I'm interested in functional programming (Haskell), print publishing, open science, the Bauhaus school, philosophy of aesthetics, research, joy, empathy, painting, diagrams, and teaching.

Haskell, the programming language: What makes it beautiful is that it's an ideal for the sake of exploring ideals.

In a world of pure efficiency and rationalism, it lives in the future: continuously showing what's possible and influencing other languages. What makes it interesting is how it's in between pragmatic and idealistic: you can build world-class systems with it and you can learn by doing, and yet it puts ideals like type safety, elegance, and composability above speed and ease of learning. On the fully idealistic side might be a math textbook, a proof, or a specification.
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Now see how it can be a speculative design language to describe, create, and reimagine the world. Going lateral into nature, biology, and train systems. Transpiling it. People will rise to the occasion if they're inspired, like going to an art museum or cathedral. Make learning it beautiful.

Finish me: 100 lengths in Haskell,
there are 17, a model for creative thinking

‍"We shall not cease from exploration
And at the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time."
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- T.S. Eliot, Four Quartets

Your life has been a series of self-doubts. The world is full of them. You internalized them and followed paths that weren't right for you, because you wanted to be sure you were right. There is no doubt anymore about who you are and what you're meant to do.

If you too are in doubt, go with what you can do when you have no more strength. For me, I was always meant to be creative and imaginative, in an encouraging way. Like the painting above. Not satire or exposing the system, though that may be someone else's calling.

For you it may be something else as well.

Your place is out in the world.

Not behind a pulpit, or hidden away at home, or in pursuit of levels, or accolades. It's in being creative, with people, where they are. The gift is you when you're good and joyful.

It doesn't actually matter what you're doing because the beauty is in the details, the way it's done. That's why luck is somewhat of an illusion. Wherever you are, you can learn and share the learning, and be kind. Trust yourself.