Austin, You are one of the 100 things that made my year. While sitting in the ER in New Haven, worried and waiting for the mom of my daughter's sick friend, who I wasn't allowed to see, I read your 100 things. Never underestimate the importance of your work to keep someone company through a difficult time. The greatest compliment I ever received was from someone who, similarly, told me my novel kept her mind occupied one afternoon while her son was in surgery. Damn.
I also want to say that I love Thoreau, I can't wait to check out Annie Albers' book (again, New Haven), and you are so right about the kindness of the biking community. And affluenza. I haven't visited my Austin cousins in a long time, but I'm sorry to hear this is happening to your shared city. Also, thank you for honestly admitting that Disney with kids is the best vacation ever.
I am very curious to hear more of your thoughts on the intersection of family and creativity. My girls are in their 20s now, but oh, yes, there is so much here. And also, what are the great writers whose newsletters are not so great doing wrong? I am professionally curious.
Anyway, sorry for this very long first comment! I am subscribing to say thank you for your companionship in the ER, with so many links that I knew, quite calmly, that I would not run out, even though I didn't know how long I would be there.
I do have to lodge one objection, to the term Dead Week. It's the best week of the year! A luxurious pause between holidays, leaning into a fresh start. Friends, desserts, sleeping in, etc., etc. It deserves a more joyful name!
The most awaited list! Happy new year, Austin!! I loved the questions you answered in your notebook. You posted the picture in your stories this weekend, but I didn't get a chance to write them down. Any chance you could re-share? Thanks as always for the gems.
Thanks for being an inspiration, Austin. After I saw your Top 100 last year, I vowed to make sure to do my own in 2022 — and I did! It’s such a satisfying way to conclude the year. Please keep exposing great ideas to steal. :)
Thanks for the book list....I also love Bill Gates' list as well...I really enjoy your lists and I want to create one for myself...I wonder how one starts? Does the person jot down favorites as they go along through the year or towards the end of the year stopes to consider everything all at once? It seems really obvious when reading someone's great list, but when you stop to think about it-it doesn't seems as obvious. Best to all in the coming year.
Your 2021 playlist ran side-by-side with my art practice for many days in 2022. Just downloaded the new one and am looking forward to diving in next week. Thanks for the music and for all your creative inspiration, and happy new year to you and your family!
I appreciated #26 of your “100 things that made my year post” about your grandmas, that really spoke to me. I will turn 40 next year and am blessed to still have two of my grandparents that are in their early 80s. At Thanksgiving this past year several of us got emotional thinking of family members that are no longer with us, but then we were able to speak of the blessing that it is to get to spend our days together. I have such fond childhood memories of my grandmama (my dad’s mom) Bonnie. She was truly present with us and thankfully as children we were only a bike ride away. And now my living grandparents get to enjoy time with my four children, for them to have a relationship with their great-grandparents is definitely a gift.
Happy New Year to you and your family Austin! May good things continue to come your way in 2023.
Last year you shared a list of 10 questions for the new year, that you stole from someone else, which were such a nice alternative to the usual self-reflection/beating up/resolutions we make on Jan 1st. I can't find the post, but it was a great start to the year.
The first questions was:
"1. What are you craving to learn more about next year? How might you go about it- an online class, a mentor, a book?"
Anyway, your newsletters have been a constant highlight, have a wonderful New Year !
An indulgence adjacent to hot baths: get a manicure/pedicure (which in fact includes a warm bath for your feet). When I get both, I call it a "full Bernie", in honor of the late+great Bernie Mac, who always seems to get one or the other in my favorite movies (Bad Santa, Ocean's Eleven/Twelve/Thirteen). Bring something to read (obvs), sit back, and pretend you're pulling off some kind of heist later. It's pretty good.
“The long bridge that goes over the wild swamps in Louisiana.” <-- Atchafalaya (ah-CHA-fa-LIE-ya) Basin Bridge is wonderful until there’s an accident on it.🤦🏻♀️
One of my top things this year has been reading your newsletters every week. I send them to a special folder in my inbox so I don't miss them in the tsunami of email. I enjoy the community you've built here, especially with it's focus on creativity. Repo Man is one of my favorite movies. So strange, and what a soundtrack! Happy New Year Austin!
Video games: Dragon Quest Builders 2 made my year.
Gorogoa, a quiet puzzle game that the artist made as a video game because his idea was too tricky for paper.
And learning some old fashioned hands-on games through video games; with the immediate feedback, I don’t have to read the rules. Sudoku through Sudocats. Oware. Jazzed up versions of solitaire. One-player chess puzzles. Good when sick in bed
Austin, You are one of the 100 things that made my year. While sitting in the ER in New Haven, worried and waiting for the mom of my daughter's sick friend, who I wasn't allowed to see, I read your 100 things. Never underestimate the importance of your work to keep someone company through a difficult time. The greatest compliment I ever received was from someone who, similarly, told me my novel kept her mind occupied one afternoon while her son was in surgery. Damn.
I also want to say that I love Thoreau, I can't wait to check out Annie Albers' book (again, New Haven), and you are so right about the kindness of the biking community. And affluenza. I haven't visited my Austin cousins in a long time, but I'm sorry to hear this is happening to your shared city. Also, thank you for honestly admitting that Disney with kids is the best vacation ever.
I am very curious to hear more of your thoughts on the intersection of family and creativity. My girls are in their 20s now, but oh, yes, there is so much here. And also, what are the great writers whose newsletters are not so great doing wrong? I am professionally curious.
Anyway, sorry for this very long first comment! I am subscribing to say thank you for your companionship in the ER, with so many links that I knew, quite calmly, that I would not run out, even though I didn't know how long I would be there.
I do have to lodge one objection, to the term Dead Week. It's the best week of the year! A luxurious pause between holidays, leaning into a fresh start. Friends, desserts, sleeping in, etc., etc. It deserves a more joyful name!
Wow a 19 hour long playlist!
That made my day. Really good songs too.
Thanks for being an inspiration.
The most awaited list! Happy new year, Austin!! I loved the questions you answered in your notebook. You posted the picture in your stories this weekend, but I didn't get a chance to write them down. Any chance you could re-share? Thanks as always for the gems.
Thanks for being an inspiration, Austin. After I saw your Top 100 last year, I vowed to make sure to do my own in 2022 — and I did! It’s such a satisfying way to conclude the year. Please keep exposing great ideas to steal. :)
Thanks for the book list....I also love Bill Gates' list as well...I really enjoy your lists and I want to create one for myself...I wonder how one starts? Does the person jot down favorites as they go along through the year or towards the end of the year stopes to consider everything all at once? It seems really obvious when reading someone's great list, but when you stop to think about it-it doesn't seems as obvious. Best to all in the coming year.
Your 2021 playlist ran side-by-side with my art practice for many days in 2022. Just downloaded the new one and am looking forward to diving in next week. Thanks for the music and for all your creative inspiration, and happy new year to you and your family!
I appreciated #26 of your “100 things that made my year post” about your grandmas, that really spoke to me. I will turn 40 next year and am blessed to still have two of my grandparents that are in their early 80s. At Thanksgiving this past year several of us got emotional thinking of family members that are no longer with us, but then we were able to speak of the blessing that it is to get to spend our days together. I have such fond childhood memories of my grandmama (my dad’s mom) Bonnie. She was truly present with us and thankfully as children we were only a bike ride away. And now my living grandparents get to enjoy time with my four children, for them to have a relationship with their great-grandparents is definitely a gift.
Happy New Year to you and your family Austin! May good things continue to come your way in 2023.
Last year you shared a list of 10 questions for the new year, that you stole from someone else, which were such a nice alternative to the usual self-reflection/beating up/resolutions we make on Jan 1st. I can't find the post, but it was a great start to the year.
The first questions was:
"1. What are you craving to learn more about next year? How might you go about it- an online class, a mentor, a book?"
Anyway, your newsletters have been a constant highlight, have a wonderful New Year !
Oh I was doing these today! Courtney Martin and she posted a new batch: https://t.co/u4xWZhkGbc
Oh brilliant! Thank you 🎉
My father-in-law was watching All Creatures Great and Small when I was there for Christmas. Good show.
Here's my list of books I read this year. Happy new year! https://medium.com/create-make-write/the-32-books-i-read-in-2022-290f45061581
Top Album this year has to be Prioritise Pleasure by Self Esteem, so good it makes me cry (in a good way)
Thanks for all your dispatches in 2022!
An indulgence adjacent to hot baths: get a manicure/pedicure (which in fact includes a warm bath for your feet). When I get both, I call it a "full Bernie", in honor of the late+great Bernie Mac, who always seems to get one or the other in my favorite movies (Bad Santa, Ocean's Eleven/Twelve/Thirteen). Bring something to read (obvs), sit back, and pretend you're pulling off some kind of heist later. It's pretty good.
“The long bridge that goes over the wild swamps in Louisiana.” <-- Atchafalaya (ah-CHA-fa-LIE-ya) Basin Bridge is wonderful until there’s an accident on it.🤦🏻♀️
One of my top things this year has been reading your newsletters every week. I send them to a special folder in my inbox so I don't miss them in the tsunami of email. I enjoy the community you've built here, especially with it's focus on creativity. Repo Man is one of my favorite movies. So strange, and what a soundtrack! Happy New Year Austin!
The best community! It’s what I imagined an artist’s collective would be like. ❤️
Video games: Dragon Quest Builders 2 made my year.
Gorogoa, a quiet puzzle game that the artist made as a video game because his idea was too tricky for paper.
And learning some old fashioned hands-on games through video games; with the immediate feedback, I don’t have to read the rules. Sudoku through Sudocats. Oware. Jazzed up versions of solitaire. One-player chess puzzles. Good when sick in bed
Lots of fun things to check out! Happy new year!