📝 Editor’s Note | Rob Belk
I planned to wake up early Saturday morning to write my editor’s note. I had no idea what I was going to write. I would follow wherever the early cup of coffee led me.
I could write about the interesting story from The Daily on The Power of Siblings; the great conversation I had with my friend Paul Liles on lessons learned from running his family business; or how watching Jim Kluttz sink a 30 foot straight downhill putt is a semi religous experience.
But instead, I woke up an hour before my alarm went off.
Easily one of the best feelings in the world. A double whammy when I embraced the coolness of the other side of my pillow.
That got me thinking, what are some of the best feelings in the world? So I decided to make a list:
A cold draft beer after a long hike or 18 holes
12:55pm in Bank of America stadium on a crisp fall Sunday, the national anthem blaring, an F-16 flyover, and Bojangles chicken supremes in hand getting ready for the Carolina Panther’s player introductions
Posting a GIF in the group chat that gets multiple likes
The inflection point when your book can no longer be put down
When the airplane door closes and your row stays empty
Submitting your final exam of the school year
Watching my two boys cuddle their mamma or me
HBO’s Static Angel right before a show you’ve been waiting to watch all week
The smell of a charcoal grill being lit in the summer
When my wife says, “That’s actually a great idea” (very rare)
A powder day with no chair lift line
An open parking spot that mysteriously appears in a crowded lot
Finding $20 in a pair of pants or jacket you haven’t worn in awhile
The satisfying “pop” when you get asked to open a jar no one else can open
What did I miss?
Without further ado….
Why Evan?
Evan and I were introduced by her husband, Thane. Thane did a great job with his profile a few months back, so naturally, I was excited to profile Thane’s better half. I’m impressed with Evan’s recommendations and her business - the trend of virtual assistants has been huge. Bullish on her innovative approach to executive assistants!
Self-Description
Passionate about being and doing good (Enneagram 1!), I've always felt called to serve others. I am 65% introverted and think Niles Crane is the epitome of humor. I hope to always be in pursuit of learning, especially how to extend grace that's been extended to me.
Evan’s 6 Recommendations
Written in her own words…
1. Telling Secrets by Frederick Buechner ($11)
Over the last handful of years I've been considering what it means to be honest, with ourselves and one another. In his third autobiography, Buechner, a Presbyterian minister, shares pieces of his life in three succinct chapters. His words are tied together by a unifying thread of discovering your secrets and sharing them: "... I suspect that it is by entering that deep place inside us where our secrets are kept that we come perhaps closer than we do anywhere else to the One who, whether we realize it or not, is of all our secrets the most telling and the most precious we have to tell." His writing is beautiful and his words illuminating. A read worth reading each year.
2. Doughnut Saturday
Our family does what we've deemed "Doughnut Saturday" on the first Saturday of each month. We pick up a box of doughnuts (and a few for ourselves, lbr) and deliver to friends or neighbors. A simple and fun way to invest in your community. Insider tip: The best doughnuts in the whole world are found at OMG Donuts in Arvada, Colorado. If you ever find yourself in the Denver Area, OMG is a must.
3. Bedsure Throw ($24)
I was on the hunt for a comfy blanket when I was pregnant last year. The Bedsure Throw has become a tried and true, the snuggliest on the market.
4. The Library Bar
My husband and I stumbled into this bar on our first trip to the UK together. After a very full day of experiencing the city in our street attire, in we went, t-shirts and Reeboks on full display. We quickly learned that The Lanesborough (where the bar is housed) has hosted some of the world's greats – including The Queen and Barbara Walters. Despite our disheveled presence and lack of booking, we were welcomed as if we were Her Majesty herself. For as high-brow as it is, they serve (unlimited!) corn nuts alongside your $25 cocktail or $5,000 whiskey.
TL;DR: I had the best cocktail(s) of M'LIFE here. Gaspari Manhattan. Order 3.
5. Birding
I don't know how it happened and I don't know when it happened, but I now consider myself a novice birder. Nature is very grounding to me (is it safe to say it is to us all?) and I've surprised myself with how fun it is to recognize a bird's call when on a walk or try to identify a bird by the shape of it's tail or rhythm of it's flight. This quote from a meme my mom sent me sums it up: "As you age, it's ridiculous how fast bird-watching creeps up on you. You spend your whole life being 100% indifferent to birds, and then one day you're like "damn is that a yellow-rumped warbler?"
6. CLEARSTEM
There's a lot of buzz around skincare and self-care and lots of talking heads to tell you exactly what you need to elevate whatever needs elevating. I'm here to tell you: CLEARSTEM is where. it's. at. when it comes to skincare. All of their products are clogger checker approved. To be fair, I've only tried a handful of their products but have loved them all: HYDRAGLOW Moisturizer, HYDRABERRY Mask, CLEARITY Mandelic Acid, and LIPS&CUTES lip balm. Bonus: The moisturizer and mask smell delicious!
Plug | Hey Girl Friday
If you've ever asked yourself "is there a virtual assistant who could elevate my life?" the answer is yes and he or she may be at Hey Girl Friday. HGF is seeking to "be the bar" when it comes to the world of executive assistance. You get to meet your potential EA (or, Advocate as we like to say) before committing to anything and all of our contracts are month-to-month so you will never feel (or be!) tied-in to anything long term. Check us out at www.heygirlfriday.co, we'd love to learn more about you and how we could potentially support!
Want to get in touch with Evan? “Email me at evan@heygirlfriday.co”
P.S. from Rambull — After trying several recommended electrolyte brands, my favorite is the Redmond Re-Lytes for $44 (S/O to Katie Begando). I like Redmond because you can scoop directly from the jar, avoiding the waste of individual packets. I’m a Watermelon Lime flavor guy.
What are the best feelings in the world? Email me yours or drop them in the comments below.