

Dan Blank's avatar

Amazing! Congratulations on all you have been creating, and thank you for the kind words. I’ll reach out via email. Thanks Susan!

Susan Setteducato's avatar

As an analog native who grew up in a quiet NJ town, going to concerts at the Fillmore and bonding over music that reflected the world around us. These days, what passes for music feels shallow to me, bubble-gummy. I struggle with what tech has done to our world and to us. What it's doing to our kids. Aal the things you mentioned. And I'm with Fred Rogers regarding wonder. there's so little room for it these days. I have digital-native grandchildren and i talk to them about this as I can, but more than that, I try to give them that feeling of slowing down, turning off the noise. Self-care has become important to me in a way in never has before. Vital, actually. Thank you for such a thoughtful and important post.

Dan Blank's avatar

Thank you Susan!

David Perlmutter's avatar

Mr. Rogers influences us still, from beyond the grave...

Dan Blank's avatar

Indeed. Thanks David.

J.L.A. De La Garza's avatar

Happy Father’s Day, Dan!