Hi Reader!

Have the days of the week started to blur yet or are you sick of sugar and just want a piece of broccoli? However or wherever you are spending this weird limbo period between Christmas and New Year's Day, I hope that you have found some time for a little relaxation either by yourself or with loved ones.

I have spent a lot of time reading, watching movies, and trying to get outside and enjoy the start of the snowy season in Colorado. I'm also thrilled that the days are finally going to start getting longer again.

I have spent some time reflecting on this full year of art-work, blogging, website tweaking, social media posting, and newsletter writing, and I admit I am pretty proud of what I have accomplished. I shared some of my thoughts in my last blog post of the year: What I've Learned From My Year of Consistency. While consistent didn't mean every day, it meant more time working on my art than ever before. I admit, sometimes it was overwhelming, but the work felt good. I enjoyed it, I liked seeing progress, and I'm starting to think about what's possible in the next year.

My ideas haven't quite all settled yet regarding 2024, but I'm looking forward to figuring it out and to having you along for the ride.

While I'm thinking about 2024, here is one change I'm considering and I'd love your opinion. Similar to 2023, I'd like to to try and keep on a schedule of at least two blogs a month and I think I might send a short email with a short excerpt when those go live (every week or so). If you'd be interested in more frequent content, hit reply and let me know. I'll still send out this longer newsletter every few weeks and if you're like "Jesse, I barely read this one email and I'm only here for the pictures," I feel you. So hit reply and tell me that too. I've recently learned that I can segment my email list so here's a good time to learn how to do that.

There are still a few days left before having to return to the reality of knowing the day of the week and waking up at a specific time. I hope you enjoy whatever time you have and I will catch you in the new year.

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What I’ve Learned From My Year of Consistency ​ Read article

What I'm Reading

I have always loved Madonna. I remember my mom listening to her Like a Prayer CD when I was little, owning my own CD of her 2000 album Music, downloading Confessions on a Dance Floor from iTunes, and discovering early Madonna through my mom's records as a teenager. Mary Gabriel's 2023 biography Madonna: A Rebel Life was a behemoth at over 800 pages long, but I found this book fascinating. It takes a chronological look at Madonna's life and career while also putting it within a historical context, from the devastation of the AIDs epidemic, the fits and starts of the feminist movement, and the brutality of living a life in the spotlight. I was stunned by her worth ethic and her constant reinvention. The sheer amount of music, movies, and performances, she created over the course of her life is just staggering. And that is just to date! She is currently on tour this year, celebrating her 40 year career. It was a long book, but I loved every page of it.

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What I'm Watching

I have been going down a deep deep rabbit hole of Madonna content since the end of November, when I started Gabriel's biography. One thing that is truly remarkable about this technology age that we live in is the sheer amount of content available through just a quick Google or YouTube search. As I worked my through the Madonna biography, I have been listen to her music in chronological order, watched her music videos, documentaries she made of her different tours - such as the 1991 Madonna Truth or Dare, which documents her 1990s Blond Ambitions tour - awards show performances, and speeches she has given. It made the book really come alive as I read.

Did you miss a newsletter?

You can find past editions on my website now under Insider's Club.

Until next time!