"This must be Thursday. I never could get the hang of Thursday."
- Arthur Dent, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams

Hey there,

Welcome back to Thoroughly Thursday, the Yuletide Edition. Tomorrow starts the ancient Germanic tradition of Yule, which is the celebration of Midwinter. Many of our Holiday traditions come directly from these pre-Christian observances, such as displays of holly and mistletoe, fir wreaths, and the feasting of the roast beast (though we don't usually ritually sacrifice it first to Freyr, the Norse god of harvest and fertility). The most important part, however, is the burning of the Yule Log, which needs to stay lit during the festivities. The dozen celebratory days (and Yule itself) were later appropriated by missionaries, which is why we all go a bit manic singing the “Twelve Days of Christmas” like a bunch of crazy Druids each year. So, toast the wassail and let’s get this party started!

Over the next two weeks, I'll be doing a recap on some of my favorite suggestions of 2018.

Favorite Books of 2018 - Sure, I'll get it in a minute...
Of all the many excellent books I read this last year, I would say that my favorite was The Art of Procrastination by Stanford professor John Perry. A funny, insightful treatise from the perspective of a Master Procrastinator, I still laugh thinking about his explanations of human behavior and personal expectation. Some other great books to consider:

• The Index Card by Helen Olen and Harold Pollack (best, simplest financial advice book ever)

• Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang (a kinda, sorta productivity book)

• I'm Just Happy to be Here by Janelle Hanchett (a beautiful, harrowing memoir of family and addiction)

Favorite Podcasts of 2018 - Tell Me a Story...
By far, my favorite podcast of the year was recommended to me by the fantastic Smacksy. The Memory Palace by Nate DiMeo is hard to describe, but you can start with this one to get a taste. Additionally, you should check out:

• The History of Standup by Wayne Federman & Andrew Stevens (In case you wanted to know where America's favorite style of comedy originated)

• Revisionist History Podcast by Malcolm Gladwell (like Outliers, but every week)

• Song Exploder by Hrishikesh Hirway (fantastic concept, beautiful execution)

Favorite TV Shows of 2018 - Holy Mother Forking Shirtballs, of Course!
I'm convinced that The Good Place is the best sitcom on TV, maybe ever (if you don't believe me, check out the “Janets” episode). However, I will be the first to admit many of my other favorites this year were wonderfully creative and deeply weird:

• Legion (superhero as a crazy person/ crazy person as a superhero)

• Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, Season 2 (just go with it, Frodo)

• The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (Hail who, again?)

All the best, and remember, tomorrow is Yule (and, also Friday). :)

Scott Moe
scottdavidmoe.com

P.S. If you like this email, send it to a friend. They can sign up here. 

P.P.P.S. I'm always on the lookout for new items to write about. If you notice something that you think would be worth sharing, send it my way.