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Issue #207: the women who created werewolf stories and the four doors we use to determine right vs. wrong
Issue #206: befriending good communicators and a roadtrip through the 11 distinct subcultures that comprise the U.S.
Issue #205: a letter from prison + an email from Taylor Swift’s dad
Issue #204: raking leaves and making things you actually love (even if no one else does)
Issue #203: Misery, prejudice, and…finding your joy!
Issue #202: climate denial as a coping mechanism, expanding accessibility in video games, and the history of bento boxes
Issue #201: a media reckoning, a straw poll, and taking care of yourself
Issue #200: working the polls and phoning a friend
Issue #199: a hike with George H.W. Bush + doing hard things
Issue #198: the French Bread Law, ancient lawn signs, and reigning in a free-ranging convo
Issue #197: drinking the Kool-Aid and the paradox of control
Issue #196: six days until you know what
Issue #195: design thinking + asking better questions
Issue #194: parenting boys v. girls + auditing your boundaries
Issue #193: the nebulous definition of “community” and simplicity vs. fanciness
Issue #192: pet death doulas + what your therapist really thinks about you
Issue #191: listening to the “other side” and doing just a few things well
Issue #190: how metaphors influence our perceptions, and RSS-ing your news sources
Issue #189: a quantum mechanics scientist largely forgotten by history, why few women get Nobel prizes, and making MVEs rather than MVPs
Issue #188: hot sauce, getting older, and titrating your news intake
Issue #187: analyzing tech layoffs and observing without absorbing
Issue #186: untangling presidential immigration policy, and planning v. doing
Issue #185: the Nobel Prize in chemistry, dealing with bad bosses, and living with envy
Issue #184: using your past to help your community, and replacing “what ifs” with “even ifs”
Issue #183: creativity tips from Tony Soprano and what to do when you feel misunderstood
👋 Issue #182: figs, namedropping, and ASMR
👋 Issue #181: how inspiration works, indigenous languages, and doing it right
Issue #180: a worrying stat about scientific papers, 28 foods you should be eating, and reducing your personal signal-to-noise ratio
Issue #179: the top highlight on Medium last week + a clear-eyed perspective on AI
Issue #178: turning your schedule upside-down and learning from solitude
Issue #177: letters to the editor and nothing is as urgent as you think
Issue #176: goat herding, job hunting, and zooming out
Issue #175: honest classical performances, what to do in Scotland, and finally throwing away all those morning pages
Issue #174: fake vulnerability, “publish or perish,” and universal needs
Issue #173: Vitalik Buterin demystifies “decentralization” and process v. results
Issue #172: don’t call it “aging,” yodeling in Walmart, and the power of “yet”
Issue #171: writing advice, skydiving while pregnant, and just not doing things you don’t feel like doing
Issue #170: an email from 9/11, a journaling trick, and saying goodbye
Issue #169: verschlimmbesserung and clay pots
Issue #168: contested elections and bad habits
Issue #167: the best job in the military, dinosaur descendants, and passive choices
Issue #166: how political polls work, a dispatch from Venezuela, and urgency vs. importance
Issue #165: career wisdom from James Earl Jones and listening to your gut
Issue #164: the genius of stating the obvious and the anniversary of Mexico’s independence
Issue #163: Norm cascades, saying goodbye, and getting into the puzzle mindset
Issue #162: on using doors in video games, what MFA annotations can teach writers, and radical attention
Issue #161: who we were on 9/11 and talking out your problems
Issue #160: beating procrastination, becoming more aware of your social fears, and a chart for figuring out whether you’re growing
Issue #159: turning 90, MFA woes, and how to semester your life
Issue #158: emails from *that* CEO and leading with conviction
Issue #157: how to interview well, the myth of breaking through, and personal perspectives on Gaza
Issue #156: a very weird engineering interview, a dispatch from the Eras tour, and good distraction
Issue #155: becoming unhackable and clocking your flaws
Issue #154: writing with a day job and learning to ignore what doesn’t matter
Issue #153: upcycling, locally grown bananas, and the value of incomplete plans
Issue #152: African origins of U.S. words, Man Repeller, and remembering you have joints
Issue #151: getting real about how science works, and the value of doing nothing
Issue #150: behind the scenes at the DNC and why designers should read sci-fi
Issue #149: Cognitive Bias Week, drawing the DNC, and how to small talk
Issue #148: history from the inside and judging true friendship
Issue #147: gradual evolution, writing for humans, and how to make a good first impression
Issue #146: fact-checking Simone Biles’s jump height, the effects of puberty blockers on trans tweens, and dramadoodles
Issue #145: navigating anxiety, cat math, and what your Moleskine is thinking
Issue #144: how to tell what your company really cares about, the creativity muscle, and what to do in Paris
Issue #143: Reflections on reproductive health, a tip on how to make friends, and the full Medium Day lineup
Issue #142: leaving it all on the mat, telling our coworkers how we really feel, and solving problems no one asked you to solve
Issue #141: Obama’s summer sounds, saying the quiet part loud, and 30/30 feedback
Issue #140: remembering Susan Wojcicki, doodling for your kids, and the definition of mastery
Issue #139: how to disagree and commit, expecting the unexpected, and Olympic design
Issue #138: childless teachers and and pragmatism vs. perfectionism
Issue #137: making a police sketch of the Boogeyman and writing for fun
Issue #136: comedy vs. tragedy and finding your “why”
Issue #135: emotional connectedness at work, reasons to write, and cold soup
Issue #134: how to beat writer’s block and the ugly human-ness of Brat
Issue #133: how to say no, how to do nothing, and the psychology of luck
Issue #132: minimalist icons and letting yourself fail
Issue #131: breaking down complicated AI concepts, propaganda x-ray vision, and unreliable facts
Issue #130: ’80s nostalgia, medieval memes, and work relationships
Issue #129: when to speak up, OG blogger JD Vance, and the meaning behind the Brat memes
Issue #128: Time and being an executive, volunteering for science, and the power of a brag document
Issue #127: how to communicate across continents & how to be non-judgmental
Issue #126: the Backstreet Boys are forever, how to make Apple Notes work for you, and that CrowdStrike bug
Issue #125: on staying in the closet + switching teams
Issue #124: how to innovate, how to mourn, and a tip for flight anxiety
Issue #123: escaping the “Troubled Teen” industry, the digital remains we leave behind, and tips on building trust
Issue #122: becoming a better reader, shifting from individual contributor to manager, and some perspectives on the evolution of J.D. Vance
Issue #121: the definition of AI slop, armchair activism, and a better tomato sauce
Issue #120: kindness v. niceness + thinking like a 60-year-old
Issue #119: What good communication looks like, how journalists should inoculate us from authoritarianism, and how to give yourself a raise
Issue #118: an ex-FBI special agent on trust + the importance of asking for money
Issue #117: the unpredictability of heat, protecting your peace, and going where you look
Issue #116: landing a six-figure publishing deal, haiku stand-up, and unnecessary words
Issue #115: mythical monsters, judging AI, and how to grow your career
Issue #114: Anthony Bourdain’s jiu jitsu habit and how to build a reading soundtrack
Issue #113: friendship breakups, maximalist headphones, and avoiding half-heartedness
Issue #112: the Supreme Court’s immunity decision, French elections, and not taking the hint
Issue #111: blindness as a strength, how to spot a cult, and a trick for remembering
Issue #110: questioning the meaning of life, an Olympian’s defense, and a writing tip
Issue #109: the antidote to America’s all-or-nothing car culture, 500 errors explained, and how to say no to yourself
Issue #108: a Navy SEAL-endorsed breathing technique and eating what used to be alive
Issue #107: Louisiana’s Ten Commandments law, Canva-ification, and evading germs
Issue #106: speaking with an accent at work, the etymology of “gay,” and dark patterns
Issue #105: 90-something problems and bad goals
Issue #104: Reid Hoffman on Trump, (not) wasting away in Margaritaville, the history of emojis, and a tactic for unearthing your real values
Issue #103: let your kid chill out this summer, the National Weather Service’s experimental HeatRisk site, and a self-sabotage quiz
Issue #102: glass children, elderly homelessness, and the flames that shape us
Issue #101: creative imperfection, remembering Pulse nightclub, and the envy cure
Issue #100: Apple Intelligence, the case for majoring in theater, and how to reset your status quo
Issue #99: pollinators, the comeback nobody wanted, and productivity shaming
Issue #98: treating “get-there-itis”, the impact of modern life on our bodies, and absurdism as practical life advice
Issue #97: 50 contradictory truths, gardening flubs, and building a morning routine
Issue #96: distrust your data, The Ice Cream Diaries, and avoiding overthinking
Issue #95: misunderstanding the Middle East, AI-powered fraud, and how to share your ideas
Issue #94: personal (not social) media, university shut-downs, and when your skills don’t match your vision
Issue #93: why AI loves the word “delve,” bad news about avocados, and why you should only apologize when you mean it
Issue #92: audio-only meetings, the end of a 40-year ban on gay clergy, and the art of detachment
Issue #91: emotional ads, the democratization of design, and how not to overcommit
Issue #90: remembering Michelle Obama’s mom, AI-generated smiles, and DIY watercolors
Issue #89: the creator of CAPTCHA, the foundation of empathy, and anatomical animation
Issue #88: happiness = control, why you don’t have to write every day, and wisdom for entrepreneurs
Issue #87: ignoring experts, wine snobbery, and work logs
Issue #86: keeping corporate promises, a creativity tip, and layered writing
Issue #85: Unconventional parenting, engineering principles, and embracing limits
Issue #84: Busting neuroscience myths, making personalization human, and learning from bad bosses
Issue #83: Reactions to Harrison Butker’s speech, visual riddles, and a writing tip
Issue #82: Talking about the things you’re doing, going deep on backpacks, and giving feedback
Issue #81: ChatGPT-4o explained, eating carbs last, and learning to disagree and commit
🦷 Issue #80: writing tips inspired by Kendrick Lamar, Japan’s National Living Treasures program, and why boredom isn’t so bad
Issue #79: Moving in with your parents at 31 and Red Lobster’s missteps
Issue #78: Alice Munro’s writing tips and the importance of showing up
Issue #77: OpenAI comes for Siri, a new study on H5N1 avian flu, and life with Long Covid
Issue #76: a musician’s guide to punctuation, a chaplain’s advice on what not to say after someone dies, and a storytelling tip
Issue #75: A philosophy of LLMs, the moments leading up to famous photos, and how to Slack
Also today: Autism inclusion on Broadway, the science of groove, and when to walk the talk at work
Also today: Seeing through Wes Anderson’s eyes, fearless leadership, and writing good sentences
Also today: Why T. Rex’s arms are so tiny, Kendrick vs. Drake, and the power of unconditional positive regard
Also today: Swimming through the Manhattan Project, how to send good emails, and the value of imperfection
Also today: Live-drawing the Trump trial, cautionary design, and strategic impoliteness
Also today: Why are 9-volt batteries rectangular? And how not to jump to conclusions
Also today: the mighty ellipsis and a terrifying lifespan chart
Also today: Finding freedom in constraints, font pairings, and why assumptions are not your friends
Also today: the truth about virality, pushing Medium to its limits, and how to be the type of person everyone wants to know
Also today: Storytelling tips from a lawyer, rattlesnake facts, and how to avoid awkward meeting endings
Also today: The 25th anniversary of The Matrix, re-examining the JFK assassination, and strategic small talk
Today: Why big hits stay hits longer, first aids myths, and taking inspiration from Steve Martin’s career
Plus: how to find magic in the everyday
Plus: how to give the best compliments
Happy World Book Day!
An urgent Earth Day warning
Plus: Taming your smartphone
Today: A wrenching recollection, and advice on how to make requests that actually get heard
Also today: Julian Assange, an AI music experiment, not your same-old Wordle starter words, and the power of bracing for the worst
Also today: Post less, write more
Plus: The 50/30/10/10 rule
Plus: One amazing (and amazingly stinky) cheese
Also: The power of cold emails
And: A fish recipe
Also today: How flying really works, a meditation on why Sears stores are still in operation, and how to be your own friend.
Plus: Leading a meeting does not mean talking the most
🍾 It’s Friday, y’all! Plus: Typing on a 100-year-old Royal portable
Also this week: Don’t try to be happy, just be useful.
Plus: A window into Barack Obama’s decision-making process
And how to master work-appropriate honesty
A prank-free April 1 experiment
Also today: The antitrust case against Apple and a guide to making good career choices.
And how to look inward for creative inspiration
And a strategy for beating writer’s block
And the secret to telling a good story
Plus: 7 ways to spot a liar
Plus: A legal look at TikTok’s privacy policy and a rational look at your odds of dying
Plus: An internal memo from Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield
And how our memory changes as we age
And a strategy for curbing impulse shopping
And the shadow side of software optimization
Ireland’s anti-slavery history, Zen Buddhist shoshin, and the three types of tech workers
Pi Day, the web turns 35, and knowing when to work less
The psychology of small talk, an alternative to job interviews, and Kate conspiracies
And a system for getting more out of what you read
The story behind Microsoft’s new default font
Plus: A bad system will beat a good person every time
Plus: Disruption comes for Google
Plus: A meditation technique to boost self-compassion
Plus: Why company celebrations are so strategically important
Plus: Interviewing for a job? Focus on being useful
Plus: Why you didn’t get that job as a senior software engineer
Plus: Would it be morally acceptable for us to eat extraterrestrial life?
And: How Black artists are reclaiming “country”
Plus: Netflix’s cofounder on Taylor Swift’s growth tactics
…and a Twitter cofounder’s lessons for conquering fear
Plus: A brief history of art on the moon
Plus: Deciphering James Brown’s algorithmic rhythms
And how to write delightful copy
Plus: The most overlooked rule of dating
And a glimpse into the future of electric vehicles
🍄 Once again, it’s Friday! Congratulations, you made it
Also: 16 strange but beautiful paradoxes
Plus: Usher’s ode to southern Black culture
Plus: Why boring is beautiful in software engineering
Plus: Embrace being inefficient
Plus: Celebrating the Year of the Dragon
Plus: Apple’s ecosystem advantage
Plus: Why people end up in leadership for the wrong reasons
Plus: Nature photography from the Pacific Northwest
Plus: How to avoid ‘conspicuous contribution’ at work
Plus: A rodent predicted early spring, and 10 tricks to appear smart in meetings
“Apple has a long history of coming in late to the game, doing it (and marketing it) better, and creating an industry.”
Today: The lesser-known origins of Dry January