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​Friday Inspiration 429​

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If you live in Washington DC or Chicago:​
I will be in your city May 6 (DC) or May 8 (Chicago) delivering a goofy presentation called “30 Questions You May Or May Not Have About Ultrarunning” at your local Arcteryx store. It’s based on my new book, which is only for sale at these events until May 23. I don’t want to sound like I’m bragging, but the events we’ve done in Seattle, Portland, and Boulder have all been standing room only and not a single attendee has thrown a rotten vegetable at me. Come hang out!
RSVP for Washington DC, May 6: https://brendanleonardbooktourdc.splashthat.com/​
RSVP for Chicago, May 8: https://brendanleonardultrasomething.splashthat.com/​

The book goes on sale in mid-May, and if you want to get a sample chapter of it emailed to you and a notification when it comes out, here’s the info for that:
​https://semi-rad.com/ultra-something-a-book-by-brendan-leonard/​

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I don’t get super hung-up on what is or is not art, but every once in a while something like this video, titled “Extreme Beachcombing,” pops up and I watch it and enthusiastically announce to myself, THAT is art. (video)

If you did not know that the internet is connected by giant undersea cables that cross our oceans, first of all, you’re welcome for that, and second of all, did you know they break, and they get fixed very quickly? It’s true. Check out this article and photos if you want to have your mind blown further and in detail. (thanks, Matt)

​The title of this piece is a wee bit sensational,but you know what, it got my attention, and I’m glad it did, because the amount of information in here about how the book publishing industry works in the U.S. is incredible. If you’re interested in that sort of thing, I highly recommend reading it. Just one of the craziest bits in here, about the books written by authors who got big advances from their publishers: “85 percent of the books with advances of $250,000 and up never earn out their advance. (Meaning the royalties earned never covered the cost of the advance.) Many publishers have realized that maybe those big advances aren’t worth it.”

Did you ask for a periodic table of the elements color-coded by which elements are safe to lick? No you did not. But here it is for you to enjoy anyway.​

I’m always a little skeptical when someone says something like, “We’ve always done it this way.” How long is “always?” Two generations? A thousand years? This story makes me wonder how many other cultural things like this that have just been lost to history: Japanese Green Tea Once Fueled The Midwest​

Please enjoy this very short story kind of about lightning by Sherman Alexie​

I joined Andy and Dom on what I believe is the most ridiculous running podcast in the world, Between Two Pines, and although I was pretty ragged (we did the interview at 8 p.m. on a Saturday night), I believe I didn’t say anything too stupid in this episode. Or if I did, they kindly edited it out.

• ​Listen on Spotify​
• ​Listen on Apple Podcasts​

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