Hey there,

This week was a rather full one around here in our household as we enjoyed the delights of starting back up to post-holiday “normal” life while also battling cases of both the common cold and mild Covid (thanks, Omicron). I know we’re not alone, though, so — solidarity.

Nonetheless, I’m grateful for overall health, a warm house, and a pantry full of food. Those little things remain a big deal, and if we have ‘em, we’re blessed. Really and truly.

This weekend I hope to start some early spring garden plans 👩‍🌾, help Kyle put the final touches on our backyard workshop, and generally enjoy not being a podcast guest. (As you know, my next book releases in just a few weeks, and even though I’m grateful, boy howdy does it mean every inch of time is filled with promotion work at the moment.)

5 Quick Things ☕️

1. 👉 New episode of A Drink With a Friend! 👈 As you remember from the last episode, we’re beginning two six-month challenges. In this episode, I share mine, which you already know if you read this newsletter. What does it actually mean to live in a 100-mile-radius? And is this something only “privileged” people can do? (note: our podcast host is back up, so I edited the link above — thanks for your flexibility!)

2. I like this list from my name-sharer of 10 New Year’s resolutions that are good for the soul.

3. “Institutions do not exist, first of all, to love, but to perpetuate the policy, rule, or principle in a sustainable fashion over time. Put more bluntly, they exist to keep continuing existing: it’s not personal.” This piece is a good pairing with this week's Drink episode, especially regarding subsidiarity. …That Dorothy Day, man.

4. “Someday we will meet all the people we don't know. We will then know all the things we missed.” What a lovely story.

5. And finally, please dark world, please let us just have Wordle. (It’s officially now a daily thing around here…)

Currently (Re)Reading, Watching, Listening 📚

• Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver

Pre-Order Bitter & Sweet 🍋

I’m so grateful for the many of you who’ve already pre-ordered Bitter & Sweet!

If you haven’t yet, I’d be so terribly honored if you pre-ordered Bitter & Sweet in plenty of time for Ash Wednesday on March 2 — it tells booksellers to make sure they have plenty in stock when it’s released to the public:

Pre-Order My Lent Book, Bitter & Sweet

Quotable 💬

“Personal responsibility is the ultimate freedom. When you refuse to take responsibility for yourself, you are, whether you know it or not, giving it to somebody else.”

— Zuby Udezue #

Elsewhere 📍

Tsh Oxenreider 🎄 @tsh

childhood injuries: 1. fell off bike 2. fell out of tree 3. skinned knee from playing hard adulthood injuries: 1. slept weird 2. sat down too long 3. didn’t wear good shoes

January 8th 2022

16 Retweets246 Likes

Question For You to Ponder… 🤔

What could you do within the next hour to make the rest of your day better?

Have a great weekend,

Tsh

p.s. In the background while I work today. (I realize some of you have this in real life, which… I hope you stay warm and cozy and find the beauty in the midst of it.)