The + Friday + Five: 04.25.25 | Recommendations
The Friday + Five* is a brief list of things I have found meaningful, challenging, joyful, soothing, or quirky from the week. Some offerings will have themes, while others will feel like info was assembled by a gaze of raccoons fresh off a night of espresso bingeing. You’ve been warned.
Your Friday Five: 04.25.25
For today's Friday + Five, I'd love to get your input on a few random things I've been exploring or planning to do in the future. So, yes, I am unapologetically inviting you to share your opinions and recommendations. You will need to be subscribed to The Amalgamation to leave a comment.
One // Half-Marathon Prep — Somehow, I am now a runner. After running a couple of 5K and 10K races, I foolishly signed up to run The Bay Bridge Half just two weeks after my month in Palestine. Idiot. In any case, I'm doing it. It's my first one ever, so I am looking for race prep advice.
Two // 4K Webcam — I have been using my Canon M50 DSLR camera with a monster setup to video at my desk. After taking it with me on my last adventures and then never using it, I think I'm going to sell the camera and lenses (LMK if you are interested) and will get a 4K Webcam for my Macbook Pro. There are so many options out there, so I would love some recs from anyone who already has one.
Three // Notion — I have been a Google person for a long time and have generally been able to overlook some of the questionable things they do because it's damn useful. And yes, I have dipped my toe into the Google vs. Apple battles over the years, but now it's a wash. With Google making increasingly questionable decisions regarding free speech and bending to the current presidential administration's demands, I am trying to extricate myself from the Google ecosystem. One way I am doing this is by switching some of my project management and document creation to Notion.
Four // Podcast possibilities. One of the most enjoyable listening experiences I have is listening to fiction/literature podcasts like Midnight Burger and Sherlock & Co. and I want more of it!
Five // What shall I address? Are there any topics, questions, or issues that I should address? I have opinions and thoughts about a great many things (Too many?) which is part of my charm 😀 but I can also be all over the place. With my increased commitment to this newsletter, I would welcome any suggestions for content to take on that have to do with politics, faith, pop-culture, or anything else.
And with that, your Friday + Five request for random recommendations. Please feel free to leave your ideas in the comments so others can see them, or feel free to contact me directly.
Thanks in advance,
From the Camera Roll:
Since the last Friday + Five, I spent Easter in Palestine. As I shared, Easter Saturday was horrible and holy,. That said one of the most meaningful parts about my trip was that one of my kids was part of the delegation. We had folks from their 20s to the 70s, which was awesome. In any case, it was a joy to witness my adult child in full participant mode. So proud of the human that they have become. Here is the pic of us on Easter Sunday at the Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem.
*The Original Friday Five was a weekly-ish post from my 2010s SF Gate’s City Brights blog. If you stumble across anything that you think would fit, please feel free to drop me a note.
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