5 Quick Things #350 ❄️
short books, chalking the door, eating meat, & candlemas
Hey there,
I hope you’re able to stay cozy and warm wherever you are… It’s cold for central Texas at the moment, which means slippers and sweatshirts and pretend fireplaces on the TV screen. It also means the oldest kiddo is off to college again for her spring semester, which always makes me a little sad/proud/awestruck/grateful — yet this time she’s flying across the pond for a stint abroad in Austria and I could not be more excited (nor jealous).
That means today and tomorrow is spent running errands and doing laundry for her while she packs, tackling last-minute tasks that we have indeed forgotten until the last minute, and hopefully squeezing in some good family time tonight. We’ll be chalking the door for Epiphanytide, eating barbecue, enjoying one of our seasonal everyone-shows-a-15-minute-video-(max)-they-love evenings, then chasing it with a wee game night. In between more packing, of course.
5 Quick Things ☕️
1. This isn’t exactly a new episode of A Drink With a Friend (the first one of the season comes next week), but I am making a little announcement-reminder. Spoiler: now’s a great time of year to create your Rule of Life!
2. I really enjoyed our subscribers’ book chat this week and yet it reminded me how I tend to become overly enthusiastic with my early-in-the-year TBR list. A good solution? Short books. They pack a great punch and make me feel like I’m knocking out the top of my stack right away… Some of my favorites for January and February: The Abolition of Man, Domestic Monastery, The Quotidian Mysteries, The Art of Living, and new for me this year — Interior Freedom (though I’m still reading it; see below).
3. Wondering what I meant by “chalking the door”? Here’s a good 101 primer.
4. I’ve been eating carnivore for 130 days now (as of today), and I can’t overstate how much better I feel. Yes, everyone’s talking about it, and yes, it’s one of those rabbit-hole topics that a die-hard can overdo when they’re chatting with someone about how their life has changed, but nonetheless… it’s been so very good for me, and I have no reason to stop. Lots of people are interested in carnivore right now, so here’s a recent beginner’s guide if you’re interested at all in what it is, what it’s not, and how to try it out.
5. And finally… I think this’ll be the video I show tonight.
Currently Reading, Watching, Listening 📚
Interior Freedom, by Jacques Philippe (recommended by a local friend… super good so far)
Uncluttered 🗑️
A little reminder that my friend Joshua Becker’s much-beloved course, Uncluttered, is open for enrollment for the final time — and he’s closing it this Sunday, January 12! It’s my go-to recommendation for anyone who wants accountability and an encouraging step-by-step process for eliminating clutter.
Go ahead and snag it now, even if you don’t think you’ll get to this task for awhile (I tend to declutter during Lent, for example). Since it’ll never be available again, head here to sign up and treat your future self to some helpful hand-holding:
Quotable 💬
“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.”
― Henry David Thoreau
What’s your favorite thing about January? ❄️
January gets a bad rap, but it has its bright spots… I think my favorites are a tandem ‘starting the year with a blank slate’ and ‘setting goals.’ My least favorite thing about the month is the thing nine percent of you claim is your favorite — I’m definitely not ready for “real life” to resume. I love the holiday season, which is a reason why I appreciate the lesser-known tradition of Candlemas in a few weeks. Our holiday lights are still out because… well, it’s a good time for extra lights. We’re just calling them winter lights now.
A year ahead with a blank slate: 44%
Winding down the hubbub of the holidays: 18.2%
The cold weather: 16%
Setting goals: 13%
Getting back to school, work, life, etc.: 9%
Find next week’s poll here.
Quick Links 🔗
Question(s) For You to Ponder… 🤔
Even if it’s metaphorical, how can you embrace a Candlemas-y posture right now (sparks of lightness during a darker season)?
Have a great weekend,
- Tsh
p.s. - A girl and her dog.
I just love the Magpie by Monet.......I saw it at the Metropolitan Museum with my mom in the 90's- we were there for a special Monet exhibit and both of us really liked that piece, among many great ones.
This morning, I opened my my copy of your book First Light and Eventide, (after a many-week hiatus), and saw to my wonder that I was on Day 65. The LAST day. So yes, I appreciate the idea of a blank slate and deciding which new gratitude journal to implement, but first, I wanted to express in abundance my gratitude to YOU, Tsh. Indeed, you were Number 2 in my “What three things am I thankful for this morning?” column, right after “Inner peace and God’s assistance.” (It’s been a good day so far.) So thank you, dear Tsh, for blessing me more than you could have known…until now. : )