What I'm up to - June 2026 | Philip I. Thomas

My monthly newsletter about what I'm up to, which I send in place of social media.

What I did in May

Went to Oaxaca for vacation, which was a culturally rich and walkable place. I enjoyed a lot of great food, coffee, and mezcal. Sagrado Filemón, Levadura de Olla, Quince Letras, and Maíz Cocina Tradicional were highlights. I thought a lot about the effect of colonialism on food, and explored it in the context of mole - for example, chichilo leans almost entirely on indigenous ingredients like burnt chiles and charred tortillas, while mole negro folds in ingredients that the Spanish brought, such as sesame, almonds, cinnamon, and sugar.

Music: Been listening to different recordings of Janáček's Sinfonietta while reading Murakami.
Gear: I have tried many different notebooks, but these Rollbahn A5 notebooks (with a pen loop) are perhaps my favorite ever - great paper, spiral binding makes it easy to write, and I like the plastic pockets for storing things. (Do not be confused by the German name and cover - they are Japanese).
Articles: Your Friendly Neighborhood Newsletter
Books: Listened to "I Hate the Ivy League" - an interesting analysis of the state of American education by Malcolm Gladwell, which left me wondering whether sortition would improve government legislative bodies.
Podcasts: Tim Wendelboe's recap on being ranked #2 in the world was a fun listen, including the tidbit that they have stopped serving Americanos at the cafe.