My friends, Today’s newsletter is about love. So, let me ask you: Is there anything more important than love? I mean, once you’ve got food, water and shelter covered, I really doubt there is… Whoa, that’s a big question right outta the gate, Julia. What’s the deal? When I was teaching at the University of Toronto in the Department of Health & Society, I took over a lower-year lecture class called Introduction to Health Humanities. I have to admit - I really loved teaching this class. The crux...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Hey my friends, I’m covering a few things in this email, so it’s a bit longer than my usual fare. But I think this week’s length is worth it. First, I wanted to share some reflections on my own journey over the past month, that I’ve been emailing about.* Since January 6, I’ve attempted to break my technology habit, started to re-build my imaginative and creative capacities, and started to re-focus on human connections and cultural patterns. A big part of what I take away from this month is...
3 months ago • 5 min read
Happy New Year my wonderful friends! I hope you were able to take a break during the final weeks of 2024. I had some good time with my kiddos and my guy, and also got to see my folks. It was nice. I’m looking ahead to the rest of January. As I mentioned in my pre-holiday email, I’m planning a Digital Reboot of sorts, a Combatting of Brain Rot, a Building of Creative Capacities. (if you missed that email, you can find it here.) I am starting my Reboot/Combat/Capacity-Building on January 6th....
4 months ago • 2 min read
Hey Friends, Did you know that Oxford’s Word of the Year for 2024 is ‘brain rot’? Although, ironically, ‘brain rot’ is actually two words. But I digress. Oxford defines brain rot as: “the supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging.” Oxford says that ‘brain rot’ moved into the spotlight because the term captures people’s concerns...
4 months ago • 3 min read
Hello My Friends, How did we find ourselves in December? Not only that, but we’re nearing the mid-point of December. New Year's Eve is literally around the corner. What the HECK!? There can be a lot of pressure at this time of year about so many things. About hosting an amazing party, about creating that magical time for your kids, about finishing strong at work or in your business. Maybe this email is your sign. Don’t worry about “finishing strong” - maybe finish soft. Or finish with love....
4 months ago • 2 min read
Hey Friends, I often get some serious eye-rolling when I insist that writing is still really, really important. In this age of A.I., and action-packed awkwardly-edited video reels on a mini-screen, writing might feel a bit, well, antiquated. It’s just words, on a page. Isn’t that… boring? My peeps, you know I love some good modes of multi-dimensional communication. Moving images! Colour! Text! And MORE! Call me old fashioned, but the amazingness of writing cannot be ignored. Writing is a...
6 months ago • 1 min read