Five Curious Things I Learned Last Week

1. The Artist Nobody Remembers

While reading a Substack article, I came across an illustration of George Washington speaking at the Constitutional Convention. The image was later reproduced by Currier & Ives, but the original artist is unknown. That fact fascinated me more than the historical scene itself. Someone created a picture that has survived for generations, yet their name disappeared.

As I studied the image, something else struck me. Nobody is shouting. Nobody is pointing dramatically. Nobody appears to be performing for an audience. The men are discussing, listening, and debating, but doing so calmly. It feels very different from modern politics, where every disagreement seems amplified, and every discussion becomes a battle. The picture suggests that important decisions can be made by people sitting in a room and talking to one another.

The artist may be forgotten, but the feeling they captured remains. I sure wish our Congress looked like this.

2. A Drawing Shows the Feeling

I realized this week why I enjoy the drawings in Alexander Verbeek's Substack so much. His illustrations of himself and his cat feel warmer than photographs. The drawing is recognizable, but softer somehow. I finally put my finger on it: a photograph shows what a moment looked like, while a drawing often shows what it felt like. That may explain why I've become increasingly drawn to illustrations, paintings, and even hand-drawn maps. Which do you prefer? My photos or drawings?

3. What Would I Study If Nobody Was Grading Me?

A Substack writer suggested choosing a "yearly topic" and spending a year learning about it. The idea filled me with a ridiculous amount of excitement. Nobody has assigned me homework in more than fifty years, yet apparently I still enjoy the idea of research and learning—as long as there are no grades. I'm seriously considering spending the next year exploring a subject or thing that will absolutely NOT contribute to my health, wealth or welfare. Something far out like the Dutch Golden Age of Art. Art History might not be your thing, but what totally surprising subject would you choose to research and learn about?

4. The National Council on Aging

I recently discovered the National Council on Aging (NCOA), an organization that has been helping older Americans since 1950. Somehow, I reached age 76 without ever paying attention to it or knowing why it existed. It works on issues such as aging in place, financial security, technology, caregiving, and healthy aging.

One area that particularly caught my attention was their interest in artificial intelligence. Rather than replacing human decision-making, some aging advocates are exploring how AI might help older adults understand and compare complicated options. Think Medicare plans, benefits programs, caregiving resources, housing choices, or community services. AI could potentially act as a guide, helping seniors find information, understand trade-offs, and connect with resources they might not otherwise discover.

Many of us are a little wary of AI, but helping people understand complicated choices seems like exactly the sort of task AI should be good at. Can you see a future where you would use it? 

5. The Bandana in the Sock Drawer

After seeing a colorful embroidered bandana online, I suddenly remembered that I owned a tie-dye bandana. After a brief search, I found it tucked away in my sock drawer, a place I look almost every day, but never noticed it. I don't remember ever wearing it, but I remember exactly why I bought it. It felt like me.

That discovery led to an interesting question: how can something represent a part of yourself so perfectly when you've never actually used it? (Think of the breadmaker in the upper cabinet. You always intended to make homemade bread but never used it.) Perhaps the reason I bought it, even if I never wore it, was simple: it was a reminder not to forget that part of myself. The Girl who loved tie-dye or the Baker who never baked.