Psychology
I Haven't Done It Yet, but I'm Already Having a Wonderful Time
The psychology of anticipation and the strange pleasure of enjoying things in advance
Life
And it's shaping up to be a great opportunity to get back on track with some of my (previously) good habits
Life
On creative curiosity, the seduction of possibility, and figuring out which interests actually deserve a job
A Thursday meditation on borrowed tastes, birthday traditions, and letting other people surprise you
The long answer to the question I've been hearing my entire life
A short list of long obsessions
A love letter to social experiments, good-natured trolling, and intentional confusion
On mortuaries, butchery, and why curiosity isn’t the same thing as creepiness
Last night I went to Sweden. Not on a plane with my passport in hand, and not with my bank account weeping at the cost of airfare. I just… slipped there. Outside of time and space, while I was sleeping. I stayed in a little inn with a big dining
Notes and reflections from the wandering desk of Shannon Hilson
Scenes and artifacts from two weeks off the usual map
A weekend of Car Week annoyances sent me down a rabbit hole about consideration and perspective
Why adults deserve an education built around curiosity instead of credentials
What I didn't expect to learn about getting older, paying attention, and figuring out what matters most
What creative patterns and nudges can reveal about the body of work you're cultivating
This doesn't feel like it actually belongs on Substack, so I'll stick it here instead
Small acts of maintenance won't change your life overnight, but they can make everyday life a lot more enjoyable
Looking up someone from your past can tell you a surprising amount about people and about the younger version of yourself who knew them
David Bowie, goblins, impossible staircases, and a surprising amount of wisdom for navigating adulthood
The long answer to the question I've been hearing my entire life
Ten observations from the garden this summer (so far)
For years, two impossible gowns wait patiently for the woman who made them