New Year, New Issue

Issue 117

Jan 04, 2024

Dearest Readers, Let me be the first to wish you a Happy New Year. I am the first, right?

Did you set an intention for 2024? I don’t need to know the details (though you’re free to hit reply and share). I’m simply curious whether you set one. Do tell.

I did. Thank you for asking. I set an intention, and I’ll be damned if I don’t achieve it. Suffice it to say, I’m focusing on a “basic” life skill I never put any weight behind (and no, it’s not my weight). As my literacy in this area grows, I’ll consider sharing my journey. At this stage, however, it feels too vulnerable to reveal.

You may have noticed, for several weeks, I was angsty about this newsletter—unsure how to proceed, if to proceed, and why I’d spend my precious time doing such a thing for free. Today, I’m pleased to report—I have a structure that feels right, at least for now—so let’s run with it.

I keep a note on my phone titled Newsletter. In it, I place anything that piques my interest, whether or not I’ve engaged with it. Someone mentions a book. I jot it down. I read a lovely passage. I jot it down. I find a product that tickles me. I jot it down. It’s my repository—the place I consult before each newsletter.

The Five Things section below shares several of those recommendations with you. The My Apologies section is where I apologize for steering you in the wrong direction, as it will happen.

Please don’t hesitate to respond with your favorite things. I love mail. Now, let’s get to this week’s five things:

Five Things

1. Rawk the Year: I’m trying this customizable meal planner for a few reasons. 1) I often ask my kids at 5:30 pm, “What’s for dinner,” because I hope someone is planning more than I am. It turns out they look to me for that information. 2) I’m no stranger to wandering the grocery store with zero plan, which means I leak money like it’s my job and leave with little to show for it. 3) Who needs a third reason when you have the first two?

With Rawk the Year, I plan the week’s recipes, download a grocery list, and maybe, just maybe, get several recipes for the week, along with a grocery list, and maybe, just maybe, make a few dinners nobody but me will eat. So far, so good 👍.

2. The Trance of Scarcity is a book I want to read but haven’t. Compelling reco, I know.

3. If you want to laugh, read this story by the hilarious Colin Nissan. He’s an excellent writer and an equally lovely guy—what a combo. We met while working at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners in the early 2000s.

4. Do you work on a Mac, use Chrome, and regularly have 1000s of tabs open? #metoo I have thousands of tabs open, and each tab relates to a different project. What to do?

You can name your windows. For example, I have a window for my personal tabs (where I’m writing this newsletter) and another for each client I work with.

Here’s how to do it: Click the three dots in the top corner of your browser window, go to “More Tools,” then to “Name Window…” That’s it.

Now. all things related to my personal life: Gmail, emails to John, calendar, articles I want to read, banking, etc., are all in my PERSONAL Chrome window. In another Chrome window, I have all things related to my DuMOL client, another one for my Heath client, and so on.

When the windows are minimized, I can roll my mouse over the rectangles in the bottom right corner of my menu bar (below) and open the window I need.

In this case, my PERSONAL window is ready to open.

Voila, here’s to a bit more organization in 2024.

5. I love Yuka. I love you, too, but this is about the Yuka app. Do I use it every day? No. Do I use it when I can’t decide between crackers or cereal or to show my kids how bad a food they want is? Yes. We don’t buy Goldfish or Ritz anymore, and Emma doesn’t complain because she saw their Yuka score. To be fair, we still buy crap, but less.

**This one surprised me—cereal with a prime Yuka score of 100/100.**

If you don’t have the app, download it and use it to scan the barcodes in your grocery store. Immediately, you’ll learn what’s worth buying and what’s not. If you only shop at wholesome grocery stores that don’t stock crap—you’re winning. If you’re a loser like the rest of us, this app comes in handy (and it’s fun).

My Apologies

Last week, I recommended the movie May December. This week, I recant my recommendation. I took my advice, started watching it, and won’t be going back.

A reader responded to last week’s letter confirming what I had discovered: May December is weird. Instead, she recommended Private Lives—thanks, Johanna. While I haven’t yet watched it, I wanted to ease the pain I’d caused and offer something in its place. My apologies.

Also, Emma and I started an Instagram account, and we petered out after six videos. We may find our mojo again, but we may not. It’s anyone’s guess. My apologies.

Photo Op

One of our Winter break adventures was a drive to Drake’s Beach in Point Reyes to catch a glimpse of elephant seal season (December through March) and Stephen, who is not an elephant seal but is working the beach.

Blustery, with sideways rain and freezing—it was worth the drive, especially with a stop at the Station House Cafe to fill up and warm up.