Subject: What I’m Up To, Vol. 112
Here's what I've been up to since Volume 111.
Hey friends,
Here’s what I’ve been up to since Vol. 111…
- October Happenings – People keep asking me, “What’s life like after KW?” Well, this was the first month it actually felt different. After more than 25 years, my professional world was pretty tangled. Untangling it to everyone’s satisfaction required more than a dozen contracts. With great relief, we signed the last one at the start of the month. Cue Dorothy opening the door to Oz in full Technicolor…
Suddenly I had room for travel, creative work, and connecting with friends.
I kicked off the month at my new favorite hangout, Leona Botanical Cafe and Bar. It’s a gorgeous garden space with three restaurants attached – Dee Dee Thai, Veracruz tacos, and Bun Bun Burgers. My old publishing team met us for a happy hour and long-overdue catch-up session.
Wendy and I caught Kate McKinnon at the LBJ Library with Juanpablo and Marissa. She was funny, smart, and wise. When asked why she writes fiction for middle schoolers, McKinnon shared, “It’s all about identity. That’s when we first notice that we’re different. And start the process of getting comfortable with our authentic selves.” If you have young humans in your home, check out her Millicent Quibb books.
I headed to Atlanta for my MashUp Mastermind. I’m trying to get better at seeing friends when I travel, so I flew in early for dinner at Delbar with my friend, Anna K, and two “mashers,” Robyne and Austin. I also stopped by Anna’s office to teach a short class on shifting markets. MashUp was terrific, as always. Michael Bungay Stanier, Eric Zimmer, Laura Gassner Otting, and Alex Wieckowski joined the group and brought their A-game. I was invited to present for the first time and hosted a publishing discussion with my pal and book launch expert, Tim Grahl. I also got to meet (and shuffle with) the Shuffle Mamas!
Meanwhile, Wendy spent two weeks (the longest we’ve ever been apart) on a grand adventure through Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, and Bosnia. I asked her to share her highlights: Our adventure began in Albania – 12 of us dodging student riots and burning dumpsters in Tirana, exploring Krujë Castle, and tackling 47 hairpin turns to reach the magical mountain village of Theth. We hiked to the stunning Blue Eye, dipped into freezing turquoise water, shared unforgettable dinners in our tiny guesthouse, and laughed our way through power outages, questionable accommodations, and autumn in the Albanian Alps.
From there, we met up with our Her Best Life crew in the spectacular walled city of Dubrovnik. We polar plunged into the Adriatic! After narrowly avoiding a shakedown at the Bosnia and Herzegovina border, we drove to Mostar and then Sarajevo, where the Ottoman architecture and complicated history brought an entirely different dimension to our travel. A highlight was Tito’s Bunker, a massive underground nuclear shelter built in total secrecy over a 26-year period during the Cold War.
Before her return, I squeezed in another fishing trip. Author Michael Hyatt organized a leadership retreat at The Refuge Foundation, near Billings, Montana. The lodge overlooks the Bighorn River. We fished for two days and explored a river canyon on another. We drove up into the mountains to stargaze under perfectly dark skies, shot skeet, and sipped Old Fashioneds by the fire. Daniel Tardy, of EntreLeadership fame, hosted and led our dinner discussions. I was nervous at first, not knowing anyone but Michael and Daniel. I left with a bunch of new friends. (That’s fishing adventure number five this year. One more to go!)
One of my favorite moments was interviewing Angela Duckworth for The ONE Thing podcast. I reached out when I saw she was scheduled to speak at UT, but she didn’t have much time. “Flight lands 12:07 and I would like to get to Bob Bowman’s practice by 2 p.m.,” she texted. I did the math. There was no way to pick her up, record a podcast, and get her to the Texas swim center on time. So I pitched a crazy idea. She replied, “Omg that sounds so fun.” The plan? We outfitted my car with cameras and microphones and did our best impression of Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. The episode is live on YouTube on October 23rd. Please subscribe and let me know what you think!
Finally, we were gifted tickets to the Texas vs. Mississippi State game on Halloween. We had an absolute blast. The stadium holds 100,000 people, and lots of them showed up in costume. The Longhorns rolled to a 31-3 win. A great finish to a very entertaining month!
- What I’m Reading – For nonfiction, I read Better Good by Scott M. Curran and Situated by Angela Duckworth to prep for their podcasts. Curran served as General Counsel for the Clinton Foundation. He has been on the front lines of high-level giving for a long time. Better Good breaks down how all of us can give more and leave a better legacy. It’s both practical and inspiring.
Situated is Duckworth’s first book since the groundbreaking Grit was published in 2016. She moves her focus upstream of our resolve to the situations (both places and people) that shape our days. When we choose to change our situation, she writes, we don’t need willpower as often or as much. The book is packed with research, stories, and her personal journey. It’s definitely a top 3 book for the year!
I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Churchill’s Secretary by Susan Elia MacNeal. It’s a novel about a British-born, American-raised orphan who becomes one of Winston Churchill’s secretaries. If you enjoy historical fiction, add it to your list. Carly recommended it, and Wendy loved it too. That’s three pairs of thumbs up!
3. ,What I’m Watching – Despite our travel, we found time to wrap up three series. Ted Lasso (Apple TV), Season 4, was a disappointment for us. I’m a big supporter of women’s soccer, but there just wasn’t much soccer this season. The comedy was sappy, and the storylines felt forced. Still, in the last few episodes, the old Ted shone through, delivering many trademark teary-eyed moments. It was infuriating, because it reminded us what the show can be. We’ll stick around for season 5 and hope they find their footing sooner. Or else we’ll have to give the show the boot.
Widow’s Bay (Apple TV) was as good as advertised, though the ending left us miffed. I’m guessing a season 2 is in the works. No reservations about the 6th season of Slow Horses (Apple TV). That show just gets better and better.
While Wendy was away, I watched a few shows – like Reacher and The Agency – that were okay, but nothing to write home about.
That’s it for this month. Please reply back and let me know what you’re up to!
Be well, do good deeds, and eat tacos!
Jay
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