![\"\"](\"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/1000x/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Fmedia_attachments%2Ffiles%2F117%2F226%2F007%2F304%2F584%2F489%2Foriginal%2F1cebe44c2a6126bd.jpg\")
Finished reading: Far Side of the World by Patrick O’Brian 💙📚 (Book link)
A comfort reread. This one is surprisingly dark—a mutinous crew, storms, murder, and castaways. But, as always, the enduring friendship of Aubrey and Maturin carries the book and warms my heart. ★★★★★ https://books.robertbreen.com/2026/09/06/the-far-side-of-the-world-by-patrick-obrian/
We got bad news from the vet today. Our eleven-year-old Puggle is fading fast, and we’re faced with the most awful of all decisions. This fella has been with me through some of the very best times of my life, and some of the worst. How many thousands of miles have we walked together, this dog and I? How many separations followed by joyous reunions? Oh man, I’m gonna miss him.
\"A little bit of grace. That’s what a good dog is, you know. A little bit of grace.
— Stephen King\"
![\"A](\"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/1000x/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Fmedia_attachments%2Ffiles%2F117%2F215%2F420%2F818%2F918%2F973%2Foriginal%2F4679c4121027515e.jpg\")
Blaise Pascal was a French philosopher, mathematician, physicist, religious thinker, and even the original inventor of public transportation. All this over a short life of just 39 years. I read Pensées a long time ago. His clear-eyed writing haunts me. https://micro.blog/books/9780141915647?title=Pensees&author=Blaise+Pascal&cover_url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.isbndb.com%2Fcovers%2F13958453482238.jpg&cover_id=292031
![\"\"](\"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/1000x/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Fmedia_attachments%2Ffiles%2F117%2F213%2F630%2F853%2F147%2F318%2Foriginal%2F16bd4fe30f10422d.png\")
\"Just one way, you do get back home. You have a boy or a girl of your own and now and then you remember, and you know how they feel, and it’s almost the same as if you were your own self again, as young as you could remember.\"
James Agee, A Death in the Family
![\"Auto-generated](\"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/1000x/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Fmedia_attachments%2Ffiles%2F117%2F198%2F126%2F829%2F401%2F400%2Foriginal%2F682da92641a6d52f.jpg\")
Finished reading: Self-Reliance and Other Essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson 📚
What a treasure. I’ve read most of these essays before, but never so deeply or with such illumination. Emerson’s wisdom is simple to understand, yet difficult to practice in a world of popular opinion and distracted thinking. Trust in your own thoughts; be yourself; don’t try to impress or copy others; cherish your friends. Most ... https://robertbreen.micro.blog/2026/09/01/finished-reading-selfreliance-and-other.html
","summary":"","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen/117197556137777326","date_published":"2026-09-01T19:59:47+00:00","author":{"name":"Robert Breen","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F629%2F033%2F317%2F231%2F118%2Foriginal%2Fe884b506ec841a73.jpeg","_microblog":{"username":"Robertbreen@pkm.social"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-09-01 19:59","date_timestamp":1788292787,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"is_podcast":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"96066007","content_html":"I’ve been using Things as my task manager since 2018. I love this beautifully designed app. One universal gripe from Things users: make it easy to complete or reschedule recurring tasks before they’re due. That was solved today. And of course the UX is genius. Well done, Cultured Code! https://culturedcode.com/things/blog/2026/08/repeating-to-dos-refined/
","summary":"","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen/117125069964067052","date_published":"2026-08-20T00:45:36+00:00","author":{"name":"Robert Breen","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F629%2F033%2F317%2F231%2F118%2Foriginal%2Fe884b506ec841a73.jpeg","_microblog":{"username":"Robertbreen@pkm.social"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-08-20 00:45","date_timestamp":1787186736,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"is_podcast":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"95833291","content_html":"Here's the link to the review of the entire series:
https://robertbreen.com/2018/12/12/happy-birthday-patrick-obrian/
","url":"https://pkm.social/users/Robertbreen/statuses/117101198520661837","date_published":"2026-08-15T19:34:47+00:00","author":{"name":"Robert Breen","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F629%2F033%2F317%2F231%2F118%2Foriginal%2Fe884b506ec841a73.jpeg","_microblog":{"username":"Robertbreen@pkm.social"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-08-15 19:34","date_timestamp":1786822487,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"edit_url":null,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"95832926","content_html":"Currently re-reading: Far Side of the World by Patrick O’Brian 💙📚
Ah, the Aubrey/Maturin novels. This is my 4th time through the 20-volume series, known as a circumnavigation by O’Brian aficionados. I love these books so much. I wrote this tribute after my third voyage. Books can be dear friends. https://micro.blog/books/9780393063820
![\"\"](\"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/1000x/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Fmedia_attachments%2Ffiles%2F117%2F101%2F176%2F590%2F280%2F907%2Foriginal%2F9a5f0d2308f3f93d.jpg\")
Finished reading: Tinkers by Paul Harding (Book details) 💙📚
Universal themes run through this spare novel—fathers and sons, memory, mental illness, the mystery of existence—but the storytelling felt disjointed, and I never found the thread to connect many of the fragmentary passages. ★★★☆☆ https://books.robertbreen.com/2026/08/15/tinkers-by-paul-harding/
![\"\"](\"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/1000x/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Fmedia_attachments%2Ffiles%2F117%2F101%2F002%2F351%2F818%2F964%2Foriginal%2F7f08ac7a8cde3442.jpg\")
Being Mortal is a sobering look at the inevitable and merciless certainty of our mortality. No matter how much we exercise or how carefully we eat, death is unavoidable—and growing old is not for the faint of heart.
Gawande, a practicing surgeon, argues doctors are good at fixing specific ailments but often do more harm than good with a dying patient. Not an easy read, but the lessons are essential for all of us.
https://books.robertbreen.com/2026/08/06/being-mortal-by-atul-gawande/
","summary":"","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen/117051420778205229","date_published":"2026-08-07T00:35:39+00:00","author":{"name":"Robert Breen","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F629%2F033%2F317%2F231%2F118%2Foriginal%2Fe884b506ec841a73.jpeg","_microblog":{"username":"Robertbreen@pkm.social"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-08-07 00:35","date_timestamp":1786062939,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"is_podcast":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"87498675","content_html":"@warrick_w @mako Ah, that plug-in goes the other way, from Day One to Obsidian. I'm not aware of an automation or plug-in that exports Obsidian to Day One, but there probably is one out there somewhere.
","url":"https://pkm.social/users/Robertbreen/statuses/116337459014547251","date_published":"2026-04-02T22:25:47+00:00","author":{"name":"Robert Breen","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F629%2F033%2F317%2F231%2F118%2Foriginal%2Fe884b506ec841a73.jpeg","_microblog":{"username":"Robertbreen@pkm.social"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-02 22:25","date_timestamp":1775168747,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"edit_url":null,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"87432333","content_html":"Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner
Two timelines, one quietly devastating story. Stegner tested my patience across 500 pages, then rewarded it with a spectacular ending. This Pulitzer winner might just be his most enduring.
#Books #BookReview #LiteraryFiction #AmericanLiterature #ClassicLit
https://books.robertbreen.com/2025/11/03/angle-of-repose-by-wallace-stegner/
","summary":"","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen/116332331071331707","date_published":"2026-04-02T00:41:40+00:00","author":{"name":"Robert Breen","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F629%2F033%2F317%2F231%2F118%2Foriginal%2Fe884b506ec841a73.jpeg","_microblog":{"username":"Robertbreen@pkm.social"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-02 00:41","date_timestamp":1775090500,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"is_podcast":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"87429258","content_html":"@mako Ha! It's not really my jam either, which is why I'm still using Day One. 😜
","url":"https://pkm.social/users/Robertbreen/statuses/116331992102235145","date_published":"2026-04-01T23:15:28+00:00","author":{"name":"Robert Breen","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F629%2F033%2F317%2F231%2F118%2Foriginal%2Fe884b506ec841a73.jpeg","_microblog":{"username":"Robertbreen@pkm.social"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-01 23:15","date_timestamp":1775085328,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"edit_url":null,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"87429200","content_html":"I use the Obsidian Day One Importer by MarcDonald (it's in the app's community plug-in directory). It's fairly straightforward to set up and brings over everything I needed, including latitude/longitude coordinates that work perfectly with Maps in Obsidian.
https://github.com/MarcDonald/obsidian-day-one-importer
","url":"https://pkm.social/users/Robertbreen/statuses/116331986785335668","date_published":"2026-04-01T23:14:07+00:00","author":{"name":"Robert Breen","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F629%2F033%2F317%2F231%2F118%2Foriginal%2Fe884b506ec841a73.jpeg","_microblog":{"username":"Robertbreen@pkm.social"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-01 23:14","date_timestamp":1775085247,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"edit_url":null,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"87411176","content_html":"@mako I've just had a look at Everlog. Looks pretty good! I do a weekly export of Day One to #Obsidian using a plug-in for a peace-of-mind backup. I'd probably just move to Obsidian if/when I give up on Day One.
","url":"https://pkm.social/users/Robertbreen/statuses/116330941262116172","date_published":"2026-04-01T18:48:14+00:00","author":{"name":"Robert Breen","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F629%2F033%2F317%2F231%2F118%2Foriginal%2Fe884b506ec841a73.jpeg","_microblog":{"username":"Robertbreen@pkm.social"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-01 18:48","date_timestamp":1775069294,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"edit_url":null,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"87364484","content_html":"@markmcelroy so many similar thoughts! Thanks for articulating so well what I have also been feeling. Can't wait to see what future tech brings you joy. I'll buy it too!
","url":"https://pkm.social/users/Robertbreen/statuses/116326937161438244","date_published":"2026-04-01T01:49:56+00:00","author":{"name":"Robert Breen","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F629%2F033%2F317%2F231%2F118%2Foriginal%2Fe884b506ec841a73.jpeg","_microblog":{"username":"Robertbreen@pkm.social"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-01 01:49","date_timestamp":1775008196,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"edit_url":null,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"87358759","content_html":"Day One is doubling down on AI journaling: https://dayoneapp.com/blog/introducing-day-one-silver-and-gold/
I've written thousands of entries in Day One, but despite their privacy assurances, I'm not enabling these features. Not yet.
These are the Wild West days of AI. Think carefully before you hand over your most private thoughts.
#DayOne #Journaling #Privacy #AI
![\"A](\"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/1000x/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Fmedia_attachments%2Ffiles%2F116%2F326%2F420%2F654%2F653%2F761%2Foriginal%2F401413a195932adc.png\")
𝘖𝘯 𝘉𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘯𝘨 by Joyce Carol Oates
Oates is the least likely boxing writer imaginable -- and yet she's a genuine fan, like me, who fell for the sport watching fights with her dad. Her poetic take treats boxing as a kind of religion.
<blockquote>
<p>The primary rule of the ring—to defend oneself at all times—is both a parody and a distillation of life.</p>
</blockquote>
<https://books.robertbreen.com/2025/11/01/on-boxing-by-joyce-carol-oates/>
","summary":"","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen/116324551853889637","date_published":"2026-03-31T15:43:19+00:00","author":{"name":"Robert Breen","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F629%2F033%2F317%2F231%2F118%2Foriginal%2Fe884b506ec841a73.jpeg","_microblog":{"username":"Robertbreen@pkm.social"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-03-31 15:43","date_timestamp":1774971799,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"is_podcast":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"87259305","content_html":"Ah, Ralph Waldo Emerson — what a treasure. His wisdom is simple to understand, yet difficult to practice. Trust your own thoughts. Be yourself. Be present. 𝑆𝑒𝑙𝑓-𝑅𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑂𝑡h𝑒𝑟 𝐸𝑠𝑠𝑎𝑦𝑠 ★★★★★
https://books.robertbreen.com/2025/10/22/self-reliance-and-other-essays-by-ralph-waldo-emerson/
","summary":"","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen/116318995774069187","date_published":"2026-03-30T16:10:20+00:00","author":{"name":"Robert Breen","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F629%2F033%2F317%2F231%2F118%2Foriginal%2Fe884b506ec841a73.jpeg","_microblog":{"username":"Robertbreen@pkm.social"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-03-30 16:10","date_timestamp":1774887020,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"is_podcast":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"87203072","content_html":"Finished reading: So Late in the Day by Claire Keegan 💙📚
One new story (and two reprints) from Claire Keegan, the master of compressing so much into so few words. Men behaving very badly ought to be the sub-title here. As with all of her stories, these will haunt you long after you finish. ★★★★☆ https://books.robertbreen.com/2026/03/29/so-late-in-the-day-by-claire-keegan/
","summary":"","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen/116313568250195101","date_published":"2026-03-29T17:10:03+00:00","author":{"name":"Robert Breen","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F629%2F033%2F317%2F231%2F118%2Foriginal%2Fe884b506ec841a73.jpeg","_microblog":{"username":"Robertbreen@pkm.social"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-03-29 17:10","date_timestamp":1774804203,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"is_podcast":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"86873709","content_html":"Finished reading: Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed 💙📚
A wonderful collection of essays written by Cheryl Strayed as part of an advice column under the pseudonym “Dear Sugar.” Terrific, heartfelt advice on just about every aspect of life. I loved it. ★★★★★
Full Review. https://books.robertbreen.com/2026/03/24/tiny-beautiful-things-by-cheryl-strayed/
","summary":"","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen/116285485839383062","date_published":"2026-03-24T18:08:19+00:00","author":{"name":"Robert Breen","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F629%2F033%2F317%2F231%2F118%2Foriginal%2Fe884b506ec841a73.jpeg","_microblog":{"username":"Robertbreen@pkm.social"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-03-24 18:08","date_timestamp":1774375699,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"is_podcast":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"86685227","content_html":"We’ve lived in Phoenix for four years now, but only recently put in a pool. It’s almost a necessity here in the summer months. The project finished just as a heat wave descended on the West Valley. What a perfect way to enjoy a slightly cooler evening with friends.
![\"A](\"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/1000x/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Fmedia_attachments%2Ffiles%2F116%2F268%2F678%2F587%2F846%2F813%2Foriginal%2Fbabbf469dc95b2fd.jpg\")
Finished reading: The Man Who Fell to Earth by Walter Tevis 💙📚
A bleak science fiction tale from one of the 20th Century’s most under-appreciated novelists. ★★★☆☆
Full Review. https://micro.blog/books/9780795343025
![\"\"](\"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/1000x/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Fmedia_attachments%2Ffiles%2F116%2F262%2F541%2F446%2F440%2F046%2Foriginal%2Fcb1b1eb2fc23dd7e.jpg\")
★ ‘Your Frustration Is the Product’:
Web ads have become awful and invasive. In his commentary, John Gruber shares that he uses uBlock Origin Lite in Safari for ad blocking in Safari.
I have avoided these apps until now. But this was a no-brainer. Free. One-click install.
Join the resistance! https://daringfireball.net/2026/03/your_frustration_is_the_product
","summary":"","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen/116256929937487366","date_published":"2026-03-19T17:06:10+00:00","author":{"name":"Robert Breen","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F629%2F033%2F317%2F231%2F118%2Foriginal%2Fe884b506ec841a73.jpeg","_microblog":{"username":"Robertbreen@pkm.social"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-03-19 17:06","date_timestamp":1773939970,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"is_podcast":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"86477469","content_html":"These notebook excerpts from Robert Fulghum are so wise. Take a minute to absorb them all. Two of my favorites:
\"You may never get all that you want – but you are free to want what you get.\"
\"Opportunity knocks, but it doesn’t nag.\"
https://www.robertleefulghum.com/notebooks-3/
","summary":"","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen/116251626658550391","date_published":"2026-03-18T18:37:29+00:00","author":{"name":"Robert Breen","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F629%2F033%2F317%2F231%2F118%2Foriginal%2Fe884b506ec841a73.jpeg","_microblog":{"username":"Robertbreen@pkm.social"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-03-18 18:37","date_timestamp":1773859049,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"is_podcast":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"85979761","content_html":"> The way to greater confidence isn't to reassure ourselves of our own dignity; it's to live at peace with the inevitable nature of our ridiculousness. We are idiots now, we have been idiots in the past, and we will be idiots again in the future-and that is OK. There aren't any other available options for human beings.
https://books.robertbreen.com/2025/11/11/the-school-of-life-by-alain-de-botton/
★★★☆☆ | Psychology | Print | Own | StoryGraph | Goodreads\n\nAlain de Botton and his School of Life organization are on a mission to help otherwise bright people become more emotionally intelligent. We have lost touch with the instructive benefits of organized religion and the traditional family unit. Without this foundation, our quest for knowledge through technical and technological means has left our souls barren and empty.\n\nDe Botton suggests we need to study culture and art as a replacement for the calm and perspective religion once gave us. Without this, we will continue to seek...\n","summary":"","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen/116211358915545686","date_published":"2026-03-11T15:56:52+00:00","author":{"name":"Robert Breen","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F629%2F033%2F317%2F231%2F118%2Foriginal%2Fe884b506ec841a73.jpeg","_microblog":{"username":"Robertbreen@pkm.social"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-03-11 15:56","date_timestamp":1773244612,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"is_podcast":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"85979417","content_html":"
What a treasure. I’ve read most of these essays before, but never so deeply or with such illumination. Emerson's wisdom is simple to understand, yet difficult to practice in a world of popular opinion and distracted thinking. Trust in your own thoughts; be yourself; don’t try to impress or copy others; cherish your friends. Most of all: be present, here and now.
https://books.robertbreen.com/2025/10/22/self-reliance-and-other-essays-by-ralph-waldo-emerson/
★★★★★ | Essays | Digital | Own | StoryGraph | Goodreads \n\nAh, Ralph Waldo Emerson: what a treasure. I’ve read most of these essays before, but never so deeply, and never with such illumination. His wisdom is simple to understand, yet difficult to practice in a world of popular opinion and distracted thinking. Trust your own thoughts. Be yourself. Don’t try to impress or copy others. Cherish your friends. Most of all: be present. Life is here, now; life is not studying the people or times of long ago or so-called leaders preaching hate and divisiveness.Most men have bound...\n","summary":"","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen/116211340398365011","date_published":"2026-03-11T15:52:09+00:00","author":{"name":"Robert Breen","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F629%2F033%2F317%2F231%2F118%2Foriginal%2Fe884b506ec841a73.jpeg","_microblog":{"username":"Robertbreen@pkm.social"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-03-11 15:52","date_timestamp":1773244329,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"is_podcast":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"85910948","content_html":"
A fun read for anyone with a passing interest in pool or gambling or gritty city life. Or if you’ve seen the movie with Paul Newman and Jackie Gleason.
https://books.robertbreen.com/2026/03/09/the-hustler-by-walter-tevis/
★★★★☆ | Literary Fiction | Digital | Borrow | StoryGraph | Goodreads \n\nFast Eddie Felson is a hustler trying to make a living playing pool. He has the talent, but lacks the grit and endurance to prevail in a game that requires a gambler’s mental toughness. As someone who has spent way too much time circling a pool table in dive bars, who, in fact, met the love of his life playing pool in a dive bar, reading about Eddie’s love of the game put me in a fine reverie:Eddie loved to play pool. There was a kind of power, a kind of brilliant coordination of mind and of skill, that could give...\n","summary":"","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen/116205826244514643","date_published":"2026-03-10T16:29:50+00:00","author":{"name":"Robert Breen","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F629%2F033%2F317%2F231%2F118%2Foriginal%2Fe884b506ec841a73.jpeg","_microblog":{"username":"Robertbreen@pkm.social"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-03-10 16:29","date_timestamp":1773160190,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"is_podcast":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"75468444","content_html":"
@zeldman In the last days of the Third Reich, Hitler ordered \"Project Scorched Earth,\" a comand to destroy all bridges and food supplies in Germany. It meant the starvation of his own people. So be it, he said. This is the mind of a megalomaniac.
","url":"https://pkm.social/users/Robertbreen/statuses/115350401268784305","date_published":"2025-10-10T14:44:01+00:00","author":{"name":"Robert Breen","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F629%2F033%2F317%2F231%2F118%2Foriginal%2Fe884b506ec841a73.jpeg","_microblog":{"username":"Robertbreen@pkm.social"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2025-10-10 14:44","date_timestamp":1760107441,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"edit_url":null,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"74696492","content_html":"\"If you want to write, practice writing. Practice it for hours a day, not to come up with a story you can publish, but because you long to learn how to write well, because there is something that you alone can say.\"
— Ann Patchett, This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage
","summary":"","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen/115294011479669892","date_published":"2025-09-30T15:43:21+00:00","author":{"name":"Robert Breen","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F629%2F033%2F317%2F231%2F118%2Foriginal%2Fe884b506ec841a73.jpeg","_microblog":{"username":"Robertbreen@pkm.social"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2025-09-30 15:43","date_timestamp":1759247001,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"is_podcast":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"74354663","content_html":"\"We talk of choosing our friends, but friends are self-elected. Reverence is a great part of it. Treat your friend as a spectacle.\"
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
","summary":"","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen/115266949131498146","date_published":"2025-09-25T21:01:02+00:00","author":{"name":"Robert Breen","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F629%2F033%2F317%2F231%2F118%2Foriginal%2Fe884b506ec841a73.jpeg","_microblog":{"username":"Robertbreen@pkm.social"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2025-09-25 21:01","date_timestamp":1758834062,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"is_podcast":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"73790670","content_html":"This is the way.
![\"An](\"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/1000x/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Fmedia_attachments%2Ffiles%2F115%2F221%2F855%2F922%2F534%2F683%2Foriginal%2Fc7f604ebc6e6db06.png\")
@vae This is the very reason I had to stop using Obsidian. I love it, but I was so tempted to tinker!
","url":"https://pkm.social/users/Robertbreen/statuses/114240759387783205","date_published":"2025-03-28T15:27:29+00:00","author":{"name":"Robert Breen","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F629%2F033%2F317%2F231%2F118%2Foriginal%2Fe884b506ec841a73.jpeg","_microblog":{"username":"Robertbreen@pkm.social"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2025-03-28 15:27","date_timestamp":1743175649,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"edit_url":null,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"26461532","content_html":"@jamie No kidding! But what a great problem to have!
","url":"https://pkm.social/users/Robertbreen/statuses/111418302223719395","date_published":"2023-11-16T04:19:31+00:00","author":{"name":"Robert Breen","url":"https://pkm.social/@Robertbreen","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.hosted.spacebear.ee%2Fsb-1bb1a9b3154398f562d4a919c21e08ac%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F629%2F033%2F317%2F231%2F118%2Foriginal%2Fe884b506ec841a73.jpeg","_microblog":{"username":"Robertbreen@pkm.social"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2023-11-16 04:19","date_timestamp":1700108371,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"edit_url":null,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}}]}![https://micro.blog/books/9780141915647?title=Pensees&author=Blaise+Pascal&cover_url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.isbndb.com%2Fcovers%2F13958453482238.jpg&cover_id=292031](\"https://micro.blog/books/9780141915647?title=Pensees&author=Blaise+Pascal&cover_url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.isbndb.com%2Fcovers%2F13958453482238.jpg&cover_id=292031\"){kind=link}