December 2023

Hi from New Zealand!

I've been here for almost 2 weeks and have already got a sunburn and consumed about 27 flat whites, so my trip is off to an excellent?start.

And I'm not sure if anyone reads newsletters during this weird no man's land?of time between Christmas and the New Year, but you know what? I have a schedule and I'm sticking to it.

So here are December's links:

I am 100% on board with this type of holiday... The Absorption Vacation:

"I bring way more books than I could possibly read — but I still read a lot of them. I throw myself utterly into the pursuit, which morphs from a task to “what we do here.” Not because I want to “win” or be “productive” at book reading, but because I want to go deep into other worlds — and forget, however temporarily, about mine."

Also from Anne Helen Petersen 's Culture Study (one of my personal favorite Substacks): The Root of Over-Meeting Culture... did you know there's been a?252% increase in time spent in meetings, since February 2020? Yikes. ??

This?made me laugh

How to Apply Taylor Swift's Marketing Genius to Your Employer Brand (via Rachel Kennedy )

A resource list?for green job seekers from Daniel Hill, the Innovation Director at the Environmental Defense Fund

???A powerful employer brand video from Intel on the need for increased support for caregivers in the workforce (via Teri Chackel )

Buy?one of these to look better on video/Zoom for less than $50

Video editing is still required: Google admits AI viral video was edited to look better

A helpful breakdown: Business vs. Brand vs. Comms Strategy?(via Alex M H Smith )

Relatedly, I read Alex M H Smith's book No Bull Sh*t Strategy this fall (or more accurately, I listened to it on Audible) and I highly recommend it. Even if "strategy" isn't part of your job description, it's interesting hearing about the strategies behind the brands we all know, just as a person living/buying in the world. Plus, his British accent makes for a charming audiobook experience.

And in case you missed it: EditMate's Top 4 Experiences of 2023???

That's all for this month! I hope you enjoy a relaxing end to 2023 and a fab start to 2024.?Thanks for reading!