IndieWeb Carnival January 2024: Roundup

Posted in Personal Web, Psychology on February 3, 2024 by foreverliketh.is ‐ 6 min read

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I put some fireflies in a jar and did a long exposure for 3 minutes. (dont worry I let them go).^֎ by Greghogan^֎ on reddit^֎

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This page was last modified: February 3rd, 2024

♫ That planet Earth turns slowly ♫

Oh my days, it’s February! How time flies, amirite? Before I let you go though, how about we reap January’s wonderful harvest, traveler? The following are all of the responses I got to my IndieWeb Carnival prompt on positive internalization^֎:

Summaries / Comments

Positive Internalization^֎ by Colin Morris^֎ [Archive^֎]

I find Collin’s website aesthetic quite interesting, and well done. You won’t be surprised to read how meaningful it actually is to him. His good vibes regarding programming are also something I personally try to cultivate in my students. It can be easy for some to get stuck in the muck of frustration rather than the euphoria of success.

The smell of firewood^֎ / El olor de la leña^֎ by Yaidel^֎ [Archive #1^֎ & #2^֎]

Yaidel’s piece touches on a perhaps powerful tool for positive internalization: “odor-evoked autobiographical memory”^֎. The vividness of his writing certainly does the experience justice. Wrapped-up in a lovely message of wisdom and gratitude. También me recordó de esta canción: Calle La Pantomima^֎.

The Feeling of Being Myself^֎ by Sara Jakša^֎ [Archive^֎]

Sara’s writing style is something I’ve been absorbing for a while now. I feel it’s very ‘stream of consciousness’ and that there’s a rawness to it that I really admire. That desire of wanting to stop self-suppressing, and the feelings that come in doing so, if that isn’t something worth internalizing, then I don’t know what is.

The Pupil^֎ (this one’s mine)

It’s less about positive internalization and more about the allure of teaching. I wasn’t as brave as everyone else in terms of transparently sharing my memory, but I’m happy with the post.

A few core memories^֎ by Juhis^֎ [Archive^֎]

Juhis feels like a sincere guy. You don’t need to read his article to tell how much he values community. And his backpacking story will show you his love of a good journey. But it’s his honesty throughout that charms me; I consider this a prime example of positive internalization through memories.

Positive Internalization^֎ by Microbyte^֎ [Archive^֎]

So, actually, there’s multiple ways to positively internalize. I believe Microbyte produced a perfect example of the visualization strategy^֎. Basically, it’s better for people to focus on processes, rather than outcomes, i.e., it’s healthier if you fantasize about working out, rather than being fit. As for the piece itself: it’s incredible and you should read it.

Very Positive Memories^֎ by Jeremy Cherfas^֎ [Archive^֎]

I e-met Jeremy last year, when I discovered the IndieWeb Carnival. He was hosting, and I just remember thinking: “this man could’ve chosen any topic”, but there he was, asking me about the got dam weather! Turns out, I loved writing my entry; and that, after reading his, I feel I have a deeper understanding of a person, rooted in nature, who is, indeed, an appreciator of delightful weathers.^֎

Positive Internalization^֎ by Manuel Moreale^֎ [Archive^֎]

Manu wrote “Extracting memories that remind me about the good parts of myself is hard. Painfully hard.” He wasn’t alone in feeling that way. Truth be told, I secretly hosted this carnival in the hopes that others could more clearly show me how it’s done, as I too find it difficult. But Manu also touched on a common thread throughout most of the submissions: the impact of others. We’ll come back to that.

The Breakfast Club Revisited^֎ by 💕 Devastatia 💕^֎ [Archive^֎]

If you’ve internalized a lot of negativity, you may want to consider externalization, particularly if it’s mostly directed towards yourself.^֎ It’s the expression, or “letting out”, of toxic feelings. It was “cool” back in 1985, and it’s even cooler today. Once you feel a little lighter, come back and read Dev’s submission. She has a few choice words about why there’s an excess of negativity in the first place.

Positive Internalization^֎ by Steve Ledlow^֎ [Archive^֎]

It’s fun to note the various “triggers” that cause people to stroll down memory lane. Yaidel had smell, Juhis had pictures and Steve here, had tools. The post is short and sweet, but with a surprising amount of heft regardless; and a heart-warming, cross-generational touch.

Reflection and Positive Internalization^֎ by Hayden White^֎ [Archive^֎]

Hayden’s article is all about perseverance. From his memories of learning to ride a bike to playing the drums, you can tell his is a beautiful tenacity. “Failure is a part of a success, not the opposite of it”, and yet dealing with it is a struggle for many. Internalizing more resolve might do a lot of us some good.

Nostalgia^֎ by Psychcool^֎ [Archive^֎]

Psychcool’s entry is a deep dive into nostalgia, followed by a museum tour of some of his own. It’s the most online-centered writeup next to Devastatia’s; I’d even recommend reading them together. It’s also nice to see more of an optimistic outlook of the Internet and what it can offer. But, even here, the discussion circles back to friends and family irl.

Flutter^֎ by Zinzy Waleson Geene^֎ [Archive^֎]

I can’t imagine a better submission to end the carnival on. Throughout most of the posts you’ll notice the importance of others, of relating, taking precedence. Bonding is literally pleasurable, down to the chemical level (endorphins!)^֎. It’s unsurprising when those intimate socializations turn out to be some of our fondest memories, like for Zinzy here. But it’s also more than that… Connecting… It’s human, foundational to the soul.

And On That Note

Manuel Moreale is hosting this month’s IndieWeb Carnival, and he’s inviting you to explore the topic of Digital Relationships.^֎

It’s all connected, yo. I can’t wait to see what everyone writes up!

Cutting Room Floor

You may be familiar with positive affirmations. That cliché of standing in the mirror and exclaiming “I am beautiful” / “I am strong” / “I am capable” / “I can do it” etc. It’s a legitimate internalization strategy, just one that both my therapist and I consider a bit weak (and silly). Effective internalization benefits from believing whatever it is you’re internalizing. I cannot, with a straight face, tell myself “I’m beautiful”. But you’ll never catch me arguing with my memory of that pretty girl telling me: “hey, you’re kinda cute”.
I scoured the personal web (to the best of my abilities) for other articles about positive internalization. The Marginalia Search Engine^֎ was the one who delivered the only article worth mentioning imo: What Is Love?^֎ by Kenny Pearce^֎, a 2-part essay, from 17 YEARS AGO (2007, to the month!), philosophically defining love. Quite fitting for February, doncha’ think?