The reader approaching middle age

I’m turning 40 in a few months and trying not to think too much of it, but I am getting my bearings a bit.

Yesterday Elisa Gabbert tweeted, “I think I liked magazines more as a kid because the writing was by people older and wiser than me, with different generational interests. Now it’s just, like, writing by my friends, or people who could be? I’m supposed to pay for this? Lol”

I had a good laugh at this. It made me think that a good move at this age might be to start reading the NYTimes for Kids (which I already do) or Teen Vogue or AARP.

This would be the publication equivalent to Kevin Kelly’s advice, “When you are young, have friends who are older; when you are old, have friends who are younger.”

I do feel kind of lucky right now, to be in the middle: I have my kids and their friends for youth spies and for an elder perspective, I ride bikes twice a week with a 75-year-old who is still mad that Dylan went electric.

Everything changes, always, but I’m enjoying this age at the moment.

Time is not a butler

Thought of this one after witnessing a grown man have a tantrum in public. There but for the grace…

Tomorrow is February

Today’s newsletter is about the shortest month and what to do with it.