I'm going to get back in the habit of updating this site (at least) weekly — ya know, blogging. But rather than the type of "week in review" that I've written in the past — either here or on the now-defunct Hack Education — I thought I'd steal some of the frameworks from two of my favorite newsletters — Austin Kleon's (his newsletter, as well as his work in general) and Girls' Night In — and focus on reviews and recommendations and random thoughts. I need to come up with a catchy title for this, I reckon. But for now, here are some of "the goods" from my week:

Quitting Ed-Tech: I finally did it: I quit. The hike that Kin and I took last week helped me find a lot of peace and clarity, not just about Isaiah but about myself. And I recognize that in order to move forward, I have to really let go of the things that are holding me back. Such is my relationship with ed-tech and with my writing on Hack Education. I announced this week that I will no longer update the website. My last acts in the field, besides the farewell post, were to be a guest speaker in my friend José's class and to see the publication of this report from the UN's Special Rapporteur on the right to education - a report on the privatization of education that I contributed to. I am proud of everything I've contributed to the field of ed-tech; that said, I am so relieved to move on to the next (writing/thinking) projects.

RPE: RPE means "Rate of Perceived Exertion" and it's the scale I use when weightlifting to ascertain how much effort I'm putting in. I listened to my lifting coach's podcast this week on the topic, and since then, I've been thinking about how I overshoot on my lifts - calling things an "8" when really, they're a "9" or a "10." This goes for all the physical activities I'm doing right now - I probably push myself way to hard in running and in yoga, too. So I'm going to try to dial back the intensity a little. I'll still be stronger, but hopefully I can recover better. (This is about fitness; and this is not about fitness.)

"Nooch": Nutritional yeast is one of those "hippie" ingredients that used to send young Isaiah thru the roof. And I get it: don't try to tell me that it's some sort of vegan cheese substitute. That said, nutritional yeast does have a certain umami, and I've started using it more and more. Namely, I use it to make a salad dressing, based on this recipe by Ali Slagle, which we eat pretty much daily. (Because we eat salad pretty much daily).

• 1 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 3 tbs lemon juice
• 1 tbs Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Whisk (or blend) til smooth. Add water (1 tbs - 1/4 cup), if necessary to get to desired consistency. Use as a sauce or salad dressing.

Carrying Your Own Baggage: I'm still thinking about all the hikes that Kin and I did last week, particularly our trek up Kerby Peak. We hiked yesterday too - one we often do on Saturdays in the Berkeley hills, before we head into town to get bagels. Poppy absolutely loves to hike; she loves to be off-leash; and she's incredibly proud of her backpack, which people always stop and compliment her on. She carries her own water in it, and folks seem surprised that a dog would do that. Dogs, on the other hand, all seem to say, "Dammit, don't tell my people that I am capable of that! I make them carry my shit."

Bagels: Every other Saturday is "bagel day," and on the way back from our hike yesterday, we stopped at Boichik Bagels to pick up a dozen bagels (and some cream cheese and lox). (Pro-tip: pre-order and avoid the lines.) I realize that some folks want to make a case for Montreal bagels, bless their hearts, but New York bagels are the best. And while the headline and story were certainly slanted to enrage its readership, The New York Times didn't lie when it said the best bagels are now in California.

Everything Everywhere All At Once: Speaking of bagels (spoiler alert, sorta), we finally watched Everything Everywhere All At Once, and wow, it was so fun and so incredibly (and unexpectedly) moving.

"The only thing I do know is that we have to be kind. Please, be kind. Especially when we don't know what's going on." - Waymond.