This week has been one of those times that really made me take a step back and think about how much social media can affect the way we see the world—and more importantly, how it makes us feel. The events in the news have unleashed nothing but stupidity on a massive scale. I want no part of it. And by stupidity, I mean the manipulation that sucks people straight into the circus of online drama. There’s so much shouting, finger-pointing, and drama online, and after a while, it feels less like information and more like manipulation.
Here’s the thing: when we spend too much time scrolling, we’re not really consuming balanced conversations. The online world rewards extremes—loud, divisive, emotional opinions that get people to click, comment, and argue. That’s how the algorithms are built. If you’re calm, thoughtful, and balanced, you often get ignored. And that can push even well-meaning people into posting things that aren’t really “them,” just to get noticed. It’s exhausting, and it doesn’t bring out the best in anyone.
But as a creative trying to promote things like Book Worms Horror Zine, it is hard to avoid posting. So I’ve been trying something new: “drive-by posting.” I’ll share what I want to share—an update about Book Worms Horror Zine, a thought, a funny picture—but then I leave. I don’t scroll, I don’t linger, I don’t dive into comment sections. Post and walk away. It’s been freeing. And in a way, it fits perfectly with what Book Worms is all about. I want our little zine to be a break from all that noise. A reason to put down the phone, hold something physical, and get lost in a story or an idea for a while. I hope that when someone picks up a copy, they feel that same relief I’ve been chasing—the peace of being offline, even for a short time.
But I don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. There are good things online. So to balance it all, I decided to start sharing an “online delight” each week in this newsletter. Something small, joyful, surprising, or creative that I came across on the internet that felt worth celebrating. This idea came from Ross Gay’s beautiful book The Book of Delights. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it. Gay wrote short daily essays about small, ordinary things that delighted him over the course of a year. It’s a simple yet powerful practice. I first heard about the book on Dr. Laurie Santos’s podcast The Happiness Lab, and it immediately clicked with me.
I’ve always struggled with the word “gratitude.” Gratitude lists, gratitude journals… they’ve never worked for me. They feel heavy, like homework. When someone tells me, “Write down three things you’re grateful for,” I freeze. I overthink it. Am I doing it right? Is this gratitude enough? But delight—that’s different. Delight is light. Delight is simple. You don’t have to dig deep or be profound. You just notice something that made you smile, or laugh, or pause, and you hold it for a moment. That shift has made all the difference for me.
ONLINE DELIGHT
So here’s this week’s delight: the song Lego by Maple’s Pet Dinosaur. Maple is a 14-year-old artist from Australia, and the creativity and heart in her debut single is just incredible. The band shot their video using a neighbor’s Ring camera—how clever is that? It’s grainy, it’s fisheye, it’s DIY in the best way, and somehow it works perfectly with the song’s raw energy.
Rolling Stone even picked up the story, which tells you just how much it resonated. At the end of the video, there’s this funny moment where the drummer, setting up in front of the Ring camera, mutters, “This is stupid.” And maybe in the moment, it felt that way. But now? It’s become this viral, delightful piece of art. A lesson to all creators—most ideas feel stupid. Just do it.
The song itself is also powerful—it’s about bullying, and it’s written for anyone who’s ever been made to feel small or powerless. That takes guts. Especially at 14. I think that’s part of what makes it so inspiring. But I’ll admit: I do worry about young artists online. The internet can be cruel. People can say hurtful, thoughtless things in comments, and that can weigh heavily on anyone, let alone someone just starting out. My message to Maple and her band would be: keep creating. Keep posting. But don’t let the comments shape you. In fact, don’t read the comments. Post your work, step away, and focus on making the next song, the next video, the next piece of art. Because what they’ve already done is wonderful, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
“‘Lego’ is a bully diss track. It’s for anyone who’s ever felt targeted and wants to fight back,” Maple told Rolling Stone AU/NZ.
Speaking of delights, I had my own in-person one this week during a little treasure-hunting trip.
THRIFTING ADVENTURES
If you know me, you know I love poking around thrift stores, flea markets, and church sales. There’s just something magical about the hunt—you never know what you’ll find. And this week I hit the jackpot: not one, but two rare vintage 1967 Planet of the Apes water pistols by Azrak Hamway. Yes, water pistols! They’re weird, wonderful, and collectible, and I couldn’t believe my luck. I’m keeping one for my personal collection (because how could I not?) and selling the other, since they go for a pretty penny among collectors. It’s the kind of find that makes me grin for days.
COMING UP
And finally, if you’re local, I’d love to see you in person. Tomorrow, I’ll be at the Lahaska Book Shop from 1–3 pm, selling copies of Book Worms Horror Zine. It also happens to be the weekend of the Scarecrow Festival in Peddler’s Village, which is such a fun event—colorful, quirky, and full of life. It would be the perfect day to stop by, say hello, and pick up a copy of the zine. I even put together a little video to promote it, because why not?
It’s always better when we can share these things face-to-face.
So here’s to less scrolling, more delighting. Less noise, more noticing. And hopefully, more chances to connect in real life.
Peace,
James