5 Quick Things #219 🕯🕯🕯

Year-end reflections, Plato's cave, the gift of Tex-Mex, & that same peach candle

Hello!

Ever have one of those weeks when there’s a list of must-attend events on every. single. calendar square? That was mine this past week, and while I’m ever-so-grateful that’s not my norm, it has left me on this Friday morning blinking at the view outside my window and willing myself to wake up.

Later today I’m driving four hours to take my oldest two to a weekend retreat, and since it’s such a short event, we decided it best for me to just stay up there before turning around to make the four-hour drive back home on Sunday morning. Translation? Tonight and Saturday I’ve got a tiny house Airbnb rental ALL BY MYSELF, where I plan (hopefully) to sleep in, read a whole bunch, and maybe write a little. It’s my little gift to myself before a very busy season in early 2022 in preparation for Bitter & Sweet’s release. And I’m stoked!

The Nativity (1891), by Gari Melchers

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5 Quick Things ☕️

1. 👉 New episode of A Drink With a Friend! 👈 As we wind down this year, it’s tempting to jump into our new ideas for 2022 — but it’s good to first reflect on the previous 12. Seth and I use some my questions I’ve used for years to debrief 2021. Join in! And note: The show is taking a short break for the holidays. Look for new episodes in a few weeks! (Also note: the sound is a bit off in this one, and Kyle spent hours this week doing his best to make it palatable to your ears — we apologize for the inconvenience.)

2. “I used to think that online life constituted the shadows in Plato’s allegory of the cave, and those craning their necks into phones all day were the poor souls chained down and forced to watch the meaningless digital flickers of reality. …I now realize it’s the reverse: real life is increasingly a reflection of what happens online.” I’m admittedly unsure what I think about this essay, but it’s given me some food for thought. (As has this companion conversation about the overall topic.)

3. As a native Texan who grew up hearing her dad declare that there’s no good Mexican food north of Waco, I loved this piece about Tex-Mex. Until I met my Oregonian husband, I didn’t know not everyone ate tacos at least once a week.

4. We created a monster.

5. And finally, my kids turn their noses at homemade mac & cheese, shamefully preferring the boxed stuff, but it’s one of my favorite comfort foods. I’m eager to try this recipe over the holidays — David Lebovitz never disappoints.

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Currently Reading, Watching, Listening 🎧

• Honestly with Bari Weiss — so far it’s been thoughtful conversations with a seasoned, accessible journalist. I dig it.

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Quotable 💬

“When we celebrate Christmas, we are celebrating that time when the Word that shouted all the galaxies into being also limited all power and, for love of us, came to us in the powerless body of a human baby.”

— Madeleine L'Engle #

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Elsewhere 📍

Tsh Oxenreider ☕️ @tsh

"A flag at half-mast means somebody important has died. A missing flag on the pole means somebody important died, and they also knew where the flag was kept." -my 13-yr-old son

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Question For You to Ponder… 🤔

What am I doing right now because I think I should, not because I truly want or need to? (Follow up: How can I let it go for the holidays?)

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There won’t be a new issue of 5QT next week because of the holidays (related: can you believe Christmas Eve is a week from today? 🤯). There are tons of back issues in the archives for you to enjoy! As well as, you know, going on walks and wrapping presents and watching favorite holiday movies and generally being with your people.

I’m thankful to have you as a reader! And I’ll be back in your inbox briefly before the new year.*

Merry Christmas,

Tsh

*But if you’re a paying subscriber of The Commonplace, look for a thank you gift in your inbox early next week!

p.s. This never gets old (but watch out, it’s an earworm).