Ok, so we may have started a newsletter about work, but we’ll let you in on a secret: we’re equally as passionate about not working. So for this special holiday edition, we’ve put together a lovely little e-hamper (no, it’s not a thing, we made it up) to help you do anything but open your emails.
Consider us your Out Of Office enablers. It’s time to tell everyone to sod off, you’ve got some hard not-work to be getting on with.
Happy Holi Daze,
Milly & Yumi
For some escapism
Kip Hideaways
For browsing dreamy hideaways and cosy cabins to (eventually) escape to.Trippin
Head to the Trippin platform for content at the intersection of travel, culture, and creativity. We love their WhatsApp broadcasts sharing everything from Ghanian surf collectives to Japanese denim brands.
Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter by Mario Vargas Llosa
If you’re up for a slightly longer distraction, this story will take you to some interesting places.
The Fall by Tarsem Singh
Probably one of the most beautiful films ever made, rightfully described by Roger Ebert as a ‘celebration of the imagination’.
For some inspiration
Glimpses of Utopia by Jess Scully
Jess Scully, (who, by the way, puts us all to shame balancing the incredible professional personality split of ‘Deputy Lord Mayor of Sydney’ and ‘Curator’) shares optimistic examples of people rising up to create better futures everywhere, from care workers reclaiming control in India to people-powered digital democracy in Iceland.Are.na
A platform for connecting ideas and building knowledge, Are.na is a new, more contemplative kind of place on the internet. It can take some figuring out how to use, but for instant inspo, take a gentle stroll/scroll through their Instagram.The Michelangelo of Microsoft Excel
If Tatsuo Horiuchi, a retired 77-year-old man with no budget, can create artwork using Excel, you can do your Duolingo for today.How to Academy
A platform that features some of the world’s most influential artists and thinkers sharing their insights and ideas in live streams and events. Access the content for free via their Youtube channel linked above.
For some fun
Kocktail
2019 you probably would have laughed in the face of people getting cocktails delivered to their door, 2020 you will likely think it’s the best idea you’ve ever heard. It’s time to put the quarantini down and upgrade to something a little snazzier, you deserve it.New Yorker Cartoons
Let’s be honest, 97.3% of people who read the New Yorker are only there for the cartoons. So why not just go straight to the good stuff...This is what happens when you reply to spam email
No, it won’t accidentally explode your inbox.Codenames
If you haven’t already played this game 347 times over Zoom with your extended family, where have you been? Simple yet addictive.
For some perspective
Ethics in the Real World: 82 Essays About Things That Matter by Peter Singer. Give your morals an MOT, just in time to make your new year's resolution.
The SlowDown by Tracy K.Smith
A poetry podcast brought to you by Tracy K. Smith - one of the most celebrated poets of our time. Subscribe for 5 minutes of soul-feeding poetry a day.Factfulness by Hans Rosling
A reminder that despite everything, this is one of the best times to be alive.Life in a Day by Kevin MacDonald
4,500 hours of footage filmed on the same day by people from around the world, showing a snapshot of the planet for future generations.
You did it. You made it. You survived the relentless banana bread baking, the Zoom quizzes, the homogenous ‘safe and well’ email intros, and the same four walls. It’s all going to be ok. Maybe don’t hold us to that. But at least we all now know - if the opportunity ever came knocking, we could totally survive Big Brother.
2021, we’re ready for you. Please be kind.
If in doubt, GIF it out. Show us how you summarise 2020 with a link to a GIF in the comments. We’ll start...
https://giphy.com/gifs/cbc-schitts-creek-Jmt5MhNTrv3UFMXIM0
https://giphy.com/gifs/transparent-rupauls-drag-race-cSVkEGjGsWz8k