Roundup, June 27, 2023
Roundup, June 27, 2023
Talking to someone smart
Sometimes, you need to have a conversation with someone smart who gets where you’re coming from. And that person is yourself.
I talk to myself all the time. I work through problems and remind myself of things I need to do. The voices in my head tell me that I really should do laundry and maybe address the pile of clothes on the chair. Carl Jung wrote about the shadow self, the part of yourself that you refuse to share with the world. While I am admitting here that my closet floor is where the dirty clothes live, maybe the things we talk about only to ourselves are things we need to work through.
Self-talk works on the job, too. I often draft stories while I’m driving. I’ll turn on otter.ai, a voice transcription app, and chatter away. I often find a few good sentences when I go through the results, and a few good sentences make all the difference. I’m not the only writer with a similar process. A friend who used to work at the Chicago Sun-Times told me this anecdote about Roger Ebert, their legendary film critic. After he attended a screening, he would come back to the office and gather the junior staffers around. Then, he would tell them about the movie he just saw. This was his first draft. After talking through it, he would go to his desk and type it up.
Even the Cleveland Clinic says it’s okay. So go, have a chat with someone you love: yourself!
Here are a few things that I discussed with myself this week and decided were worth sharing.
Things to Do
🍺Super light beer: The Athletic Lite non-alcoholic beer has 25 calories, no alcohol, and tastes like Miller Lite or Bud Lite or any of the other Lite macrobrews. Perfect for summer! (AthleticBrewing.com)
Write a cover letter: I’m not convinced they matter, but I write them anyway. Here’s a good model if you need to get started. (CNBC)
Say less and sell more: At some point, we’re all selling, right? Here’s some research that tells you how to do it better. (Chicago Booth Review)
Things to Read
Missing siblings: Chad Rubel writes about his brother’s death, family dynamics, and food. (Balance of Food)
Taylor Swift: A sportswriter and Swiftie talks about what it’s like to see a football stadium covered with glitter. (Cleveland.com)
Caregiving: Many people are taking care of their parents, physically and financially. Jennifer Nelson writes about what it’s like. (Next Avenue)