Weekly Good Things 2026 Week 28
What would you do if you had to be as interesting as possible for the next two weeks? (Now go do that.)
Hello! Hello! Welcome to another weekly episode of Good Things ā 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.
Letās catch up!
At the end of April, my sweet 11 year old pup Bertram went over the rainbow bridge. Here is his obituary.
Iāve traversed 564 miles since May 1st for my summer race (Great Virtual Race Across the States, Transcon 3) that Iāve done every summer since 2020. This leg of the race is 679 miles, but Iāll aim to get at least 1000 through summer. Iām also working my way through the new Boston Boundless trails (And Iāve hit 64.69% of all the roads in my city.)
I crashed my BFFs momās 55th Wellesley reunion, and got to spend time with her whole family (some of my favorite people in the world). Itās such a pleasure getting to spend time with three generations.
I went to New York to go to the Explorerās Club, North Conway for a lovely wedding, and then Luxembourg (and France, and Belgium) for a fabulous birthday and engagement celebration. (Luxembourg is going to end up a whole recap here on itās own!) Then to Montreal with my mom and brother last week.
I kicked off a big project to migrate our Ompractice On-Demand videos from Zoom hosting to Vimeo. It was one of those finicky things that took quite a bit of untangling but eventually was very satisfying. We started a resource kit for stress relief for teens during finals week (and beyond, including āyou are not your gradesā). We did our quarterly planning offsite in Groton and have some fun things coming up this summer that Iām excited about! Some secret projects! Merch!
š“ó §ó ¢ó ³ó £ó “ó æ I had one of the best weekends of my life at Fenway Park with all of our World Cup āInternational Summer Campā guests from Scotland. Thousands of kilts, bagpipes, and an entire game where everyone stood and sang the entire time. (Also, unlimited lobster salad at the Vinyard Vines club.) I have āNo Scotland, No Partyā stuck on loop in my head and Iām not mad about it. Several of my brotherās videos from the Sunday game have gone viral. We were sitting right above the bullpen with all of Scotland and it was incredible. [I think this one qualifies as my monthly goal of a āonce in a lifetime experience money canāt buyā]
I got 25 pounds of peaches from The Peach Truck. (Local friends, looks like you can still order for the July 11th pickup at the Chestnut Hill Mall.) Then a half flat of strawberries from Quebec.
š 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, itās at the end! Feel free to scroll, I wonāt judge!)
Travel: NYC
I headed to New York for what I found to be a life-changing (not hyperbolic!) weekend at the Explorerās Club Annual Meeting. (My friend Rebeqa is one of the heads of the new Benelux chapter.)
There is something deeply relieving about being in rooms where you can just be yourself.
Something Iām still thinking deeply about a month out:
Reframing exploration in my own life to include more frequent quick time-bound projects
I think we often think about exploration either as something other people do, beyond our capability, or as these grand quests across rugged lands (and there are certainly plenty of folks who were doing that kind of thing!)
I was intrigued at how many people at ECAD were taking up small-time-frame projects to answer a single question or to discover something specific (even outside the bounds of academic research as citizen scientists, and sometimes just as a side quest to support another personās exploration) āĀ and using these explorations/missions/side quests as a personal āpower-upā or energy boost.
It had me thinking about the Explorerās Mindset, what kinds of things Iād like to continue studying in my own life, and how I can define more interesting experiments and exploration on a regular basis.
Other highlights in New York:
We went to see Masquerade, the immersive Phantom of the Opera (where you dress up and are part of the show).
Lunch at one of my favorites: LumLum. (Whipped Lemonade was one of the best things Iāve ever had to drink.) Iāve tried to send anyone I know who goes to New York to have a meal there.
Post-NYC, I ended up walking from Newton to Lincoln, MA to hang out with one of my new Texan friends from the conference, Sheila, and her sister!
Good Acquisitions
Good Acquisitions: Iām a big believer in quality over quantity when it comes to stuff. I find quite a bit of joy in searching for things that make my life materially better (pun intended).
š Global Entry: In anticipation of some international travel, I went ahead to get myself global entry, after my friend Michele let me know that it was now a very quick process. Indeed I applied and in a week and a half had global entry in hand. I got an easy appointment at Logan, was in and out of the airport in under an hour!, and had an approval 15 minutes after getting home.
Taos Footwear Big Time Sandals: I needed a summer sandal that I could walk miles and miles in. These are double adjustable, and have held up on 8-10 miles at a time.
Mountain Hardwear Dynamaā¢ļø Capris and Bermuda Shorts: I needed travel and hiking bottoms that protect from sun (and odor), and these have been great. They have a flat stretch waistband that is also very comfortable.
Sunscreen from the Airport in Europe: while it was big news around here that a new filter was approved in US sunscreen, European sunscreen is still much better with multiple filters and better formulations! I grabbed La Roche Posay Anthelios fluid facial sunscreen from the European airport pharmacy which has both UVA/UVB. (Other European skincare purchases included some AvĆØne Cold Cream, and AvĆØne thermal water spray (you can get that one at CVS, but itās lovely when traveling!) On my sunscreen quest, I also grabbed some in Canada because you can get the extra large Anthelios Mexoryl-based container.
Assorted Thinking: #52Lists
Each week I try to start a loose hand written list into the weeks spread of my Hobonichi. Instead of the goal of finishing a list in one sitting (creative constraint!), I can add to it when I see fit. (Engaging with an analog version of my list of lists). The past few weeks:
Iāve been working on my Neighborhood Flora and Fauna list
Summer Reading
My July Intentions list
Other Peopleās Good Lists
Foraging Resources and Recommendations via Edible Excursions (Iām going on a foraging walk with her soon!)
Slow Drip Gardening:
With a lot of travel, I planted significantly less in the past few months than I normally do. I have a few overwintered dahlias which are popping up. Iāve been enamored with medicinal gardens lately after visiting one in an abbey in Belgium, and another at the Botanical Gardens in Montreal.
Tackle a Nagging Task:
I officially rolled off of a volunteer position Iāve been in multiple roles on for the past 15 years.
I started a well overdue closet audit, and pulled aside clothing to recycle, donate, sell. I also take photos of myself wearing my clothing so I remember what I actually have.
Mixed Media:
š Reading:
Currently Reading: I finally started Robin Hobbās The Farseer Trilogy and WOW am I love it. (A nice reminder that regular old fantasy writing is significantly better than most romantasy.) David Epsteinās new book āInside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Betterā. I loved his book Range, and am enjoying this as well. Daniel Silvaās āThe English Girlā. Theo of Golden.
Recently Read: Hidden in Lies by Viveca Sten. The Sunlit Man by Brandon Sanderson. Bride (and Mate) by Ali Hazelwood. The Binding by Bridget Collins. Dire Bound and Fury Bound by Sable Sorenson. The Metal Slinger (and Light Wielder) by Rachel Schneider. Walk by Dr. Courtney Conley and Milica McDowell.
Next Up: Katabasis, The Will of the Many, The Correspondent, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil. (Iām currently refreshing my summer reading list as well.)
šŗ Watching:
Currently Watching: The Artful Dodger Season 2. Widowās Bay finally! The Other Bennet Sister (on BritBox).
Watched:
TV: the second season of Deadloch. (Love!)
Films: The Sheep Detectives. (The best thing Iāve watched this year. Please watch this immediately. Youāll cry. Itās deeply moving.) Devil Wears Prada 2. Project Hail Mary. Mandalorian and Grogu. The Extraordinary Adventures of AdĆØle Blanc-Sec (loved!). Total Recall. Anatomy of a Fall.
Next Up:
Movies: Supergirl ā¢ Roofman ā¢ Train Dreams (Netflix) ā¢ The Ballad of Wallis Island (Prime) ā¢ Sovereign (Hulu)ā¢ The Baltimorons ā¢ Running Man ā¢ Freaky Tales (HBO) ā¢ The Order (Hulu) ā¢ Eddington - Ari Aster (HBO)ā¢ Ready or Not ā¢ Fackham Hall ā¢ Eephus - Baseball ā¢ The Brutalist
TV: the new season of Dark Winds ā¢ Daredevil Born Again ā¢ the new season of The Pitt ā¢ Eastbound and Down ā¢ Pluribus ā¢ Down Cemetery Road ā¢ Fargo ā¢ Percy Jackson and the Olympians ā¢ Ken Burns The American Revolution ā¢ Kaamelott
š§ Listening: just listened to the new 5-part season of Serial and very much enjoyed.
The Week Meal Plan:
Why do I do this? Iāll 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.)
Monday: Rotisserie chicken with mashed potatoes and peas
Tuesday: Burger Bowl with avocado, tomato, goat cheese, parsley, basil, lemon tahini dressing and wild rose vinegar
Wednesday: Ginger scallion steamed fish with rice
Thursday: Chicken thigh schnitzel, potatoes, leek vinaigrette
Friday: Fish and lentils with sauce Rof
Saturday: Pork chop with peaches, fennel salad, marinated lentils
š Good Eats, Recently:
The High Tide Mocktail at the Cottage: pineapple, fresh lime, creamy coconut (rocks)
Good Drinks at Home: Spindrift Island Punch (Passionfruit, Orange, Guava) + Trader Joeās Limeade
Cookbooks of the Week: Waverley Rootās āThe Food of Franceā
Recent Beans of the Week: Black Caviar Lentils, Flageolets, looking forward to using my Zipper Cream Field Peas from bean club
Trader Joeās of Note: the vanilla mascarpone (with chopped fresh peaches), peach cream cheese is back
A Good Snack: frozen lemonade mid-hike
Condiment Calendar: pickled fiddlehead ferns
What are you eating this week?
Hereās to a very good week!
xo, Sam
š© PS: A Few Small Requests!
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+1 to preferring plain & simple fantasy to romantasy. I really liked both Katabasis and Bury Our Bones. The Will Of The Many is also on my TBR - let me know if you want to coordinate to start at the same time!