IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS...

When I was little, my Dad had a common refrain. He'd come over and say, 'I really need some kid energy'. He'd then hold out his pointer and middle finger - kind of like flashing a peace sign, but pointing them toward my hand. He had trained my sister and me to respond by meeting our two fingers with his, at which point he would dramatically shake his fingers back and forth while making noises (a combination of shhhhshhh-ing and whirring), as if we were transferring some of our abundant 'kid energy' through his older bones, just by touching our fingers to his. After a few seconds he'd shoot his fingers back away from ours, fully charged and ready to face whatever the day brought him.

I was reading a book that prompted me to think about the things that I remember from childhood, and this was the first thing that came to mind. It was a silly thing, really. Just something that I am sure he made up one day, and likely kept doing it because either we really had a fun reaction to it and/or he was really tired and might have very well needed a lot of kid energy (even if it wasn't totally real or rooted in any sort of science).

But it is recollections and reflections like these that are setting the foundation for our year. We've realized that we're a little bit exhausted. And that we, too, could use a little kid energy.

We've decided that ours will come via two main things:

1) We're performing a little KonMari on GFJ. For those of you that are not familiar with the magical tidying ways of Marie Kondo, the premise is that you take an inventory of the things around you and determine which ones 'spark joy'. You keep anything that does, and continue to cherish it. You relinquish anything that does not - thank it for it's service, but graciously let it go, and don't look back. 

For example, you may notice that we've pared this newsletter down considerably. We kept the things that really mattered to us (like the ability to 'talk with you' in the introduction, and to highlight some jobs that we find particularly worthy of sharing) and stripped away the things that were no longer serving us (or making us feel enthusiastic about populating them each week).

2) We are going to dive deep into some of the things that prompted us to build GFJ. In the throes of 'work' we sometimes lose sight of the very things that really make us feel grounded. You may see us focusing on some of these more simple pleasures throughout the year, with a particular focus on making / growing / enjoying / sharing food and food culture. 

Our mantra this year is Tiny But Powerful. With that idea in mind, we're launching one new section in the newsletter called 'tidbits', where you'll find the things that are making us feel more energized each week. GFJ has its roots in the pleasures of sharing, and we find joy in every bit of inspiration that we get to share with you.

In celebration of the simple things,

Tay + Dor
Co-Founders, Good Food Jobs

tidbits...

what we’re reading / listening to / watching / noticing / thinking about / captivated by this Tuesday…

The end of a year always prompts 'best of' lists, which can be both tantalizing and overwhelming. Whether you're like us, and you never tire of book recommendations, or you're exhausted just by the thought of them, we hope our (very) short list will inspire you:

Tay: currently plowing through How Not to Hate Your Husband After Kids, which she picked up after reading an article written by the same author. Humorous, entertaining, and chock full of tips on self-care and communication, whether you have kids or not.

Dor: Of all the books I wanted to read in 2017, the one at the top of my list that I never actually managed to read was Option B by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant. Did anyone else read it? What do you think: should I keep it on the top of my list for 2018?

As we embark on another year of personal and professional improvements, Miles Davis seems to have the best words: Do not fear mistakes - there are none.