Happy Sunday!
What are you optimizing for?
I consume a variety of content and I dabble in different disciplines. I pat myself on the back for avoiding the news and limiting my scrolling down feeds. But what am I optimizing for? Am I working to improve my writing? Other skills?
My answer is a bit of everything, but that’s not much of an answer. It doesn’t matter how much wind you have if you don’t know where you’re sailing.
I plan to narrow my focus as we move into February. I want to spend more time writing. Writing is what I want to be optimizing. Writing is where ideas are found and formed. The more I write, the more attention I give to the things in my life that truly matter.
What is it for you?
January Highlights:
🎂 I enjoyed a unique birthday courtesy of sweet lady Sarah. She curated an art walk around downtown Calgary. She led me to sites I’d seen before but knew nothing about. It was wonderful to explore the city in a way I so rarely do. Each exhibit, if you will, contained a theme. Things like strength, re-invention, positivity, and love. All things Sarah wished for me going into a new year of life. It was thoughtful and beautiful, really.
🖥️ I was lucky enough to receive a 27” curved monitor for Christmas. I ordered a dual desk mount and upgraded my workspace to a 3-screen operation. I added an expensive mouse to the mix, attached an apple keyboard I had laying around, and changed the vibe/feel/energy of my desk. Following the physical reorganization of my workspace, I cleaned up my meta-space (computer files) and updated my computer. It felt superb to trudge through the layers of menial work and finish with everything organized and labelled. Funny how it all tricked down from a new monitor.
🗽 After missing out on an extended summer trip in 2022, Jason and I got to work early this year making sure we had something planned. After considering a few different ideas, we landed on New York City. I did some research and some planning and booked the flights and airbnb a few days later. We’re going to NYC, baby! The trip isn’t until August, but it feels good to have something exciting to look forward to. I haven’t left the country in too long.
Three value-packed things to share 🌎
🎙️ PODCAST detailing the significance of asking yourself quality questions
A fascinating discussion between two deep thinkers. This is where I came across the question that started this edition of the newsletter. They speak in depth on the importance of asking yourself the right questions. The questions you ask yourself shape your perspective and ultimately determine the direction of your life. They also discuss habits, writing, leveraging the internet, and much more.
🐦 THREAD revealing 40 secrets to life
I love threads like these because they offer so much value per line. There’s no room for excess description. Right to the point. These are subtle reminders to pay attention to what is important. You can never have too many of those.
📹 VIDEO telling you why you love Doritos
What exactly are Doritos made of? What’s the secret sprinkle that makes them so delicious? Well, Johnny Harris did the work to find out for us. This video will bring you on a journey you were not expecting.
Photos of the Month 📷
I’ll leave you with a quote 🤔
“The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can.”
— Neil Gaiman
If you enjoyed the newsletter, do me a favour and share it with one person.
I haven’t figured out how to do one of those auto-share buttons, so you’ll need to copy and paste, like we used to before phones got so smart.
Until next time, remember to live and let go,
Scotty
P.S. Not quite a white buffalo, but …
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