New eBook! Check out my latest guide: a list of incredibly useful AI tools (FAR beyond ChatGPT). Get the guide Hello, fellow tinkerer π - It's Thanksgiving week in the U.S.! My kids don't have school, we went to see the Wicked movie, and we tried making fudge out of Stephen Colbert's cookbook (it did not turn out well). Thanksgiving can be a really loud, overwhelming holiday. I hope you're gentle with yourself this week. 1) Reflection: Growing up, my dad had a record player and an enormous...
24 days agoΒ β’Β 2 min read
Hello, fellow tinkerer π - Happy Wednesday. I've been thinking a lot lately about "things that take up space in our brains" β and how we can preserve mental energy. When I'm anxious, I find that I flip back and forth through different apps or projects, rather than just settling into one thing. Spoiler: that does not help with anxiety and tends to make me more anxious because I go to an app, think of something I need to do... go to another app, think of something I need to do... repeat. My...
about 1 month agoΒ β’Β 2 min read
Hello, fellow tinkerer π - Happy Wednesday. I'm halfway through a week I designated for "internal work" (minimal client work). I'd intended to work on a few projects β and have been doing that β but also am recording three podcast episodes, did a LinkedIn Live (view the recording here), and have seven meetings scheduled. No one but myself to blame for a jam-packed schedule. π€£ Next time I do this, I'll be more mindful of leaving my schedule ACTUALLY free to work on projects. 1) Reflection: I...
about 2 months agoΒ β’Β 1 min read
Hello, fellow tinkerer π - Happy Wednesday. It's that time of year when I need a heavy blanket in the morning and air conditioning by afternoon (thanks, Chicagoland). But as I write this, I'm staring at a stunning red tree outside my office window. Fall colors! A friend of mine shared on Facebook that, having grown up in California, she's always awed by fall. I am also, and I've lived in this part of the country my whole life! I'm forever inspired by the changing seasons. 1) Reflection: My...
2 months agoΒ β’Β 2 min read
Hello, fellow tinkerer π - Happy Wednesday. I saw this Year Progress bar on Threads this week and thought, "That can't be right..." But it is. 1) Reflection: I've been thinking a lot about things that "grab my attention." I'm frequently the victim of Shiny Object Syndrome. I see something new, and I want to try it right that moment (hence, I never run out of ideas for this newsletter π). But I also recognize that distraction comes at a cost. I have bigger projects I want to work on. When I...
3 months agoΒ β’Β 2 min read
ICYMI! I hosted a webinar last week about using automation to repurpose content. The YouTube version is here. Hello, fellow tinkerer π - Happy Wednesday. We're fully into the fall season in Chicagoland (colors, weather, pumpkins, everything). My husband has wanted a 12-foot skeleton for years. I keep wondering where we would store it... from Home Depot's website It's that time of year when buying a skeleton is A Discussion in our house. And ConverKit has a polls feature, so I ask you......
3 months agoΒ β’Β 2 min read
I'm hosting a webinar on September 12th! Join me to learn about using automation to repurpose your content. Sign up here. Hello, fellow tinkerer π - Happy Wednesday. Today is my oldest daughter's birthday. She was stillborn back in 2015. So it's a somber day every year. We always get a cake to honor her. 1) Reflection: Talking about pregnancy loss makes some people uncomfortable. And yet, by not talking about it, parents who experience losing a baby feel isolated. I started writing about...
4 months agoΒ β’Β 1 min read
Hello, fellow tinkerer π - Happy Wednesday. School starts TOMORROW so that means I'm buried in backpacks, laundry, and other details before the big day. This year, I have one high schooler, one middle schooler, and one elementary schooler so that means THREE different schools are emailing me on the regular. Please pray for my sanity. 1) Reflection: The start of the school year usually comes with a big shift in our routine. It's an entire production to get three kids out of the house. Whenever...
4 months agoΒ β’Β 1 min read
Hello, fellow tinkerer π - Happy Wednesday. If you're like me and live in a country where school-aged children have summers off, you're probably counting down the days until the school year starts (22 days to go...) I took some time off earlier this month, which was a lot of fun, but is also one more "routine disruption" that I need to recover from. I like the predictability of the school year and can't wait for it to return. Do you have a love-hate relationship with summer? Please reply and...
5 months agoΒ β’Β 2 min read