Archive - Culture & curiosity

#119 The Gates Are Opening

In the late 19th century, Japanese educator and philosopher Yukichi Fukuzawa wrote a remarkable insider’s account of one of history’s great transitions.

May 25 •

March 2025

#118 From thin air

It’s been a busy few weeks.

Mar 25 •

#117 Lafayette Forever

It is said that in the United States, you are always within walking distance from a place named after the Marquis de Lafayette.

Mar 1 •

January 2025

#116 To light a match

Experience is a fancy word for the things we do on autopilot.

Jan 3 •

December 2024

#115 The Year I Learned I’m a Terrible Runner

When I wrote “Run a marathon in under four hours” as number 43 on my list of “50 Things I Want to Learn Before I’m 50,” I thought I was being clever.

Dec 24, 2024 •

February 2024

#114 Energy and gender

Late last year, Joy Clancy delivered her farewell lecture. Professor Clancy was the Chair of Energy and Gender at the University of Twente, a founding…

Feb 6, 2024 •

January 2024

#113 Naught (and a book club)

Some books are so ingrained in our cultural consciousness that you feel like you've already read them before even opening the cover.

Jan 28, 2024 •

December 2023

#112 Generational anthems

I’m old enough for my youth to be historical entertainment.

Dec 12, 2023 •

September 2023

#111 Six out of nine

The news says this is the last summery weekend of 2023.

Sep 16, 2023 •

#110 Disco lights

This summer, J went to a theatre camp, and on the final Friday, they performed a show they had crafted together.

Sep 9, 2023 •

August 2023

More and more and more (I don’t know where we’re going to).

Aug 9, 2023 •

June 2023

#108 The prohibition of fun

It had been an eternity since I last did something that every national newspaper took notice of.

Jun 18, 2023 •

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