The Mixed Bag: March '25

and a much-needed personal and WAGO update!

If we were catching up over brunch, this is the part where I’d be like, “Wait, have you read this?” A few favorite finds from the month, coming right up.

📣 update!

A small detour from the usual grab bag of thoughts and vibes. I’ve got some much-needed updates on what’s happening with me, WAGO, and The Lounge.

1. Remember that brilliant (read: wildly ambitious and possibly delusional) plan I had back in January to try a new thing every month? Yeah… so about that. Turns out, life has other plans, and joy doesn’t like to be scheduled.
   
   So, I’m adjusting. The Joy Experiment is still on, just looser and more organic. Instead of a rigid monthly schedule, it’s more of a meandering and spontaneous exploration of the things that make life feel good. I’ll still share my stories and unexpected discoveries inside The Lounge. Just without the stress of a monthly deadline.
   

2. I set out looking for joy in new experiences. But I also found myself drawn to quieter questions. I’ve been a low-key philosophy nerd for years, but now I want to study it with more intention — not as an academic thing, but as a way to actually live better. Think Eleanor studying with Chidi (minus the chalkboard and the stomachache).
   
   Beginning next month, I’m diving into a year-long study of philosophy, focused on the cornerstones of WAGO: joie de vivre, purpose, and the good life. This is the new frontier of The Joy Experiment — joy, both practiced and pondered. (Cue: The Good Place score.)
   

3. So, what does all this mean for The Lounge (our private gathering space for paid subscribers)? The monthly chats are still happening (mark your calendar for the last Thursday of the month). Expect a mix of life, delightfully un-stuffy philosophy, and the occasional existential spiral about what joy even is. Bring your thoughts, your questions, and your coffee or your wine. 😉 And like I said, I’ll keep sharing progress reports on the joy experiments inside The Lounge!

Spring is all about fresh starts and new directions, and it turns out, so am I!

With all these shifts happening, I want to do something special. For a limited time, I’m offering a reduced annual rate ($40 $30) to welcome more of you into The Lounge. Consider it a little thank-you gift for being part of WAGO, and a springtime nudge to explore what’s next, with curiosity, joy, and a bunch of big-hearted people to figure it all out with.

🐾 in case you missed it

• Going Downhill Ain’t What You Think It Is

• No, really. I AM too old for this. (Note: Use of the phrase “too old” intentional 😉)

• Ugh. This gratitude thing…

• How Not to be “That” Person

• In Profile: Lani V. Cox

• The Lounge Chat: The Yesses that Changed Us

  (Psst: Next Lounge Chat is on April 24th, if you want to mark the calendar.)

🔗 finds

Some of my new favorite writers and their Substack publications I’ve been enjoying in the last couple of months:

• Social Media Escape by

  Seth Werkheiser

• Good Morning Project by

  Carll Tucker

• The Planet by

  Alexander Verbeek

• FlakPhoto by

  Andy Adams

• House Talk by

  Dorena Kohrs

• Hello, Writer! by

  Linda Caroll

• Down the Rabbit Hole by

  Jennie O'Connor

❓Have you got recent discoveries and new favorites too? Please do share in the comments section, and let’s share our finds!

📚 reading

• Discovered a new crime/mystery series by Ingrid Ash Wolfe where the protagonist, Hazel Micallef, is a 61-year-old Detective Inspector in rural Canada. She’s divorced, living with her 80-something-year-old mom, at risk of being made redundant, and suffering from a bad back. Finished the first one (The Calling) and the second (The Taken) in the series. This is not a cozy, though, so beware if you’re not into gore.

• Switching to sci-fi thriller for a second to recover from all the murders! Reading The Enigma Cube by Douglas E. Richards.

📺 watching

I’m still in the “revisit-old-favorites” mood when it comes to watching anything on TV. So I’m on a Dexter kick now! Which is good because I haven’t seen Dexter: New Blood (which came out a couple of years ago), not to mention the new Dexter: Resurrection!

(Okay, I see it. There’s maybe a bit too much gore between what I’ve been reading and watching. Hmmm.)

💬 last word

Maxi Priest’s got the right sentiment and vibe.

May the odds be ever in your favor,
Lou Blaser 🧡