2023 Was Better
It all started with this abandoned Best of 2022 list
At the end of last year, on a day I was “scheduled” to write another edition of this newsletter, I decided to click around Spotify, scroll through my Goodreads, and browse my Matter archive to scrape together a list of media I loved in 2021. I almost fell for this trap again this year, but figured there are already enough great end of year guides. Rather than compiling a list of all the best shit I consumed this year, I’ve decided to use this real estate to reflect on the newsletter itself.
February will be two years (!!) since the first Just a Thought went out. A lot has changed in my life and the world, but not a lot has changed with this newsletter. Part of that I’m actually really proud of: the fact that we’ve been relatively consistent in our writing (this is number 60!!) and that we’ve stayed true to the promise made in our first edition:
“We created Just a Thought to share lukewarm takes and stuff we’re into on the off chance that you might be into it, too. We’re going to try and do this on a weekly basis, but we’re not making any promises.”
Reflecting on my 30 essays in this publication, I’m a bit ashamed by the lack of evolution in my writing. I feel like I’ve grown a lot personally, but my writing here does not reflect that. Arguably the most-telling metric to judge this by is, of course, subscriber growth, which has been inconsequential at best. Of course, it can be argued that by staying true to our promise of writing very casually and generally when we feel like it, we are not prioritizing growth. This is true, but great products prevail.
I have gotten out of this newsletter exactly what I have put into it. And now, as the new year approaches, my goal is to put more into it. This is a blank canvas for Justin and me to do more than just write on the day we post. Guest features, some interviews with cool people we know and admire, spicier takes (we have zero cancel-worthy posts, an embarrassing fact), and more thoughtful posts. Essentially, I think it’s time for us to break the format a bit.
To those of you who read this newsletter regularly and text me when something one of us wrote really resonated, I appreciate you. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday break, hopefully with your family, a book, limited screen time, a few movies, and a lot of home-cooked meals. That’s all any of us really needs — don’t forget that.
Bob Gottlieb Is the Last of the Publishing Giants
I tend to be quite fascinated by writing about writing. As someone who plies his trade on nearby land, I can’t resist peeking over the fence to see how others do it better. Bob Gottlieb is a renowned book editor who’s worked for most of the major publishing houses and a former Editor in Chief of the New Yorker. He’s edited all of Robert Caro’s books, including the fifth, final, and still-to-be-completed edition of his Lyndon Johnson biographies. He’s also as this New York magazine profile puts it, “a living link to those days when a successful book editor and his stage-actress wife could buy themselves an entire Manhattan townhouse like this one and stuff it full of books.”
—Justin
Natas Kaupas’s “Streets of Fire” part
The algorithm recently served this up to me, which I am grateful for. Natas Kaupas doesn’t get enough credit for how influential his street skating was, and his part in the Santa Cruz video “Streets of Fire” is a great example of that. This video came out in 1989, which means a bunch of things. It means the boards weighed a ton, which made boosting as high as Natas does an athletic achievement. It means street tricks were still being developed, which made Natas a true pioneer. And it means that great style on a board is timeless. This part is as enjoyable to watch in 2022 as any of the Skater of the Year finalists.
—Justin
Make a clay pot
Earlier this year, Rachel and I did a pottery class and the end result was solid – somewhere between “1st grade pottery class” and “grown man who cares about the wares of his home.” But now, like a one-semester-Psychology-major, I’ve got opinions. And in my opinion, this guy is unbelievable at both pottery and calming the mind. Put it on while you’re cleaning up around the house, look away for one minute, and find yourself rewinding to figure out how the hell that became that!
—Andrew
Fine, one end of year list: albums I loved. 2022 was an incredible year for new music. How nice it is to be able to say that. Though, in reading a lot of other best of 2022 lists from people I respect, my queue might take until December 2023 to catch up on. Notably missing are Harry Styles, Beyonce, and Taylor Swift — none of which I gave a good enough chance to be included here. Please please send your favorites from this year. Even better, post them in Oh Fire.
Here are some of my favorites:
Axel Boman — LUZ / Quest for Fire
—Andrew