What I'm Up To
​Volume 105

Hey friends,
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Here’s what I’ve been up to since Vol. 104…
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1. March Happenings
​Dodged a bullet to start the month. My neighbor, Kelby, called to say he was driving onto my ranch. “There is smoke everywhere!” ​
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​We’ve been in a drought for a long time, so all 300 acres are basically kindling. Thankfully, the wildfire was on the property south of ours. But the wind was blowing it our way. Kelby stayed all night. He let volunteer firefighters in to use our ranch as an access point to cut off the blaze. They shut it down a few hundred yards from the property line. Feeling thankful for good neighbors!
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My publisher and friend, Todd Sattersten, came to town for an extended visit. We’ve been kicking around ideas for my next book, and it was time to get serious. Todd is not an “all work and no play” kinda guy. He (and often we) sampled the best of Austin: Home Slice, Uchiba, Loro, Pinthouse Pizza, Soup Peddler, Neighborhood Sushi, Veracruz All Natural, and Briscuits. We also meandered down to Bastrop. He can now say he’s visited two Texas landmarks: Buc-ee’s ✅ and The Painted Porch.

Sadly, his visit overlapped another round of layoffs at my day job, KW. Some good friends lost their jobs. Our new owners timed it so that everyone would get their full annual bonuses on Friday, March 6th – Employee Appreciation Day. You can’t make this stuff up.

Author Nir Eyal came to ATX for SXSW and joined me for a podcast on his new book, Beyond Belief. Wendy and I crashed his book launch party, where we got to see Jenny Wood and one of my literary idols, Gretchen Rubin. I’m happy to report she was as delightful and brilliant as I imagined she would be.
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The best part of my weekend was coffee with my late friend’s daughter, Sierra. Her husband landed a good job in LA, and she got into nursing school in Boise. It will be a wild few years for them, juggling work, school, and a toddler. But they are also thriving. Robert would be so proud.

Speaking of proud, of the ten teams competing for the King Creativity Prize at Southwestern University, Gus and his team won the jury prize and $2,500. They’ve placed first two years in a row! Last year they saved the print edition of the school newspaper. This year, they resurrected the literary magazine, “The Sea Shanty.”

My sister has been on a multiyear quest to see the Northern Lights. She’s like a kid. When she is obsessed with something, it’s hard not to get sucked in. Her husband, Brent, did a lot of research. He booked a tour in Fairbanks, Alaska, during the optimal viewing period. It was also about 20 below most nights! And they were richly rewarded with the spectacle of a lifetime.
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Wendy and I enjoyed some great dates in March. We’ve been working our way through a list of the best restaurants in town. This month, we feasted at ATX Cocina and Este. Both exceeded expectations. We also took a day to fly fish on the San Marcos River. We caught hundreds of fish. Largemouth bass, sunnies, as well as native Guadalupe bass and Rio Grande Cichlids.
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Finally, my pal Hannah Soto came to town for a gig. So we organized a dinner party with some other friends, including fellow Aspen member, Clay Hebert. Hannah found time for a podcast too. It will drop in a few weeks. She is insanely smart and wise. Keep an eye out for that one!

2. What I’m Reading
​Read some great books this month. Nir Eyal’s Beyond Belief debuted on the NY Times list and will be a perennial seller. He goes deep into how our beliefs impact our success, happiness, and even our survival. ​
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Charley Macksey’s Always Remember is just as good as his first book, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse. Macksey will make you smile, and he will make you cry. Our puppy, Kiki, also loved this one. She ate most of the spine while we were picking up dinner the other night.

Every December, I scan the lists for the best audiobooks of the year. I don’t listen to many, so I want them to be amazing. A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst hit the mark. Elmhirst tells the story of Maurice and Maralyn, who miraculously survive 117 days in a life raft, after a whale collides with their boat. It's a tad slow to start (be patient) and a little long at the end (wait for it). But the heart of the book will mesmerize you. On the surface, you question how a marriage of such opposites could possibly survive. Yet they survived the unimaginable. I know someone will make a movie, and I pray they do it justice.
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Which reminds me…If you’ve never seen The Life Boat (Amazon), it’s Tallulah Bankhead at her best. The story is from Steinbeck and the director? Alfred Hitchcock. Personally, I think this story of the survivors of a U-Boat attack is one of the most overlooked film classics.
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​3. What I’m Watching
​Wendy and I completed our Peaky Blinders (Netflix) marathon. We watched the final 2 ½ seasons. We also watched the long-awaited film, The Immortal Man (Netflix). As much as I loved the show, the attrition of characters took a toll. Cillian Murphy is masterful. But too many of our favorites were missing in the end.
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We finally watched the last episode of season 2 of Fallout (Prime) when Gus was home for spring break. Loved. Walton Goggins kills, in every sense of the word.

Lastly, I watched Task (HBO) over several months. I always need a show for when Wendy is gone, I’m too tired to read, and it’s too early for bed. There should be a word for that. A “stay awake show?” It’s a critical darling, but I thought it was just okay.

That’s it for this month. Please reply back and let me know what you’re up to!

Be well, do good deeds, and eat tacos!
Jay

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