Claudia's Happy List

One thing I have to be grateful for is that this was the year I got better at making myself happy. For me, that meant creating an ideal work-life balance, carving out creative time, hiking with my dog, mastering the art of relaxation, and finding new ways of showing my family and friends I love them. Here are the "things" that helped me accomplish that. — CD

My digital legacy

I’m thinking about what stuff — if any — I want to save after I die. My blog? Instagram? My 200,000 photos on a hard disk and in the cloud? My bank account? And for the living, where are my passwords? Today is the best day to figure this out. This WSJ article on digital legacies, “What to Do Before You Die: A Tech Checklist”, is a wonderfully comprehensive outline of what I should be asking myself, and you too, no matter your age. — KK

Joining vaccine trial

I volunteered to join a covid vaccine trial near me by using this site, Covid Dash. Points me where to go so I can sign up. There are currently 70 other vaccines still in development around the world. By volunteering, I help science and all people, and I may get a vaccine earlier. — KK

Lighting cables in bulk

It’s criminal that Apple doesn’t use USB-C or Micro-USB for charging. Its Lightning cables are shoddy and suddenly stop working with no visible signs of wear. I’m almost ready to switch to an Android phone, but until I do, I’m going to buy bags of cheap third-party Lightning cables, like this 5-pack. I’ve used them for a month so far with no issues. — MF

Understanding money

My friend Brad recommended a 2011 episode of This American Life, titled “The Invention of Money.” It’s a crash history about money as a useful fiction, beginning with the giant limestone discs used as money on the island of Yap. — Mark

Find out what your intrinsic values are

This free tool/test from Clearer Thinking helps you learn what beliefs and principles are most valuable to you. These "intrinsic values" are things you would still value even if you got nothing back from it. I learned my values align more with Libertarian philosophy, and compared to the United States, my values are somewhat more like those of people in Sweden. — CD

— Kevin Kelly, Mark Frauenfelder, Claudia Dawson

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Claudia's Happy List/Digital legacy/COVID…