Weekly Good Things 2026 Week 2

Ease into the year

Jan 11, 2026

Hello! Hello! Welcome to another weekly episode of Good Things – your guide to living intentionally and more fully one good thing at a time! I give you a peek into my everyday life during the week, and roundup my good links, ideas, books, and more.

A little trout watercolor I made at the museum!

Here’s to 2026: sketching over scrolling.

👋 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 This Week:

Creative Days: Museum of Fine Arts to see the Winslow Homer Exhibit with my friend Lisa. This doubled up as satisfying my creative input, AND active practice: they had free watercolor materials from 5:30 - 9:00pm and we ended up spending an hour doing our own watercolors!

A few things that stuck with me:

Homer didn’t start really getting into his watercolors until he was 37 years old.
His parents were very encouraging, and he was inspired by his mother, who made great botanical and nature art herself.
He was good at getting people to pay him to go on adventures and paint. (It reminded me a little bit of the old days of Gourmet Magazine where you could get paid a year’s wage to travel and write a single story.)
He really enjoyed gold matte to frame his watercolors.
He was very into trout. (I love a great fish.)

Watch: There was this great 11 minute video with James Prosek and conservator Judith Walsh in the exhibit that we sat to watch. Very well put together covering the art, techniques, as well as going onsite to Homer’s summer home at Prout’s Neck.

Good Questions: I’ve been interested in the intersection between museums and technology since my first jobs working in galleries and museums in high school and college. How do we build and curate experiences in a world where people are likely to have their phones out and interacting? (And those pushing back on being fully connected?) Is there space for better interaction between an exhibit and the phone (or the internet)? How do we create more interactive exhibits: feedback loops in the moment. Design for different kinds of learners. Opportunities to actually make art, or learn techniques in the exhibits. I thought this was an interesting learning moment:

I loved the photo opportunity at the end of the exhibit. The random dad who was enjoying the exhibit with his adult family members understood the assignment and took about 30 photos for us:

Citrus from Florida my brother brought me back on his drive back north

Assorted Thinking: #52Lists

Each week I add a loose hand written list into the weeks spread of my hobonichi. (Engaging with an analog version of my list of lists). Here’s last week:

Kitchen Resolutions

Bring back creative joy in the kitchen: It doesn’t have to be blogging, but a variety of quests, projects, etc.
Cook from the pantry/freezer more frequently as a starting point: Rather than stockpiling for an unkonw time - make quicker and intentional use of condiments, etc.
Work down the freezer and fridge: you are more creative with free space where you can see the contents. (Same for your closet.)
Adopt a better kitchen cleaning schedule. Quarterly kitchen purge and audit, but also big appliance, ice maker, coffee machine, etc.
Consider more meatless meals: is 2026 the year of fiber-maxxing? (I kid.) But what about pasta quest, bean of the week, etc.?
Discover what you want to build on. What are the meals you want to repeat a dozen times? Get a little more creative here.
Batch cook with friends. Fill the freezer. ID some favorites (Somchay’s lasagna!) to cook with friends. Group cooking projects. (ie: sausage, dumplings, pierogies, tamales, etc.)
Spend more time writing about taste memory. But also: what is your oldest pantry item? (My grandparent’s pantry. My dad’s Chinese dried fish and mushrooms in the cabinet.)
And family legacy: ask mom if she remembers more of her mother’s favorite things to cook. Roger about the meat business.
Read more critically about food. Remember research with Redzepi. Historical. Make a syllabus. Ask Celia. Tastebuds.
At least one new paid testing job: I enjoy sharpening my skills and using my creativity this way. Continue to test recipes. ID how much time you want and time spent.
Connect with food people you enjoy! (Bettina. Kat. Celia. MS. Jess. Omar.)

Let’s Move!

One of the things that has been particularly helpful in the past few months has been writing out my weekly workouts on a little whiteboard on Sunday night. I also add them to my digital calendar. I also have a section to remind me to do my PT and mobility work: we’re doing hip airplanes this week. Pre-run mobility. Stretching.

PT: really enjoying working with Katie (Groundwork PT - here’s her IG)
Morning yoga: every January I like to start the day with some yoga. Either an Adriene video, or one of our Ompractice classes. (This week Sip and Stretch on Mondays with Dannika)
Age of daily mobility work: daily practice, including pre-run warmups, calf work, and this 12 minute foundation video (h/t to Diane Sanfilippo).
Strength Work: learning balance and how to integrate shorter strength “snacks” rather than an all or nothing hour and a half workout with heavy weights.
Hop on the Bike for Cross-Training: been enjoying this on the weekend again. Usually with a youtube video - I’ve been enjoying the guys from JOLLY.
BALG Training Experience: for some running community, I’m doing an 8 week training experience right now with the Bad Ass Lady Gang: Fastest Way to Faster. I had a mile trial this week. I’ve never put much effort into getting faster, but thought that might be a nice challenge to build my spring base.
Winter Challenge: we’re doing a little bit of added gold stars - an outdoor mile every day with my yearly Race Cancer winter challenge.

New Acquisitions:

The Pink Stuff: I grabbed this for 6 bucks from Home Depot, and immediately became an evangelist. After reading a Wirecutter article that I’m paraphrasing suggested “The Pink Stuff is not the miracle TikTok wants you to believe”, and then bizarrely outlines a whole list of things that it is great at, my interest was piqued. When Sherry of Young House Love mentioned that John was sold on it, I added it to my list. It’s a mild non-toxic abrasive, similar to a barkeepers friend (but very effective!) What it cleaned immediately: residue on oven glass - within about three minutes, glass was sparkling clean. I was genuinely gobsmacked, and did my toaster and oven. I regret not taking more before-after photos. I also got all of the grey utensil marks off of a white plate, and cleaned out my Le Creuset.

Mixed Media:

📖 Reading: I have a few hours left of Viveca Sten’s Hidden in Memories (audiobook while I run). I’m mid-way through The Burning God, the last book in R.F. Kuang’s Poppy War Trilogy. I’ve generally enjoyed these but have reached the point where I’m ready to move on! I finished Callie Hart’s Brimstone. TODO: I have a whole list of half way read books that I’d like to either finish up or moving into “put down for now”. (Some next reads include: Katabasis, The Will of the Many, The Correspondent, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Spoil, and Theo of Golden.) My weekly #52lists is actually to top off my non-fiction reading list.
📺 Watching: I love switching over to a new year tab in my movie spreadsheet (and adding a highlight for 2026 movies on my Instagram.) We kicked off the year on a light note with the adaption of Emily Henry’s People We Meet on Vacation, which was mostly pleasant (but I strongly prefer the book! Why did they have to make Poppy so irritating in part one?) In TV: I watched Nobody Wants This (Season 2), Percy Jackson on Disney, I need to finish the last few episodes of Stranger Things, and yes, I’ve started Heated Rivals. Next Up:
- Movies: One Battle After Another (HBO) • Roofman • Train Dreams (Netflix) • Nobody 2 (Peacock)• The Ballad of Wallis Island (Prime) • Sovereign (Hulu)• The Baltimorons • Running Man • Freaky Tales (HBO) • The Order (Hulu) • Eddington - Ari Aster (HBO)• Ready or Not • Anatomy of a Fall (Neon, Kanopy) • Fackham Hall • Eephus - Baseball • The Brutalist
- TV: finish Stranger Things • the new season of The Pitt • Eastbound and Down • The Chair Company • Pluribus • Down Cemetery Road • Fargo • Percy Jackson and the Olympians • Ken Burns The American Revolution • WINTER OLYMPICS
🎧 Listening: I’ve been in the car on Saturday nights for the first time in a while, and I want to put in a shout out for the 50 year running Saturday Night radio show Con Salsa on WBUR which is a longtime favorite! It runs from 10pm to 3am, and you can listen to the replays here.
Interesting Links, 🤣 Memes and randomness of the week:
- Better Sweater Folding (IG reel via Gretchen Rubin) - have you tried this?
- This recap deep dive of MoviePass on Letterboxd (Kassie 👋)
- I Ran an AI Misinformation Experiment. Every Marketer Should See the Results
Tackle a Nagging Task: this fix for apple watch activities not showing up in your Strava Feed

Marcus Samuelsson’s Black Eyed Peas with Coconut Milk and Berbere - great with any bean if you aren’t a black eyed pea fan

Bean of the Week: Jacob’s Cattle (and a bean sketch)

The Week 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 Few Weeks:

Weekly Dinners:

January 1st: Marcus Samuelsson’s Black Eyed Peas with Coconut Milk and Berbere: I make these every year, and it’s just a very good recipe. You can swap out the BEPs if you don’t like them, but the Rancho Gordo ones are delicious.
January 2nd: Chicken Artichoke Spinach Stew I riffed off of a few versions of this recipe - a little chicken, onion, white wine, frozen artichokes, better than bouillion, and lemon. The secret ingredient was a Trader Joe’s frozen spinach artichoke cube at the end.
January 3rd: dinner at The Carriage House with my mom after driving her back from the airport. A salad with pear and white balsamic; hiramasa crudo with pickled jalapeño and kumquat; short rib with polenta, turnips and onion; and the spectacular octopus bolognese with squid ink pasta, and a little breadcrumb topping. Sticky toffee pudding with caramelized banana ice cream and peanut crunchies.
Sunday: leftover stew
Monday: Alison Roman’s Vinegar Chicken with Crushed Olive Dressing (gift link), thanks to Aleka Gürel. I really liked the turmeric chicken, and this was easy and very good.
Tuesday: Jaju Pierogies with ham, sauerkraut, sour cream, dill, and pickled radish.
Wednesday: a very good pot of chili with rye bread from Liebman’s Deli
Thursday: Out! Tasty Burger bacon cheeseburger with pickles and fries with Lisa post-museum “enrichment”. Found a parking spot right in front, and love a good fresh fry.
Friday: a seafood chowder with shrimp and trout, garlic bread

Other Good Things

My brother brought citrus (sugar belles, honey tangerines, and grapefruits) from Florida; and some chopped liver, rye bread, and sesame bagels from the drive.
Beans of the Week: Rancho Gordo Super Lucky 2026 Black Eyed Peas, Rancho Gordo Jacob’s Cattle
Baked apples and prunes with a little butter and marsala
A Trader Joe’s simit with gravlax and morbier cheese
A good snack: chopped mutsu crispin apples and cheddar; apples and TJ’s cannoli dip
Condiment Calendar: I made pickled radishes in leftover pickled onion brine - perfection!

Ideas for Next Week:

Recipe Ideas:

Alison Roman fennel pork chops from Dining In: Highly Cookable Recipes
Ali Slagle Crispy Gnocchi with Sausage and Broccoli (DePasquales)
Kristina Felix: Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Tofu with Chile Lime Dressing
A LWJ favorite: chicken thighs, zucchini, rice (I’ll probably use some miso)
Pasta Night ideas: ham and bechamel with peas and egg noodles
Halloumi with tomatoes and white beans (link)
Caro Chambers Creamy Tuscan Turkey Spaghetti Squash
Melissa Clark Lemony White Bean Soup with Turkey and Greens

What are you eating this week?

Discussion about this post

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