American Christmas, part 3

• Kids out and about in their pajamas.

• “Help me remember that our full size mini-van is hidden behind this Suburban.”

• Adults out and about in their pajamas.

• “Here’s the check. No rush, though!”

• Massive, high capacity washing machines that would fit a calf.

• The cheap wine is still expensive.

• Free electricity in AirBnBs.

• 15 types of cauliflower frozen pizza.

• “Please be respectful of our neighbors and the residents living above us. Please keep noise down after dark.”

• Golf-cart security guard.

Also, see parts one and two.

Relative to your interests

• Get your work recognized: write a brag document - Making sure you prove your value at work.

• Tech stuff for Ten-yr-olds - by Camille Hartsell - As it says.

• Sulking is a fascinating form of indirect communication - “Given that sulking is a somewhat understandable strategy through which powerless people can get their needs met, it’s puzzling that we are so opposed to it.”

• The science of decision-making: why smart people do dumb things - Drivers of decision making, a simple framework.

• Make Yourself Immune to Secondhand Stress - “five positive psychology habits that help inoculate your brain against the negative mindsets of others: 1)writing a 2-minute email praising someone you know; 2) writing down three things for which you’re grateful; 3) journaling about a positive experience for two minutes; 4) doing cardio exercise for 30 minutes; or 5) meditating for just two minutes.”

• 2023 in Review: Reading and Writing Highlights - “I had a great year.” Seroter’s list of books, publications, etc.

• Kellblog Predictions for 2024 - “ABM is a lot of work. You shouldn’t bother trying it to win a $10K or even a $50K deal. But when you can do $100K to $500K+ deals and have a few strong references in a vertical to which your company has strategically committed, that is when you should do ABM.”

Wastebook

• The best is when you visit an old friend and your phone still has the WiFi password.

• "freelancers’ liedowns. Here.

• “I’ve eaten the burrito that tastes only of Wednesdays, all of your Wednesdays, all your loves that didn’t end because they didn’t begin, all your small midweek deaths.” Here.

• “It’s just bald men. They’re going to be dead soon anyway.”

• “This is a bad time to get mixed up in the uncanny, not that there’s ever a good time.” Here.

• “We told you about the Japanese bathroom story, right?”

• “Seasonal jute.”

• “I said I’m gonna die with my boots on.”

• “I retired two months ago, and I feel like a teenager!”

• The Haunting of Hill House is a story about siblings. It’s the part of the story that I’m most fascinated by. I hope my kids have that kind of ongoing relationship.

• Was it Arley who changed Nine Inch Nails “Terrible Lies” into “Terrible Fries,” or was that Weird Al?

• “Look, people know that coffee makes you poop.” bdg.

• “It’s me, Andrew Jackson!”

Logoff

We’re going back to Amsterdam today. A holiday trip is never long enough: always book the extra days, with maybe just a day or two buffer to get situated back for real life.