Hey there,

Last Friday, I decided to delete Instagram from my phone, then download it only on Thursdays to post a quick hello, tell people there about the new episode of The Good List, scroll for just a bit to see what’s up, and then delete again until the next week. It’s a cumbersome plan on purpose, to add friction to this app that acts like it wants to be the boss of me.

So far, it’s been a delight. I’ve done it with Twitter, too (though that space doesn’t bother me as much, so I pop on a few times per week via laptop), as well as a few apps that take up more space than delight. This was mostly done as an experiment, but so far I’m enjoying it so much I may just keep things this way. I’ll keep you posted here.

In the meantime, I’ve currently got this simmering in the Instant Pot for dinner. It’s a favorite!

5 Quick Things ☕️

1. This year I’m writing a monthly letter to myself-10-years-ago, in honor of this being the last year of AoS. This month’s focus? Parenting.

2. Crystal shares with us her current Good List (I’ve actually had my eye on her first item for a while now).

3. This week on The Good List, I’m sharing a habit — regularly visiting this ancient-of-origin, ubiquitous place that’s probably in your neighborhood.

4. This heartbreaking legacy, stitched with 56 words on a common cloth sack.

5. I ‘yes’ed and ‘amen’d every word of this from my lovely friend, Erin. “We are settling for a smattering of one dimension when we have three available to us, in ourselves and the next door neighbor and the grocer down the street.”

Quotable 💬

“You want weapons? We're in a library. Books are the best weapon in the world. This room's the greatest arsenal we could have. Arm yourself!”

 ―Russell T. Davies, Doctor Who

Time Machine ⏰

Four years ago, Katie reminded us that even if it feels like it, we probably haven’t missed our “life’s calling.”

Have a great week!

xo, Tsh

p.s. This week on the train home a random-but-kind stranger recommended to me the British show Poirot (he had no idea in advance of my love for cozy mysteries and Brit lit!). Have you ever seen it? If so, would you agree it’s worth it? I’m in the mood to find a new thoughtful show…

Hey there,

We wrapped up The Great Gatsby in my English class this week, and I was reminded how even though there’s no character to root for, it’s a depressing ending, and the themes are bleak, it’s one of my all-time favorite novels because of just how good the writing is — and how good writing can carry a sad story because it conveys the timelessness of it all. Those characters in the early 1920s can be copy + pasted into 2020, I tell you (just replace “old sport” with something ...more current. I’ve got no examples, which shows how hip I am).

Also, we’ve been having some WEIRD weather here in central Texas! Highs in the mid-70s all week, muggy as heck... It feels like a solarium at an indoor water park. Nothing like mid-January. I hear weather’s weird in a number of spots in the world right now. How about where you are?

5 Quick Things ☕️

1. I made a BIG announcement I’ve been sitting on since September. It feels so good to finally let you know! And I’ll share more in-depth throughout 2020 about how I feel about all this.

2. Andrea lists 10 artists she loves following on Instagram — now this makes the app redeemable to me. I love finding good artists!

3. In this weeks’ The Good List episode, I share an unassuming Twitter account all about micro-storytelling — and why I love it so much. (p.s. New episodes officially drop on Thursdays, so make sure you subscribe!)

4. The New York Public Library’s shared their most check-out books of all time (it took me a million guesses to name number one — I ended up naming almost all of 2 through 10 — and then my teen daughter called it!).

5. Wasn’t Tom Hanks’ Cecil B. DeMille Award acceptance speech just a delight? “Show up on time” and “You’re a dope if you don’t steal from everybody you work with” is just the best advice ever.

Quotable 💬

“If every event which occurred could be given a name, there would be no need for stories.”

 ―John Berger

Time Machine ⏰

Three years ago (has it really been that long?), I wrote about making friends and partial solutions.

Have a great week!

xo, Tsh

p.s. On my current reading wish list: this, this, and this. Read ‘em yet? And I’m super excited for the release of this one.