Meth For The Muse
Pick Of The Week –2nd July 2025
This newsletter is a curated cornucopia featuring some of the best of Medium and Substack, and the wider world, rumoured to exist outside of these platforms.
Please note that in view of the impact of AI on the writing community, Eco has a stringent “No AI-content” policy, and will seek to actively avoid any articles we consider to be partly or fully generated by AI, and not feature authors believed to be using it in this way again. We are fully supportive of diversity, equity and inclusion. In support of our aims and objectives, 10% of earnings from this series will be donated to Greenpeace.🌈
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Sponsors – a link to donors and paying Substack subscribers 🦄 will appear here:
Ecosia; The Environmental Transport Association; Mary Grindeland
Pick of Medium – (advisory allergy note – may contain poetry)
Can writing become addictive, crack for creatives, meth for the muse, fentanyl for the flawed? Are we compulsively scopolamine scribbling, even when returns diminish, like a moth drawn to a flame, risking imminent immolation? Zahier Adams explores the dopamine trap of writing:
https://medium.com/mr-plan-publication/the-dopamine-trap-of-writing-online-06f9625e3eb7
On a similar theme, Kay Flanagan reflects on the practice of trying to write every day:
https://medium.com/never-stop-writing/write-every-day-or-not-455600fcb499
Marcia Abboud wrote a secret letter:
https://medium.com/the-maize/i-wrote-a-secret-letter-to-my-ex-husband-6c072d0282b3
Pallvi favours honesty:
Yohan J shares the latest part of his travel diary:
Rose outgrows the trolls:
https://medium.com/@rosestoryteller/you-losers-are-stuck-trolling-me-but-im-growing-7807e84091f3
This is Adrienne Beaumont on the benefits of travel:
https://medium.com/the-challenged/can-travel-be-a-habit-98052befc41b
Pallvi is pushed for time:
https://medium.com/illumination/reason-i-might-skip-reading-your-article-part-1-cb79d38f63f2
Madison Clarke is trying to avoid burnout:
https://medium.com/mind-talk/how-to-avoid-emotional-burnout-in-helping-professions-7cb979cbb5fd
Here Madison offers advice on avoiding repeated mistakes:
Barry Robinson hangs up his keys:
https://medium.com/the-pub/its-the-end-of-the-road-for-me-eafc95ecad35
Deidre Writer in The Abyss feels the pain:
Bin Jiang suggests reasons for your penny paucity:
https://medium.com/activated-thinker/3-reasons-youre-not-making-money-with-your-writing-02a458d92102
Here Bin reflects on life-changing wealth:
Pick of Substack:
Susan Fourtané shares a tech tour:
A story by Füsun Aydin of mutual addiction and the tangled web of sex work – (note: contains adult content):
https://substack.com/home/post/p-167171686
“Writer Chick with a Ukulele” shares memories of “The Beatles”:
https://substack.com/home/post/p-167245135
Dana Dubois reflects on pride:
https://substack.com/home/post/p-167223530
Nicole T considers the reality behind the mask of social media:
https://nicoletruan.substack.com/p/social-medias-mental-toll/comments
Yana is busy blocking, takes a spill, but makes progress:
https://yanabostongirl.substack.com/p/i-laughed-out-loud-when-a-medium/comments
Wes Pearce analyses subscriber growth:
https://substack.com/home/post/p-167066044
The wider world:
This article reviews the reality of the digital nomad lifestyle, which is not always as easy or glamorous as it is sometimes made out to be:
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2025/jul/01/digital-nomad-dream-turns-sour
This article considers what constitutes a good book for the beach:
Political News
This article doubts that reformed capitalism can ever drive positive change:
A Palestinian protest group in the UK is about to be proscribed:
The Far Right may want revenge after the success of the Budapest Pride event:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jul/01/budapest-pride-viktor-orban-far-right-lgbtq
AI News
There are already signs that AI is having a big impact on the jobs market:
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jun/30/uk-entry-level-jobs-chatgpt-launch-adzuna
The growth in AI is driving higher carbon emissions:
Life Hack of the Week –
This is Iqra Arshad on the power of “no”:
https://medium.com/pen-with-paper/why-you-need-to-learn-to-say-no-d17859d9b6cd
Quote of the Week:
“Before you criticise someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticise them, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes.” —Jack Handey
Joke of the Week:
(Health warning – swallow coffee before reading)
It was a sad and very disappointing day when I learned that my universal remote control did not in fact control the universe. Even remotely.
The sky was looking ominous, so I asked Siri:
“Surely it’s not going to rain today?”
She replied:
“Yes it is, and don’t call me Shirley”.
That was when I realised I’d left my phone on Airplane mode.
Child: Daddy I want ice cream.
Father: Me too sweetheart, but Mommy only have us enough money for three beers.
I thought I’d never be any good at poetry because I’m dyslexic, but so far I’ve made a jug, a vase and two pots, and I think they look great.
What’s made of leather and sounds like a shoe? A sneeze.
The audience liked my owl joke. What a hoot!
Did you know?
Carol F plays possum with some fascinating facts:
https://medium.com/@carol.finch1/one-minute-facts-playing-possum-b4871802b8a8
Word of the Week:
propinquity –the state of being close to someone or something; proximity, or close kinship.
Clip of the Week – bikers show their love
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c78473rg9kzo
As always, thank you for reading, and enjoy your day.
Editor’s comment: It is noted that the authors featured above have not consented in advance to their inclusion - I have assumed that authors appreciate a mention and sharing of your work – but if you do not wish to be featured please let me know and apologies.