Hi friends,
Welcome to 2021, I think. No kidding, I had “2020” written there for about two minutes before I realized my mistake.
I wish there was some cosmic welcoming committee that would visit us at the beginning of each year. Showing us to our seat, giving us a blanket, some peanuts, a few ibuprofen.
Or maybe a gentle doctor who could talk us through what we might be able to expect from the next trip around the sun.
“It’s perfectly normal to feel angry, or like you’re not hitting the mark. Just remember to stay hydrated and get some rest. And give yourself a break every now and then.”
Then after tapping our knee with her little hammer, taking our blood pressure, and examining our ears, she would send us on our merry way into the new year.
We didn’t get the doctor or the welcoming committee, but here we are anyway, blinking in the sun, looking back as the taxi drives away.
As long as we’re here together, we might as well do our best, huh? I hope you take your time reading through this edition—there are a few pieces in here I don’t want you to miss.
Also, I usually say this at the end, but I love it when people send me suggestions for the next issue, so please do pass along those things you find and enjoy in February!
Here we go:
Ann - A long, winding, devastatingly beautiful read from Ann Patchett. You’ll start out thinking it’s about Tom Hanks and finish with a tissue in your hand marveling at how fragile and precious our lives really are.
Bob Dylan - Have you heard of a musical featuring Dylan’s songs called “Girl From The North Country?” Here’s a beautiful piece from the show called “I Want You.”
Come and Eat - A photo essay on the importance of Sunday Dinner, by Black Appetit.
Deep Dive - Brilliant long-form story detailing one man’s quest to dive to the deepest place in every ocean—often inventing the technology to do so along the way. (New Yorker, possible paywall)
Email Newsletters - I’ve seen this one pop up in a few feeds this week. It’s an illustrated rant about newsletters, and how the internet just isn’t living up to its potential. Worth a read!
Favors - A good word from Seth Godin.
Griff - One of my new favorite songs: “1,000,000 x Better.”
Human - Utterly profound wisdom from the late Dr. Maya Angelou.
Inaugural Poem - I mean, Amanda Gorman’s brilliant “The Hill We Climb” is just required viewing at this point.
Jukebox - The first on-demand music service was originally built for people to listen on stethoscope-like headphones.
Kaw - My home state of Kansas just celebrated its 160th “birthday” so I thought it would be interesting to learn more about the Kanza or Kaw tribe from whom the state gets its name.
Lunch Table - Looking for a picnic table for your favorite squirrel? Look no further.
Marketplace - Bit of a weird week for GameStop. And the stock market in general. Here’s a quick guide to what “shorting” and “squeezing” means in stock terminology.
Neom - Saudi Crown Prince “MBS” has proposed the development of a city stretching across most of the nation, and it’s shaped like a straight line. He’s calling the city…The Line.
Overthrow - The Wall Street Journal gathered footage from the Jan. 6 attempted Capitol insurrection and found that members of “The Proud Boys” were at the forefront of the action. An eye-opening 11 minutes.
Panda Cam - Every time it snows, the Smithsonian Zoo shares footage of the giant pandas having the best time of their lives. This snowstorm is no different.
Q & A - Interview between directors Nia DaCosta and Taika Waititi. “The spectacle can never be trauma.”
Resignation - After a scandal involving the mismanagement of childcare funds, the entire Dutch government resigned at once.
ShantyTok - Who would have thought that 2021 would be the year of the sea shanty? Here we are. It’s a trend going viral on TikTok, and one reporter argues that sea shanties are “a perfect expression of masculinity for 2021.”
Tinnitus - I’ve had some mild tinnitus (hearing a ringing in the ears) for a while now, and recently came across a study that silence may actually lead to phantom noises that mimic the condition.
Underground Railroad - Everything Barry Jenkins makes is impossibly beautiful. I’m sure this new show will be no different.
Venom - Poison, toxins, venom, what’s the difference?
Waste - About 35% of electronic waste in the U.S. is recycled. What happens to the rest?
X - What former US Presidents would look like today— a Twitter thread.
Your Recovery - What would it look like if people in recovery (from any sort of vice, addiction, harmful behavior, or attitude) believed that they didn’t have to earn their worthiness: You are already worthy of a better life.
Z - Why do Americans pronounce the last letter “zee” while others say “zed?”
A special thanks to my wife for her contributions to this issue (she suggested that amazing Ann Patchett piece).
Have a suggestion for the next issue? Just reply to this email. If you enjoyed this edition, go ahead and forward it to a friend. And to help others find and enjoy The A to Z, tap the heart at the top of the page.
See you next month (and please get some sleep).
-Brady