Are you OK?

Hi!

Are you OK?

I recently read the heart-gripping story from Meghan Markle that begins with these words: Perhaps the path to healing begins with three simple words: Are you OK?

...Are you OK?

Me? I think I'm OK. Lately, I've had very little time for writing. Actually, that's not entirely true. Just like everyone else, my social life is less busy, so I do have time. What I don't have is... motivation... The truth is I've been thinking about where to take this newsletter for the upcoming year and I've decided that having something to say needs to be more important than strictly sticking to a bi-weekly schedule. It's time for another break.

But I want you to know what's going on so here's what I'm planning: I'm not going to write anything for the rest 2020 with one exception - my traditional year in review post. (read my 2019, 2018, and 2017 year in reviews here)

Since mid-August, I've been working full-time for Ueno on a large mobile e-commerce project. Hopefully, it will launch sometime next summer and I'll be able to share more about it then. I'm really enjoying the project, but because half of the team is located on the US west coast, I've spent quite a few late evenings in my office this fall. But as I was talking to my friend Sara in Lebanon, I realized that I'm healthy and have work (and work I enjoy!), so I should be more than content, right?

It reminded me of Sam Altman's post, The days are long but the decades are short. This is one of my favorite blog posts of all time. Here are two snippets that I think of on a weekly basis:

On work: it’s difficult to do a great job on work you don’t care about. And it’s hard to be totally happy/fulfilled in life if you don’t like what you do for your work.

On money: Whether or not money can buy happiness, it can buy freedom, and that’s a big deal. Also, lack of money is very stressful.

Additionally, I'll also be helping Bark in the next month. Despite a global pandemic and a divorce, my biggest struggle of 2020 was when I lost my long-life companion, Meta (a miniature pinscher). She had a long life and had gotten so ill that we had to put her down. So it is very fulfilling to be able to help a company whose mission is "to make dogs as happy as dogs make us". Clearly, this is VERY HIGH on my list. For 2021, I'll be looking to adopt some of Henrik's system of organizing his life.

That's it for now, you'll hear from me again in a couple of weeks. If you want to chat ahead of that, I'm @antonsten on Twitter, or just hit reply to this email. I answer every one! I'd love to know what you thought of this format!

Virtual hugs,

Anton