The Beastwood Files: November 2024

Bit of a light month up in here. In addition to a few days off for Thanksgiving, we took a few days to go to Cancun for a good friend’s wedding. Along with seeing friends from near and far, and meeting new friends, it was nice to relearn some lessons about electrolytes, sunscreen, and the value of shade in a hot and humid climate. Suffice to say, I was more than happy to land in 50-degree weather upon our return.

Stuff I Wrote

• A summary of a paper on energy poverty and how the formula for allocating federal aid for energy bills is due to be recalculated – one of the most interesting things I’ve written in a while
• A quick take on what drive real-time business operations and the value of real-time data in supporting them
• Custom content for clients in digital health, healthcare administration, technology infrastructure, health plan administration, and more

Things I Read

• Count me among the many profoundly affected by the Esquire essay on a former journalist experiencing homelessness, his efforts to find a place to live (and survive), and the long, slow erosion of support systems in the United States. The optimist in me hopes this can be a wake-up call for our society’s failure to take care of those in need; the pessimist in me knows that ship sailed a long time ago.
• In lighter but messier news, Verily and HLTH are planning to analyze wastewater samples from the conference to try to determine if a large conference does indeed spread infections diseases. Having come home from more than one conference with a “head cold” back in the day, I wouldn’t be surprised if the answer to this is “Yes.”
• During Introvert Alone Time on our trip to Cancun, I went down a bit of a Wikipedia rabbit hole on Mexican history. I learned Cancun was quite literally a fishing village until the 1970s, at which point the Mexican government decided it would be a great place for beach resorts and funded the construction of several hotels. Not a bad investment. I also learned Mexico was ruled for three years in the 1860s by an Austrian king, Maximilian I, backed by the French. He was a descendent of the Habsburgs, who ruled Spain when they conquered Mexico. As you might imagine, this didn’t end well: There was significant opposition, quelling it only made it worse, and eventually Maximilian I was captured, tried, and executed.

Adventures in Fatherhood

• A few weeks ago, when my son and I were grocery shopping together, I used a popular regional phrase to describe my need to turn around and get something at the other side of the store. I thus introduced my son to the phrase “bang a U-ey,” which he is now quite fond of saying.
• We were VERY excited to get a Christmas tree, so much so that we were one of the first ones in line on the first day the local Boys and Girls Club was selling them. We also decorated it within an hour of bringing it home, with the adults in the house justifying the decision by noting the branches might actually settle a bit faster if ornaments were weighing them down.

Last year, a coworker introduced me to the saying, “May you have the holiday season you’re hoping for.” Some people love a hectic household with lots of extended family around a huge table. Some people prefer quiet time with their immediate family. Some people like to curl up and watch A Christmas Story or Love Actually or Die Hard for the 23rd time. (Yep, I went there.) Some folks are keen for outdoor adventures or other trips away from home. Some people like a mix of all four in varying quantities. So I’m going to borrow the saying and wish all of you the holiday season you’re hoping for.