How we receive now

In the fall of 2021 my book, How We Give Now, was published. Shortly thereafter I got covid, which turned into Long Covid. I've now been disabled since early 2022. I didn't get to tour with the book, missed out on lots of opportunities to share it with people, and had no chance to promote it. That's sad, but hey, life gives you lemons. 

I feel as if I've spent the time since getting sick in 2022 learning how to receive. To really rely on others, to depend on family and close friends for just about everything. And to be delighted by less-close friends who turn out to know when to come by, know how to be helpful, know how to just sit and be quiet together. Friends who will drive across town, load up me and my wheelchair, take me to a park (or to the ocean), sit there with me, then bring me back. Friends who bring food. Friends who bring blankets. Family that flies across country to help out. Family friends who come specifically to give my wife a break. People who walk the dog. It's a long list of acts, for each of which I am eternally grateful.

I'm not going to write a book called How We Receive Now, but I encourage you to think about both how you give and how you receive. Both are good to be good at. 

This year I was thrilled to join two book groups. This was a nudge to learn how to listen to audiobooks - as it's become very hard on my brain to read screens or books.  I'll never be good at citing audiobooks, but they sure help me "read" faster.

In one of the book groups, I am the youngest member by at least 16 years. Most of the members are at least 20 years older than I am. In the other, which admittedly is just me and one of my niblings, I am 35 years older than the other member. The first group reads mostly fiction with an occasional memoir (so far, one has been of a psychotherapist and the other of a psychic). The second group is alternating fiction with nonfiction politics. 

I threw an idea around earlier this year with some other philanthropy wonks - starting a zoom reading group of books on philanthropy. If you're interested in doing that let me know in the comments or at @p2173.bsky.social.

Blueprint 2025 includes a subset of the following list. Below are the (Non-Academic) books I've finished so far this year - will probably get a few more in and will then update. The Blueprint goes live on January 15, 2025.