Weekly Good Things 2024 - Week 41 + 42
Good Things, and the Weekly Meal Plan.
Hello! Hello! Welcome to another weekly episode of Good Things where I give you a peek into my everyday life during the week, and roundup my good links, ideas, books, and more.
Hello Hello!
Happy week to you.
Somehow I skipped over the fact that I’ve been writing here to you (and for myself) for more than a year, so it seems fitting that I should take a quick pause to pat myself on the back, and thank you for your connection! We have 48 newsletters that have gone out in the past year, a digital scrapbook of my brain, time passing, food eaten and aspired to, questions noodled on, gold stars for nagging tasks.
My favorite is still this one, which I bookmark to look back at on a semi-regular basis:
The past two weeks have felt long. We’ve had weather alternating between the high 30s and the low 70s, and my body is never good at acclimating during these transitional times. I had a cold for a few weeks, hives from an allergic reaction, general grumpiness, and weirdly challenging days – including a few weeks with cascading moments of bad news, someone backing into my parked car, attempting to hold it together, and culminating with me sitting in a dark room and having a good sob during my acupuncture treatment.
None the less, I consider myself an eternal optimist, a flaw? a boon?, so here we are and the weekend is beautiful, and I’m grateful for my little corner of the internet.
👋 If you are new here, welcome! I try to fill these newsletters with a little something for everyone. (If you are just here for the food, it’s at the end! Feel free to scroll, I won’t judge!)
Good Things:
1. From my BFF’s five year old: exasperated with political ads: “can’t they just made ads for puppies?!!!!!” ~ A moment passes ~ …“OR WOMEN’S HEALTHCARE?!?!”
2. On-Site Off-Sites: Because Ompractice has been a remote team for the past seven years, I truly love any opportunity when we get to actually get together in person. Last week we were in Northampton to plan out our marketing initiatives for 2025. Bonus: Herrell’s for an ice cream cone.
3. Fall Running is my favorite season. Last weekend I ran my 12th Boston 10k for Women. Coming off of a few weeks of being sick, my only goal was to enjoy my run. Indecisive on music choices, I opted for the Pitbull Spotify channel which just has hours of bangers you didn’t realize you knew all the words to. I ran the race on easy mode with my mouth closed (nasal breathing keeps me in a lower running zone and builds better endurance), and still somehow managed to run faster on the race course than I have in previous years. After suffering through the indignity of race photos being the *worst* photos one can get (seriously, how do they manage to always catch the most terrible angle?), my every race goal is to find the photographer to do this:
Random Things:
— While I don’t love the idea of shipping strangers, I was *invested* in this week’s Chicken Shop Date and the ✨ between Andrew Garfield and Amelia Dimoldenberg.
— It’s Spooky Lake Month, and I’ve been watching every video of Geo’s.
— Daily Ritual: It’s Fireplace Season, and I curl up each morning with a book next to this Duraflame one in Navy. (Without the heat if I just need fall energy but no extra warmth.)
— Our favorite internet persona Hank Green answering the internet’s questions.
— Sesame Street’s Social Media Team gives me joy daily. This one with Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal. This heart-tugging one with Andrew Garfield about grief.
— Venn Diagrams: One of my first jobs was in fundraising, and I still do a lot of work raising for various initiatives. How we raise money for causes has shifted drastically, and everyone needs innovation and new strategies in order to succeed these days. I was intrigued to learn about Jess Campbell, doing very good things in supporting non-profit fundraising in today’s issue of Growth in Reverse, a newsletter about newsletters.
— Because I love streaking: I’m doing Amanda’s Brand Challenge for 35 days to bring a little more joy to my time spent creating, and already so inspired by fellow participants including
— My friend Heather reminded me yesterday that cheese can be a meal. I went wild in the Trader Joe’s cheese section to self sooth. In the fridge: walnut gouda, roquefort, a log of brie, and the Red Leicester. If I get a chance, I’m going to pick up some of my favorite Big Sky Grana at Formaggio Kitchen this week.
— Reminder: your computer (and mind) will work better if you close some tabs. What needs to go on the back burner this season?
Also: I’m fascinated by diplomacy, contracts, and geopolitics: and this article about the contracts China uses for the pandas who have recently come back to DC is fascinating.
Reader Question: Gateway to Brandon Sanderson
If you don’t know, this year was the year that I dubbed my “Year of Sanderson”. I had reluctantly held off on reading his work because I’m frequently skeptical of something that so many people like. (I know, I know.) I finally broke the seal, and have been slowly working my way through his prolific body of work.
Thank you to David for asking about a gateway book to Brandon Sanderson’s work. Here’s my response:
Some things to know about Sanderson:
Similar to Terry Pratchett, he's created a vast universe of books with varying threads, called "The Cosmere". There are *multiple* magic systems, political systems, etc. He plays with style, genre, pacing, etc.
He has series (and a few stand-alones to sprinkle in) - some people get creative with reading order, but I like reading a series at a time.
People have *strong feelings* about reading order.
https://thequilltolive.com/2024/07/11/cosmere-reading-order/ – this was what I thought I might do, but I deviated.
I think Sanderson's own advice is decent enough:
I'd agree that Mistborn (Original Trilogy the first three books starting with The Final Empire) are the place to start. The first 50 or so pages of the first book I was NOT sold. It took me about 100 pages to be hooked. (Given that I've now read about 15k? 30k? pages of Sanderson this year, I think was a fair trade.)
I most enjoyed the Mistborn series two (Wax and Wayne) because it's silly high fantasy steampunk, but you shouldn't start there.
I *loved* Stormlight Archive, which is about five books of desert political world-building and leadership. It would be an odd entry-point I think to start with Way of Kings, but you could.
DO IT.
🤚 Will you ask me my next good question? ⤵
Slow Drip Gardening
Dahlias are still going! We almost dipped into frost, but this week we’re back up to the 70s, so I’m hoping for the rest of the blooms this week.
I’ve picked up some crocus bulbs, tulip bulbs, and will work on some planting this week for early spring joy. (And I grabbed some more this afternoon from a neighbor on our buy nothing group.)
Somehow the completely ignored parsley in the back plot is on overdrive. (I plan on freezing a log)
Good Inputs:
The Curious About Everything Newsletter (same friend, same!)
The Weekly Thing Newsletter (and Jamie Thingelstad - look at those lists! a new to me kindred spirit)
Mixed Media:
📖 Reading: After a brief pause in my “Year of Sanderson” after finishing the Stormlight Archive, I picked up his Skyward, his epic series about a girl pilot saving her world. I’m on book 3, Cytonic, and it’s such a fun series. Easy reading if you are needing something to plow through // My friend Kenny, founder of Why Here Matters reminded me to pick up Priya Parker’s Art of Gathering which I’ve been listening to on my walks.
📺 Watching: we’re firmly back in good watching season. Great British Bakeoff to soothe the nerves. // English Teacher (see memes below) // I’ve started the first of five seasons of Slow Horses, the British thriller series on Apple+ // after a few decades of ignoring IMDBs pleas to create an account, I finally acquiesced so I could rate Agatha All Along to balance the folks downrating it out of misplaced moral outrage // I’m working myself up to watch the The Substance (horror)
🛍️ Good Acquisitions: some spring bulbs from our neighborhood buy nothing group // a very large post it board from our off-site // a subscription to
💡 Tackle a Nagging Task: lightbulbs. For months I’ve been living with what I assumed was wiring problems. Turns out that LED lightbulbs just take forever to die a flickering death, and if you replace lightbulbs in your dark spaces, your world will brighten figuratively and literally. // Voting research. We have some tricky questions on the ballot, so I’m doing my due diligence this weekend.
⚡️ Things with Friends: my friend
has been my co-working buddy. We have a standing Friday afternoon “bonus hours” where we get a little bit extra done before wrapping up the work week.🤣 Memes and randomness of the week: I can’t stop watching Brian Jordan Alvarez’s “I love your daughter” thirst trap videos with the Kirk from Gilmore girls trending audio which have single handedly provided viral marketing for his new show English Teacher on FX (which I’m also now binging, and you should too.) // Most Bittern:
The Weekly Meal Plan:
Why do I do this? I’ll note, my meal plans tend to be more of a directional support for me than what I actually end up eating in my week. (I think a lot of people who do meal planning feel obligated to actually eat the things they come with rather than just using as a placeholder/inspiration. I do not feel so constricted.)
🍒 Good Eats from the Past Week:
A cone of English toffee crunch at Herrell’s in Northampton (after a noodle and tofu lunch at Paul and Elizabeth’s)
A good backup prepared dinner: Sukhi’s Chicken Tikka in the fresh case
Assorted Trader Joe’s Fall Items: Mushroom Flatbread, Braised Beef, Honey Pumpkin Ravioli
A very good fall flavor pairing: pasta with pumpkin-tomato sauce, salami, goat cheese, and crumbled rye crisp crunchies (Trader Joe's Norwegian Sourdough Rye Chips, which are also very good with cream cheese)
Bean of the week: Bye Week
This week’s meal plan:
Sunday: Chicken with baby potatoes, green beens, beets, endives and shallot-mustard vinaigrette (ie: clean out the fridge)
Monday: Salmon Rice Bowl I like the twists in this sticky miso salmon bowl from Andy Baraghani (unlocked NYTimes)
Tuesday: It’s Chili Season! beef, peppers, fall salsa
Wednesday: Snacks at a museum event
Thursday: Ottolenghi Chicken with Caramelized Onion and Cardamom Rice
Friday: Marcus Samuelsson’s Black Eyed Peas with Coconut Milk and Berbere (possibly with a bean swap)
Saturday: Out!
Lunch Options: TJ’s Hardwood Sesame Ahi Tuna is BACK!, Lamb vindaloo with yogurt. Eggs in Carbone Spice Vodka Sauce. Tinned fish and marinated artichokes. Chicken Piccata. Black Bean and Cheese Burrito. Breakfast Burrito.
Snacks: Grapes. Yogurt and berries. Cheese sticks. Turkey Chomps. Good Culture Cottage Cheese. Steel Cut Oatmeal. Cream of Wheat (had a craving!). Red Leicester Cheese. Goat Cheese Log. Maple Kettle Corn.
Treat options: Ben and Jerry’s Chance Mint Fudgy Brownie, Trader Joe’s Brigadieros, TJ’s Tiramisu, Trader Joe’s Brownie Coffee Ice Cream Sandwiches. Apple Tartines. Key Lime Pie. Trader Joe’s S’Mores. The last straggler pumpkin sticky toffee pudding. Stone and Skillet English Muffin.
What are you eating this week?
Previous Years:
Something I really enjoy doing is flipping back in my journal or my blog to the week of the year over the past several years. When I write it out in a list like this, it feels like a nice accomplishment!
Observing the data this week: Fall racing! Also, 2012 was a good vintage for me.
2023: Week 42
2020: Good Things September 2020 (including Emergency Cheese), Good Things Week 42
2017: When you have a case of the Mondays (any day of the week)
2014: Welcome October (La Jota), October Goals, Noanet Woodlands with Alexann, Weekend Race Double Header (BAA Half and Tufts 10k), Reading: I Am Malala
2013: Eggs simmered in Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce, Chicken Thighs with Pancetta and Brussels Sprouts, Finding my Flow (Yoga with Cara and Elyse!), New Castle
2012: Lose 47 pounds by Thanksgiving (a critique*), Under the Weather and magic mushroom powder, A Challenge Breakthrough (handstands!), iPhone Fail and free burritos, Whole30 complete!, Long Weekend, My first! 10k!, Rest Day and Mel’s Sunshine Sauce, A Trip to Volante Farms, Braised Lamb Shanks, 10 11 12, 10 12 12, An Offaly Good Weekend, Flutie 5k, Lifting Heavy Things and Mel’s Chocolate Chili, Igloo Sous Vide (probably don’t recommend for food safety)
2011: Clover and Free Cider Donuts, Chicken Cacciatore and Tips for Hosting a Dinner Party
2010: An evening with René Redzepi
2009: You Say Tomato, Smoked Salmon for Breakfast, A Day in the Bay
That’s all for now! Hope you have a great week!
xo, Sam
📩 PS: A Few Small Requests!
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