Marlow's Musings 4/27/25
Insights, adventures and fun stuff from this week.
Audio narration by David Marlow (if you listen, you will notice several unintentional errors that go right along with the theme for the week which is why I left them in)
Someday A Bird Will Poop on You
One of my greatest joys is reading to my grandchildren.
Always on the lookout for books to share with them, this one seemed like a fun read.
“Someday a bird will poop on all of us. But that's okay…What matters is not how big the mess is, but how well you react to it.”1
As expected the kids laughed at the ‘poop’ parts. To their credit, they also took in a more profound message.
Little did I know I would get an opportunity to model the proper behavior. right away
We had been experiencing smoke from the Canadian wildfires in Wisconsin for several weeks. One reason we spent the morning inside reading was because the air was thick with haze.
By afternoon, it cleared, and we spent time outside in the sunshine.
That’s when it happened.
Right there in my front yard under our red sunset maple tree…
A bird pooped on my head.
The kids didn’t even laugh.
“Are you serious? We just read about that,” they both exclaimed. Then they asked if I was okay, and of course I was.
I quickly washed my hair and was back out, appreciating the irony and opportunity.
Word of the Week
default (n.)
To deceive, to cheat; to put wrong, to lead astray, cause to be mistaken; be concealed from. A state of privation or deprivation in which things that are essential for human well-being are scarce or lacking.
There is a default language in life. The language of default is filled with should’s and have to’s and ought to’s and musts.
We are as the definition clearly shows, deceived, cheated, and led astray by the default.
The language of purpose breathes life back into us. It helps us uncover those hidden parts of ourselves long ago forgotten.
In case you missed it…
This week’s Ikigai Thought for Today…“Be’ing the Best in the World
Professions, unfortunately, come and go, but our Ikigai and who we are in it don't go away.
The great news is that no one can compete with you being you. You are the world's best at being you!
Quit competing in the job market and start living in the purpose market; here's how.
Ikiquest+
This week’s Coffee Contemplation…A Notion
My maternal grandmother used to say, “I have a notion,” for when she had an idea or an inspiration.
The idea of exploring a notion spoke to me today. Here’s one for you to ponder…
Ikiquest+ subscribers can listen to the audio narration or read the transcription.
If you aren’t yet an Ikiquest+ Subscriber, you can give it a try for free by clicking the box here. The choice is yours.
Two Interesting Things…
Analog Photobooths
Did you know there are less than fifty working analog photo booths remaining in the world now?
Since 2007, the people at FotoAutomat have been working to preserve this photographic heritage by restoring and maintaining the last original analog photobooths in Paris, Nantes, and Prague, mainly in spaces dedicated to art and culture.
If you are near Paris you can rent one for a party and have your photograph taken in it.
And…
The 42 Best Pens for 2025
Saying I’m obsessive about pens might be an understatement for me.
When you are left-handed, you drag your hand over what you just wrote.
So the kind of pen I use makes a difference to me. The ink has to dry quickly.
JetPens has compiled an impressively comprehensive list for almost any writing purpose.
Best pens for writing, journaling, school, art, and more.
When I came across this list and noticed they had a category of pens for left-handers, I knew I needed to check it out.
Comment of the Week:
I’m sharing this thought from Lynds…
“Starting a new read today! Having got a little bit fascinated with the Japanese concept of Ikigai a couple of years ago, I was thrilled to discover the musings of David Marlow on the topic on LinkedIn.
And I was even more excited when he announced he was writing a book all about it!
I’m just getting started and the opening has me hooked already…
…Excited to see where this reading adventure will take me! And if I was as good at puns as David, I’d have come up with a jaw-droppingly awesome one to connect the London Bus in the picture to the subject at hand in a much funnier and cleverer way!!”
Since she asked for a pun to go with her awesome picture, I shared this earlier this week in Notes:
You have to Lego of your old self and embrace your Ikigai!
Quote I’m Pondering
This thought is from Nassim Nicholas Taleb2…
"We favor the sensational and the extremely visible. This affects the way we judge heroes. There is little room in our consciousness for heroes who do not deliver visible results—or those heroes who focus on process rather than results."
Final Thought:
I’ve been pooped on more this week than I care to admit. It’s one reason I revisited the story of the book and my grandchildren.
Along with the poop the week has included discovering the unexpected wildflowers in my yard (pictured above) a visit from the white squirrel, and three separate visits from wild turkeys (all in one day with two forcing me to stop my car while they crossed the road).
As Taleb reminds us, our culture rarely celebrates those heroes who focus on process rather than visible results. My late grandmother was more direct: “You need to poop or get off the pot.”
This was a week to get off the pot and be a hero of the process.
Quest well!
A bird pooping on you at sea is good luck. I believe this is from the days before instrument navigation and a bird means there is hopefully land near by
😆 Ikiquest enthusiasts...can you hear me laughing out loud & my heart smiling...about this bird poop story David wrote us?! Levity is too legit to quit & a reminder I very.much.needed whilst actively deathing & rebirthing myself. Turns out surrendering from clinging to knowns is like a bit of an invisible street fight & so.help.me if I don't do it with grace by embracing the strength of my practices AND letting the inner child/soul/universe/choose your own adventure know how much I revere & trust her! ✨️