As some of you noticed, I took an unexpected three month hiatus from writing this newsletter. If you’ve been following the news, you know that the United States is currently having a moment. Which has meant a lot of people in my network, many of whom are either scientists or government servants or both, are also having a moment. It’s been a difficult and bewildering time and I guess I’ve been waiting until I felt like I had something helpful to offer. So I thought I’d begin with what am I...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
One of the things that’s always struck me as odd is how much advice there is about saving, but not about how and why to give. The assumption seems to be that giving comes naturally to people. I’d argue what most of us are good at is spending, which is really not the same thing. I first became aware of my own generosity gap in elementary school. I was sitting at the lunch table with my classmates when someone asked me for my cookie. Maybe I had more than one, I can’t remember. What I do...
5 months ago • 4 min read
In a bit of a gamble, I decided to plant some broccolini at the end of last summer. I was a new gardener and the temperatures that summer were particularly brutal. It was work to keep my plants alive. But people swore that gardening in the fall was easier, so I planted a total of eight broccolini plants along with a smattering of other plants like chard, kale, and cauliflower. I had no idea the ordeal I was in for. First, the summer heat lasted for another month or so which meant the bugs...
5 months ago • 4 min read
As I was contemplating new year’s resolutions, I observed that historically they’ve been all about me. What challenge I might take on. How much money I might make in my business. How I might look if I weighed less or exercised more. A lot of it, if I’m being honest, was about impressing people. I’m not saying those are bad goals. I did, in fact, set a “how I might look if I weighed less” goal this year and have no regrets. I’m not even saying it’s bad to want to impress people. That’s just...
6 months ago • 3 min read
I’ve just come off a writing sprint as I try to bring my first novel to life. I wrote 45,000 words over six weeks, roughly half the book, starting from a blank page. Let’s just say it was intense. Hence, this newsletter will be shorter than usual. The sprint was part of a class focused on writing fast. It was a skill I knew I needed. My normal style is to edit as I go, writing and rewriting until my thoughts are clear. That’s okay I suppose when you’re writing short little newsletters, but I...
7 months ago • 2 min read
When I graduated from high school, my peers voted me Most Likely to Succeed, although they failed to finish the sentence. Succeed at what? My college classmates supplied the answer I suppose by voting me Most Likely To Alphabetize Her Spice Rack. I am not making this up. This might seem like a mighty (and rapid) fall from grace until you realize that alphabetizing one’s spice rack is the first step to nebulous success. I hold none of my secrets back, people. You’re welcome. This might be the...
8 months ago • 2 min read
The U.S. elections are taking place in a few days and beyond encouraging everyone who is eligible to vote, I’m urging you to find a way to laugh. That might seem like a “funny” thing to say when it probably feels like there's so much at stake. But laughter lets some light in amongst the dark, unhelpful thoughts. There’s a reason why humor is defined as a state of mind. Don't forget, your thoughts won’t change the election results! Humor can also offer a fresh perspective on difficult topics...
8 months ago • 1 min read
When I feel low, one of the surest ways to cheer myself up is to give things away—furniture, kitchen gadgets, food. Today it’s books. The natural disasters of late are encouraging me to be lighter, so that I might be able to pick up and relocate at the first drop of rain. Books are heavy, take up a lot of room, and the truth is, I rarely read a book a second time. Climate change puts a new meaning to the phrase, “And this is why we can’t have nice things.” To be fair, cats are another reason...
8 months ago • 2 min read
Like a lot of people, I’m struggling to process the tragedy of Hurricane Helene. I grew up in Florida and my mom’s side of the family is concentrated in the mountains of North Carolina. I have a lot of friends and family who were, and continue to be, impacted by this storm. Thankfully, everyone I know in the region is accounted for and appears to be okay. That’s a relief. But even for those who managed to survive, the toll of this storm is almost incomprehensible. And there’s certainly more...
9 months ago • 3 min read