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A note from Jane

Because I’m so closely associated with the book publishing industry, some people assume I live and work in New York. But I never have. I’ve spent most of my career in the Midwest.

My dad, however, was a New Yorker and worked as a typographer in the Flatiron district for bulk of his career. By the time I arrived, he was mostly retired and lived in Indiana, where I was born.

Whenever I’m in NYC, as I was this past week, I often wonder what he might have shown me or told me about living in the city. What were his favorite spots? What did he value? What were his secrets to thriving here, as it seems evident he did?

During my 20s, I briefly thought I ought to move to NYC. I resisted that urge long enough to realize that I’m not fond of the place. But maybe I would see and experience the city differently had there been a chance for my dad to introduce me to his longtime home before he died.

This suggestion comes from reader Andrea Firth: WordMom. She says, "They don’t call it an app, they call it a ‘word service.’ And the name WordMom is a bit misleading, or at least a bit odd. To me, it’s like a searchable dictionary that enables you to find words by category (noun, verb, adjective), pattern (starts with, ends with, or contains) and length (# of letters). For example, a 7-letter animal that starts with Q: quetzal. Many potential uses, like cheating on Wordle or other word games, for one!"

In the last issue, I asked you to tell me about a delightful gift you received over the holidays, and I enjoyed your many wonderful stories. I wish I could share them all, but here’s a selection of what you said:

Delightful, and weird, holiday gift: bed of nails. They’re described by the company, Shakti, as acupressure mats. My sweetie got each of us one, plus a bolster version that helps release her tight neck. We tried them with considerable trepidation. Surprisingly, the myriad plastic points don’t draw blood. They do relax us. —David Shapiro
An unexpected gift from a neighbor: homemade lemon curd along with a tip on where to use it. A tablespoon or two over plain yogurt is to die for. It’s like having lemon meringue pie for breakfast. —Nancy Solak
A favorite gift this holiday season: Rollerblade Office Chair Wheels. I popped them on myself, and I’m sure my wood floors are silently thanking me! —Carol Saller
I got a paint by numbers kit, and when I first opened I was all: 😳 I think the last time I did a paint by numbers was when I was a kid. Anyway, I decided to dig into this over the holiday break and wow. It’s not only great for focus (and a form of meditation, according to some blogs I’ve read) but it forces you to slow down and focus in a way that not a lot of things do anymore. I absolutely love it. —Penny Sansevieri
My hubby helped clear a place for my writing space in our home and a gift card to order what I needed there. I recently graduated from the SFU Writer’s Studio and was writing all around the house in between kids’ toys. And he paid for my graduate Writer’s Studio workshops at SFU without me knowing. We have been married for 30 years. —Danielle Christopher
I published my first book in 2022, and my best girlfriend had the cover design made into a Christmas tree ornament for me! She did it through Shutterfly. I was definitely delighted to see that! —Mary Jane Lavoie

Next question: Do you have a recommended wallet or other method of carrying around IDs, cards, and cash? Hit reply to this email and let me know, or discuss over on Discord.

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