20 Comments

Beautiful sentiments, Charlie. Is Thought Bananas becoming Castles in the Sky?

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You caught me!

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I see that!

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Jan 30, 2023Liked by Charlie D. Becker

This speaks to my own experience and reasons for writing. I like how you are laying out your vision so clearly, it makes it easy as a reader to know whether I'm in the right place and whether I should be sticking around. I'm a "yes"! I'm curious though about "thought bananas" - where the newsletter name came from, and how it relates to this clarity you've shared about your vision.

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Thanks Rick! Here is the origin story of Thought Bananas - https://charliebecker.substack.com/p/why-is-your-newsletter-called-thought

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Jan 30, 2023Liked by Charlie D. Becker

This is beautiful. You put in words a feeling-more than a feeling, an experience-that is often inexplicable, one that sets apart some from others, one that is also the reason I write. Castles in the sky. I love it.

There’s a trance song by Ian Van Dahl from around 2000 (showing my age here) of the same name, that gives me the same visceral reaction when I hear it, because it comes from a time when I saw my first Castle in the Sky. Thank you for that memory this morning!

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Thank you so much--I'll have to check out the song.

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I think this is a wonderful representation of the feeling you've been trying to capture. Thanks for writing it down and explaining it so beautifully. Looking forward to the works of this next phase of Charlie!!!

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Thank you Leslie!

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Feb 3, 2023Liked by Charlie D. Becker

Just really, really beautiful stuff here, Charlie.

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Thanks Grace!

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Feb 2, 2023Liked by Charlie D. Becker

It’s this that stood out: “It is more sensual”.

For me your metaphor and your writing engages beyond my senses and intellect to something sensuous

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Thanks Eric, this is exactly my experience too, and I'm grateful that my writing inspires that same feeling.

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Beautiful, Charlie!

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Thank you!

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Jan 30, 2023Liked by Charlie D. Becker

I love this so much. It’s also interesting because I feel as though I used to have this a lot, and lately I haven’t. I’m tempted to explain the feeling but it wouldn’t really be any more than what you said.

Coincidentally, this idea and phrase is giving me that sentiment as your essays often do. I appreciate having that castle in the sky again and think I’m going to commit to trying to find it more often.

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Thank you Vicky! It is definitely a feeling that can get buried beneath everyday concerns. I hope to write about how people can cultivate it.

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Jan 30, 2023Liked by Charlie D. Becker

This is beautiful! And from this I found an idea in my head, a castle in the sky I can’t wait to see. Thank you

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Fantastic! I am glad it inspired you.

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Thanks for this thoughtful piece. I love concise concepts that can communicate complex, multifaceted, ambiguous experiences. To formulate these strikes me as a truly poetic endeavor. Also, your description of the castle reminded me of Joyce's concept of aesthetic arrest.

I'm new to the substance space and really encouraged to find this great content. Onwards!

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