It probably varies according to who you ask. Going back to the beginning, many would say the wheel, or any of the other six simple tools (wedge, screw, lever, pulley, inclined plane and the wheel and axle). From a more contemporary viewpoint, others might say the microwave oven, the automobile, the computer, the mobile phone, and probably not the toaster, although I would give it a vote (I toast all my bread). The camera, moving pictures, the airplane and the printing press probably also rank high. And for that matter, whoever invented writing in general, has to get a vote. Speaking of writing, AM Radio host Buck Buckner from In The Bunker is solidly of the mindset that the fine art of “cut and paste” ranks high on the list of the greatest inventions of the modern age.
To be sure, it’s as good a campfire question as there is: What tops your list as the greatest invention of all time?
What exactly is Nature Folk HQ? Well, for one, it’s the place I’m standing, by the campfire, roasting a marshmallow. But more than a place it’s a state of mind where we try not to talk about it (that much), we just do it.
In fact, we believe our action-based approach is the secret to our success. And it’s not just us. Here at Nature Folk HQ we know it takes a community to bring the Nature Folk Movement (NFM) to life.
Short list of some of our Nature Folksters (i.e. folk stars) and activities we support:
(1) Attend a Campfire Talk (at CampfirePark.Org)
Sick of the rat race? How about kicking back around the campfire to hear a campfire talk. The campfire is the place we gather to reconnect with nature and talk about what is essential in life. We think you’ll enjoy this modern-day reboot of the ancient tradition.
(2) Ride the Water Cycle (at GoHydrology.Org)
There’s no better way to get back in touch with nature than by tuning in with the water cycle. Whether it’s a recent shift in the skies or a new water flow pattern in the deep swamp, Go Hydrology is your passport into the innerworkings of the water cycle.
(3) Hear a Campfire Shanty (at BobbyAngel.Org)
Are you bored of “reading” about conservation topics? Well how about listening to a campfire shanty that explores the topic at a whole new level. Bobby Angel is a balladeer whose growing archive of songs and albums helped inspire the Nature Folk Movement (NFM).
(4) Rediscover your Bookshelf (at ReReadable.Org)
Over a decade after the invention of the smartphone, the bookshelf has been cast away on the dust heap like so much else. No longer. Rereadble resuscitates the old (and new) books on our bookshelf back to life, and ponders out loud what being rereadable is all about.
(5) Journey Back to Before Phones (BP) (at BeforePhones.Org)
Granted, it was a bizarre time, but believe it or not people once survived (even thrived) in the pre-phone era, also known as the Great Phonelessness. Join the researchers at Before Phones as they uncover the latest archeological finds about this cryptic historical period.
(6) Get into Good Penmanshape (at Penmanshape.Org)
Sick of “thumbing” everything you write? And let’s face it, using a keyboard may be writing, true – but it’s also keeping you in front of a screen. There’s no better workout for the hands and the mind than sitting down with a blank piece of paper and a killivine (that’s just a fancy word for a pen!)
Well, thanks once again folks, for tuning in. And until next time, go out there and do something to help spread the Nature Folk Movement (NFM) to a family member or friend.
Junk mail is the 9th deadly sin (for those who send it)
I remember the bygone days when we could simply rip it up. Yes, it was a bother, and yes it was a waste of trees and no, I very rarely (actually never) replied. But like a lot of things when I look back all I can think is — how quaint. Compare it to today where I managed multiple email accounts each of which is fed with a steady drip of messages that I don’t even have to open up to know they are trash. And there are the phone calls. One after the next to the point whenever I get a call at all I’ve defaulted to answering, “No, I’m not interested in my vehicle’s extended warrantee.” To be honest, sometimes I feel sorry for the people on the other line. As much as it’s a bother to me, for them it’s their life, call after call trying to get someone to bite. Such is the state of the modern world. We’ve developed all this information to bring the world to the tip of our hands, only to fritter it away by clogging it all up with an onslaught of spam.
