My favorite things in 2021
Books, TV shows, habit changes, and more...
Hi friends,
For those of you that experienced snow over the weekend, I hope you made the most of it! We had a blast at our house ❄️
Things I LOVED in 2021
For the second year in a row, I found myself on January 1st thinking, “Well, that was weird.” And, judging by how the first few weeks have gone, I have a feeling 2022 will be trying hard to equal the oddness of 2020 and 2021.
Oh well, such is our life now I suppose. But, at least for today, I’m choosing to reflect back on the things I most enjoyed in 2021. Below are some of my favorite things from last year, and please share some of your favorite things with me!
Favorite non-fiction book: Mediocre. This was a tough call, but ultimately this is the book I read that has stayed with me the most. It will be required reading for all of my boys when they get older, and my 17-year old is reading (and loving) it now.
Favorite audiobook: Will. Best audiobook I’ve ever listened to, hands down.
Favorite fiction book: The Way of Kings. This is the first book in the Stormlight Archive series and, look, I’m not really a fantasy guy, but this book (and the second which I also read in 2021) is simply phenomenal. (Also, as a writer, I feel a little ashamed not listing one of Cormac McCarthy’s books as my favorite…I read three of his in 2021, my first time reading him, and I love him, but Stormlight is just too good.)
Favorite TV show: Succession. 2021 brought us the third season of this show and I can honestly say it’s my favorite TV drama series of all time. (It’s probably not for everyone, and given that it is basically focused on a family that owns the equivalent of Fox News - decidedly not my cup of tea - it might be surprising to some that I love it…but it’s so, so good.)
Favorite movie: Spider-Man: No Way Home. What can I say, I grew up being a massive Spider-man fan, and these movies bring me back to my childhood. Plus, I haven’t exactly been to many movies over the last two years…
Favorite piece of tech: Beats Fit Pro. Turns out, I need a different kind of earbud because the Apple ones won’t stay in my ears. (I realize this could be the literal definition of a first-world problem.) But I finally found earbuds that sound great, are comfortable, and stay in my ears!
Favorite service: CompostNow. I was turned on to this service by Hanni Berger, and I simply love it. Basically, you get a bucket (yes, a bucket) from CompostNow and you put all your food waste in it - you won’t believe how many things qualify for composting - and once a week they come to your house and give you a clean bucket. Eventually, you can request the compost be delivered to you (for your garden or pranking or whatever you want to use it for) or you can donate it. And because it would help the world if more people use this service, here’s a link to a free two-week trial.
Favorite life change: no caffeine. Yes, I decided to start trying to be caffeine-free on January 1st, 2021, after what, probably over 20 years of being a 2+ cup of coffee a day guy? It was really, really hard the first month, especially the first few weeks of consistent headaches. But I stuck with it and now I’m less tired in the afternoons and I sleep better (even though I never drank coffee after 12 PM, but apparently caffeine can still affect your sleep even 10 hours later). I didn’t give up coffee, though, as there are pretty decent decaf beans you can get - I use Mistobox for this. Confession: as I currently work on writing my next book, I’ve been having a half-cup of caffeinated coffee mixed in with my decaf to give me a little boost of focus in the mornings and…not gonna lie, it’s been glorious. My current plan is to use it like a super boost only when I need it…yes, I know I sound like an addict. #takesonetoknowone.
Favorite podcast (of mine): Kenji Kuramoto and his family's experience in the Japanese internment camps. I produced 51 podcasts last year, so this was a really hard decision. But Kenji’s vulnerability to tell his family’s story made such an impression on me, and to learn more about one of my favorite business leaders in Atlanta was truly special. I do hope you’ll check it out!
Please share some of your favorite things from 2021!
I hope you’re happy,
Recent podcasts
I produce a podcast called Begin the Begin. I hope you'll consider subscribing. Here are the latest episodes:
What Does Your Fortune Cookie Say? (a conversation with Adam Albrecht about his new book)
Evana Oli, her daughter, and the amazing promise of their startup, Beautiful Curly Me