jump down the rabbit hole

Actually, if you asked how much I’d pay to keep it if you threatened to take it away I’d probably pay close to $500, and that’s while being quite money constrained as an early stage founder rn. But 2-3x is how much I’d pay without even hesitating.

And no it doesn’t really have anything to do with the insights I don’t think, even tho I do get lots of wonderful and valuable insights from it. For me, it’s a way of channeling my curiosity and wonder.

I usually set it aside for a Saturday around midday, play the music you put, and spend probably 2 1/2 hours going all thru it and command clicking tabs open. I don’t go thru the tabs until after I’m finished or sometimes the next day. But I get into a total trance and don’t even go to the bathroom or get up while I’m reading it. It reminds me of the way I feel while watching a really great movie that you get lost in and forget that you are even watching a movie and you feel like you’re inside the story.

I think it’s about the way it makes me feel - introspective, curious, smiley, grateful to be a part of this world that’s full of so much wisdom and beauty (like the knowledge equivalent of looking at the ocean or a starry sky and both noticing how small you are and simultaneously how grateful you are to be a part of this universe).

The beauty part of it is especially wonderful, I save a lot of the aesthetics and send them to friends who that particular aesthetic reminds me of. I always finish it with a contented smile on my face and go for a walk or a quick meditation to just let it all soak. I also finish with like 15-20 new tabs open of interesting things to explore. Also I often end up with some notecards of interesting ideas, quotes, poems that I put into my notecard pile of concepts I want to continue to steep myself in.

Essentially, your newsletters really resonate with me.

It stands in contrast to other environments I spend time in (physical and digital, aka classic modern Western world). It stimulates my unformulated vision of how I’d want the world to be like and it gives me hope that someday I will feel at peace and joy with my place in the world. It keeps me dreaming and inspired.

I also think there’s a certain kindness and welcoming in the newsletter that makes me feel safe; there are other intellectual spaces where I hang out online where I don’t feel the same and I think that decreases my engagement.

There’s also an aspect of the curated content being things I’d have a hard time finding at other places (although that may say more about me than you) which is valuable itself, but also provides a nice space for randomness/serendipity.

I don’t think I’ve made any specific actions as a result, but I’d like to believe that the intellectual and spiritual nourishment I get from it will eventually contribute to my life decisions going in directions that are more aligned with my deepest selves.

In short, I am most grateful to have discovered this Internet space you have created, and I hope you keep doing it for as long as you find it worthwhile.

Rabbit Holes truly feels like a siloed experience (the music helps with this). I always set aside real time for it - never half-reading it on a commute or something.

You hop around in topic, but there's a clear through-line, and I find myself saving so much from every edition. Big thanks for your thoughtfulness and approach to this wonderful publication.

While reading your newsletter I have beautiful memories of sitting on a chaise a couple years ago reading this blog in LA and contemplating the trajectory of my existence. Grateful :)