52 Surprising ThingsEvery December, writer Tom Whitwell publishes an eclectic list of 52 surprising things Whitwell learned over the year. It’s one of my favorite year-end reads. A few samples:
Browse his previous lists here. — MF Watchable American historyI believe every American should be required to watch Ken Burn’s Civil War series to understand their country today. Ken Burns has done it again with his new series on The American Revolution. Six episodes, 12 hours. LIke his other series, it unsettles the story-book history we have in our heads, and celebrates the complexity of the actual ideas, events, and complicated characters at the time. — KK See yourself as a verb“The existential balm of seeing yourself as a verb, not a noun” is a perspective‑shifting essay that explores a gentler way to hold the fear of death by reframing the self not as something fixed, but as a natural unfolding process. The author suggests reframing personhood as a shifting weave of body, breath, memory, mood, and perceptions, always in motion and in relationship with the world. The idea is to loosen perfectionistic pressure around having to be a fixed, definitive “someone,” and instead approach death as a quieting down of processes rather than the annihilation of a solid self. — CD Sharpen dull Airbnb knivesI’ve stayed in Airbnbs in many different countries, and have learned one universal truth: the kitchen knives are invariably dull. As a service to myself and future guests, I’ve started bringing a small knife sharpener with me when I travel. The Smith’s 2-Step Knife Sharpener is inexpensive, small, and lightweight, so I don’t mind packing it. It takes less than a minute to restore the edge on a blade. — MF Freak PagesFreak Pages is a directory for the weirdest Wikipedia entries, community‑curated to help you discover strange topics you’ve probably never heard of. Lots of rabbit holes to dive into. — CD Quotable quotesHere are some quotes I gathered recently:
I find witty quotes sharpen my thinking and help me pay attention. — KK THIS ISSUE IS SPONSORED BY MARKETING IDEASGrowth hacking gems from top marketer Tom Orbach in his weekly Marketing Ideas newsletter. Weekly “OMG-level” strategies read by 55,000 subscribers from Meta, Google & Netflix. Each issue has a battle-tested tactic that worked for him as Growth Director at Wiz. Recomendo Unclassified Ads work! Reach over 122,000 subscribers for just $200. UNCLASSIFIEDS We’ve got your UNIQUE gift. Circle her wrist with words she can read, wear and cherish without ever removing. Lovingly handmade in sterling silver and 14k gold. Beautifully packaged and ready to gift. In stock or custom options. *1-2 day turnaround. Expedited shipping available.* Personalized weight loss plans starting at $89/mo with oral medication kits or $199/mo for GLP-1 injections through Hims & Hers. Licensed providers, unlimited check-ins, meal planning—all 100% online. Start your personalized plan today. No insurance required. FSA/HSA eligible. 9 Hidden Perks of Your Amazon Prime Membership. Are you taking advantage of your Amazon Prime perks? If you’re already a Prime member or thinking about joining, be sure to take advantage of these 9 essential Prime member benefits. Playa-side Living w/Hot Well: 5+ac ranch & guest house in Surprise Valley CA at base of Warner Mtns. 90mi N of Black Rock Desert. 3 cold and 1 hot well. Silence. Dark sky. See at 1moe.com. 2 NCE-FM radio stations: Alturas & Cedarville CA. Non-profit only. E: laz@jiveradio.org Solve a 1920s mystery! June’s Journey is a hidden object game set in the 1920s. You play as June, an amateur detective, as she solves her sister’s murder. Playa-side Living w/Hot Well: 5+ac ranch & guest house in Surprise Valley CA at base of Warner Mtns. 90mi N of Black Rock Desert. 3 cold and 1 hot well. Silence. Dark sky. See at 1moe.com. 2 NCE-FM radio stations: Alturas & Cedarville CA. Non-profit only. E: laz@jiveradio.org Recomendo is an authentic, hand-crafted, human-written weekly newsletter that is free, but not cheap. Please consider supporting our work with a paid option, now at the low price of $45 per year. Paid subs enable us to keep making it free for others. Recomendo is published by Cool Tools Lab, a small company of three people. We also run the Cool Tools website, a YouTube channel and podcast, and other newsletters, including Gar’s Tips & Tools, Nomadico, What’s in my NOW?, Tools for Possibilities, Books That Belong On Paper, and Book Freak. Recomendo is copyrighted by Cool Tools Lab, LLC. Commissions may be earned from the links above. |
