Rapp Strategies Rundown – January 2021
What we’re reading, listening to and thinking about this month.
Todd R.: January meant the start of the NHL season, and the divided loyalties in our house mean both the Wild and Bruins are getting attention. The “Queens Gambit” is as good as advertised, and we will probably turn next to “Your Honor”. As for reading, I find myself drawn back to parts of The Body by Bill Bryson, which constantly remind me of the incredible contribution of median research to our lives.
Alyssa: Aside from trying to do a little snowshoeing on the weekends, January was a TV kind of month for us - “Queens Gambit” was OK. My family loves the Marvel Universe, so of course “WandaVision” has been a must see, and I binged the entire Netflix series, “Surviving Death” and loved it.
Rich: After an unbelievable year ended, how could the new year be anything but great? Well, let’s start with the ongoing Federal Government series of surprises. First came the continuing challenge to the election results. That flowed into the Insurrection of Jan. 6, which resulted in a second impeachment of the President.
Although our Republic was under huge stress, we did get to watch the peaceful Inauguration of President Biden and Vice President Harris. While a lot of my January time was committed to following this history making, we did add a bundle of joy to our family. Pictured below is our new Beagle puppy, Flossy. She is bringing great joy to the family along with a little sleep deprivation.
Here’s hoping that the nation can pick up the pace of vaccinations which should get us back to a more normal life and economy.
Todd S.: At the Stone household, we enjoyed the month of January a little more this year, thanks to our new chimney gas fireplace insert. The extra warmth in the family room has been a big hit for all of our creatures.
Sarah: This month I shredded through "Bridgerton" and we started "Lupin" on Netflix. I really enjoyed the first episode of "Growing Floret" and can't wait to see the rest of the series when it airs. The rest of my month was dominated by painting the farmhouse and wedding planning. May feels like an eternity from now and also just around the corner, somehow.
Anna: My month has been a blur of packing and planning for moving down South. Still, my husband and I have enjoyed several HelloFresh meals (a great wedding gift) – our favorites have included firecracker meatballs, chickpea bowls with pistachio rice, and hoisin beef with jasmine rice and sriracha. We also loved getting out to support a few local restaurants – Doolittle’s for juicy barbeque chicken and melt-in-your-mouth steak, and Latuff’s for delicious pizza.
Quentin: The usual post-holiday slowdown seems to not apply to 2021 and frankly that’s okay with me.
I felt like every waking minute of free time I had this month was spent outside. From snow tubing at The Theodore Wirth Park trailhead and Buck Hill to outdoor runs along the Mississippi River and beers on a patio (always bundled up, sometimes around a lucky open fire pit), I did my best to not get that dreaded Cabin Fever feeling. With several months of winter ahead, I’m hoping to try my hand at snowshoeing and curling. I’ve become a defacto dog sitter for friends of mine and I’m not complaining one bit. My high-energy golden retriever, Bear, benefits from added play time with friends and I can practice for the pending arrival of a second, permanent pup. (In the gallery below is a brief moment of peace and quiet between my dog and his friend, Runa).
Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the new presidential inauguration and all of its pomp and circumstance. It was certainly weird watching it on TV sans crowds, but nonetheless it was an memorable moment in history. Whatever political side you belong, as Americans, we’ve got to respect the Democratic process. While we won’t always agree on issues, we can at least come together to embrace the plethora of inauguration memes, right?
Cullen: It took all of one day for my 2021 optimism to take a hit. While playing some backyard football I tore my ACL and damaged some additional tissue badly enough to keep me off my feet for much of the month. Surgery date is still TBD, so my last few weeks have been devoted to physical therapy. Never thought I’d say it, but thank goodness for working from home!
On the bright side, being immobilized offered plenty of opportunities for downtime. I took time in January to journal as often as I could, and began to read Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, which spookily enough takes place in the Great Lakes region after a deadly pandemic. I even dipped my toe back into podcasts by beginning 5-4, an irreverent but thought-provoking show about some of the Supreme Court’s most provocative decisions.
