This Week's Thoughts

On crypto truthers, Tomi Lahren, and sad girl music

Thinking Is Cool; Presented by Massican

By luck or fate or some other reason, you’ve found yourself reading an email from Thinking Is Cool, *the* podcast to listen to if you want to have better conversations. If this email was forwarded to you, sign up for regular correspondence from me, Kinsey, right here:

Good morning! Today feels like the eight-month anniversary of a relationship. It’s not as important as three or 12 months and it doesn’t really change anything, but it still feels notable. It feels like you’re on the precipice of something.

Today, that’s where Thinking Is Cool is—the precipice. I mentioned last week that there would be some changes and those changes are starting now, but I’m not really *changing* a whole lot about the show aside from my attitude and my publishing schedule. Still, I’m relishing in this eight-month-ish sensation of being excited and almost there.

Over the next few weeks, I think I’ll get there, wherever there is, and I’d love your input on the journey. I was recently thinking about what I want this newsletter to become, and one of my notes from that brainstorm read, “write what you would want to read in the morning at the start of the week.”

So…what do you want to read in the morning at the start of the week? Hit respond and let me know so we can ring in our one-year anniversary the way you want to.

Let’s take it anywhere.

What I’m Thinking About This Week

An editorial rock and a ratings hard place.

Lately, I’ve been in the habit of crafting these intricate and nuanced editorial hypotheticals. I imagine what the experience of creating some piece of work would be. I extend the exercise in imagination to the reception from all of you. I let myself think about my dream interviews and my nightmare interviews.

The one I’ve been wrestling with recently goes like this:

Me in conversation with Tomi Lahren, the Megyn Kelly of Kimberly Guilfoyles.

Assuming (and you know what happens when we do that) that I, someone who has very publicly and on multiple occasions propositioned Tucker Carlson to a high-stakes arm wrestle, could book Tomi Lahren…would I do it?

The devil on my shoulder says absolutely. I was the captain of my high school mock trial team for two years, so I have the chops to go toe to toe with her (I think we’re well-matched in terms of delusions of grandeur). Plus, call it morbid curiosity, but I find myself genuinely wondering about the way her mind works. How? Why? What elements combined to make her who she is, and does she feel any conflict or remorse or guilt or embarrassment or pride for her work?

The angel on my other shoulder says most certainly not. The last thing someone as persistently poisonous as Tomi Lahren needs is a platform expansion. I’m no gotcha journalist, and you are who you associate with. Who would I be if I spoke to Tomi Lahren instead of someone who, I don’t know, has something important to say and nowhere to say it?

This bears an unmistakable feeling of “just because you can doesn’t mean you should.” And I can't stop thinking about it.

What You Should Be Thinking About This Week

Saving the bees, debating whether Shawn and Camila were ever really real, surviving Mercury retrograde, considering the possibility of celebrities truly committing to socialist ideals, and this: a new episode of Thinking Is Cool out today.

In some ways, this episode feels very different—it’s under 30 minutes, it’s a new-ish format. In other ways, this episode feels cozy and familiar—it’s about a topic I could and probably do talk about in my sleep, it’s me in my interviewing element.

I thought I’d try to pitch you on the episode in fewer than 10 words, but I think I only need five: The episode is about cryptocurrency. Oh and I talk about inflation so I'll add that word to the list—six words. Either way you should listen.

More specifically, the episode is a bit of a wellness check on the cryptopunks in my life that will quickly and effectively illustrate for you what, exactly, is going on in the crypto space. I’m sure your parents told you this when you were little, but Twitter isn’t always an accurate representation of reality. This episode is.

Listen to the episode here on Spotify and here on Apple. It’ll be on the TIC site in a bit, too.

And now for a quick break to talk about one of my very favorite things…

Massican white wine

I’m going to level with y’all: I attempted to do dry January this year. And not really for any reason other than the fact that lots of people do it. But like most New Year’s resolutions that are absolute and not based in reality…I broke.

So this year, I’m doing what I call “damp” January. If I’m going to drink, it’s only going to be the good stuff. The stuff that’s worth it.

Stuff like Massican. Massican is the kind of wine that’s worth bending the rules for. It’s worth calling an entire calendar month “damp.” Massican is just that good.

And it’s also…

  • Napa Valley’s only all-white-wine winery

  • Committed to working with family owned vineyards to grow organic and sustainably farmed grapes

  • $30 a bottle, low in alcohol, under 120 calories a glass, and free of additives and sugar

New Massican wines are bottling in February and dropping in March…and between the two of us, they tend to sell out pretty quickly. So get on the list or purchase a bottle (or five) today on the Massican site. Or check out the local selection at fine wine shops and in select Whole Foods nationwide. Happy Damp January!

What I’m Watching, Listening to, and Reading This Week

  • I can’t believe I haven’t brought this up yet, but Amy Schneider’s historic run on Jeopardy!. Truly, truly can’t-miss television

  • Lots and lots and lots of Faye Webster because as it turns out I’m super happy but I wish I were a sad indie girl

  • The Barbizon by Paulina Bren, which is historical nonfiction for people who read The Bell Jar and were more curious than they were traumatized

Thanks for reading, and have a great week. Don’t forget to listen to my new episode!!!

-Kinsey