Beany Brain: loving our jumping-bean brains!

Welcome to this issue of the Beany Brain! I hope today’s newsletter will bounce us up as we contemplate the upsides and challenges of being neurodivergent, a little beauty, some creativity, and just general yeehawesomeness.

Table of Contents

• Beany Brain: loving our jumping-bean brains!

  • Welcome to this issue of the Beany Brain! I hope t …

• very (not) superstitious writings (not) on the wal …

  • Ha Ha Haiku

  • Christmas Holiday December Winter Cheer

    • Yeehawesome!

    • Quote of the Week

  • Wonderful Wednesday

  • Today’s Beany-full Summary:

very (not) superstitious writings (not) on the wall

My grandma never let me open an umbrella inside her house.

Some folks I know cross fingers or knock on wood.

Superstition is everywhere and in every culture and probably to some degree in every mind.

But here’s something I wrote in my journal on January 12, 2024:

(Not that superstitious people are evil. That’s not what I meant. I’m just very hard on myself sometimes.)

There were many things I used to do as a child that were repetitious, and I felt that if I didn’t do them the exact same way every time, some evil would befall me. I was victim-blaming myself in advance in case something bad happened. (I also tried to hide these behaviors because I didn’t want people to think I was weird.)

Also, it was comforting, like a warm blanket, to have predictability and sameness.

To be honest, it’s so lovely and nice and freeing to have a “label” and to (better) know what’s going on in my brain. To be able to name it.

And I claim it too!

Ha Ha Haiku

A funny haiku for you every week in every newsletter, whether it’s one of my own or one I curate for you. HA. Ha. Haiku.

Christmas Holiday December Winter Cheer

We’re now officially in Advent as of November 30; we put our tree up that same day to the taste of hot chocolate and to the tune of heavy-metal Jingle Bells and a mashup of the Star Wars Imperial March + Carol of the Bells. 

Here’s an evergreen smorgasbord of memorable memes to get you in the mood for the season.

Whatever or however you celebrate, I hope this month brings what you need, friends.

Yeehawesome!

Yeehawesome! is a happy-brain roundup in each issue of Beany Brain. What’s happening that’s good in brain land? What’s bringing me joy?

1. Adorable little trucks in Japan (Exhibit A is above).

2. During the initial part of Covid, I started watching Sands Film Cinema Club movies online, streamed from their London cinema. It’s a small independent studio plus cinema, and I’ve continued to watch some of their streamed films the last few years. (They meet in person every Tuesday night at the cinema in London.) You can watch for free or donate any amount. This coming week I’m looking forward to seeing Iron Ladies, a documentary that is “A celebration of the iron willed women who maintained the 1984/85 Miners' Strike as they fought for the future of their communities.” Though it took place in the UK, I wonder if it will remind me of of one of my favorite nonfiction books, Holding the Line: Women in the Great Arizona Mine Strike by Barbara Kingsolver (that strike was in 1983).

3. A clothing designer in the UK created a project in her college days showcasing clothing for disabled people and was told that disabled people don’t need special clothes. She was so angry and motivated by that that she now has her own line of specialty clothing for disabled people, and she’s gotten lots of great feedback—it’s helped people find clothing that is adaptable for specific disabilities and has given them greater freedom and style. This is so yeehawesome.

Quote of the Week

Beany Brownie Points and Extra Bonus Funniness

Wonderful Wednesday

Wonderful Wednesday was a day once a year in college when they would suddenly and surprisingly call off all classes and we’d play all day. The cafeteria provided special fun food and we’d do stuff outside like slip ‘n slides and jello wrestling in sumo suits. This segment of Beany Brain is dedicated to that memory of silliness and fun—no words, just a photo from the week that I’ve taken or found that reminds me to let the joy in. Since Beany Brain is published on Wednesday every week (at least, Wednesday in Japan), I hope you enjoy this Wonderful Wednesday.

Today’s Beany-full Summary:

• Having the compunction to do things the same way each time, or over and over again, doesn’t automatically mean that you’re superstitious. Maybe autistic.

• Have the Christmas Holiday December Winter that you need.

• Go forth in Beany joy. What will help you feel yeehawesome this week?

Thank you for reading this installment of Beany Brain! You’re very welcome to hop on by any old time.

If you’re enjoying Beany Brain, please share with a friend or seventeen at www.beanybrain.com. Cheers big time!