January 2024 Top Ten

1.

I read How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen by Joanna Faber and Julie King and there was a lot of helpful content in there. Super practical, too. I’ve been trying to incorporate some of the tools into my parenting.

2.

One of my favorite bands came out with a new song and it’s great.

3.

I read the short little book Domestic Monastery by Ronald Rolheiser. It was pretty interesting and written in a pastoral style. Here’s are two quotes I resonated with:

“In essence, she suggested that raising children, being a mom or a dad, is a privileged means to holiness and—this is my addition—a more natural path to maturity than is to be found in monasticism.”

“How do I live the last years of my life so that when I die my death will bless my loved ones just as my life once did?”

4.

Me and my brother have been dueling in GeoGuessr. You have 3 minutes to find a place anywhere in the world. Look how close we both guessed on a barren road IN SOUTH AFRICA. Wild. Add me here.

5.

This video from Ryan Trahan was fun.

6.

I’ve started using the productivity tool called Notion and am loving it. I’m doing a ton of world building for a new trilogy and it’s been super helpful in keeping the biggest world I’ve ever tried to create all organized.

7.

I read the book Do Not Be True to Yourself by Kevin DeYoung and enjoyed it. I’ll be gifting it to graduated seniors from now on.

8.

I made a little playlist for myself.

9.

I finally caught up on all the Nateland Podcast episodes. Highly recommend. Super funny and you can put it on while you’re doing anything, and because of the kind of podcast that it is, you don’t have to worry if you get distracted and miss something (you didn’t).

10.

This American Kestrel (the best of the birds) was right outside my window.