April 2023 - Listening, Learning, Loving, Hating

Apr 19

WHAT I’M LISTENING TO: The latest Feist album, “Multitudes”; Angel Olsen’s EP, “Forever Means”; Carly Pearce’s “What He Didn’t Do”'; that Braden Bales song “Chronically Conscious” that’s been all over Tiktok; anything from Giant Book Sale while I’m working.

I’m still listening to podcasts and audiobooks, though not as many since I switched up my workout routine and it’s less of a solo venture. I finally finished Prince Harry’s “Spare” and I did enjoy it, very enlightening. I’m slogging my way through Susan Choi’s Trust Exercise, which I did not expect. Next up there is Jeannette McCurdy’s I’m Glad My Mom Died, which I’ve wanted to read/listen to for a while.

A couple of my friends - L.B. Ballard and Kahla Poczatek just released their new podcast series Ooh, Girl, and I’ve been binging that a little. They’re talking about (but not exclusively) true crime, entertainment, and books and if you enjoy all of those things, go have a listen. Ryan Holiday has great interviews on his podcast The Daily Stoic, and I’m finally making time to start listening to Elyse Myers’ podcast Funny ‘Cuz It’s True. She is a true gem.

WHAT I’M LEARNING: As tax week wrapped up, I started thinking about how I wanted to better understand taxes and investing - a true sign that I’m aging. I picked up The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel (recommended by Ali Abdaal as the “book that changed my financial life”) as well as Tax-Free Wealth: How to Build Massive Wealth by Permanently Lowering Your Taxes by Tom Wheelwright, which has admittedly, a terribly boomer-era title and the textbook look to it but has been surprisingly candid and useful so far - this one, recommended by YouTuber Alexandra Fasulo. I’m not trying to race through these, but since I didn’t come up in a financially literate household, nor was I ever really prompted to (aside from having a savings account, being good about credit, and contributing to a 401k while I was working at a place that offered one) until the last few years - it’s a slow roll, but I want to know I’m making better financial decisions and my money isn’t languishing at a bank making 0.01% interest as it did for many years.

WHAT I’M LOVING: