dcscover 023 | Rivalry
dcscover 023 | Rivalry
Some weeks ago, I was really touched by all the photos that came out of Roger Federer’s retirement from tennis.
As a long-time fan of Rafael Nadal, Federer’s greatest rival, I’ve rooted for Nadal against Federer in many Grand Slam finals and have had plenty of fun-spirited squabbles with friends who are die-hard Federer fans. I’m used to seeing their rivalry in black and white. There are two sides and I'm on Rafa's.
But then Federer’s 24-year career finally ended and I saw how deeply affected Nadal was by it all, how intertwined their lives seem to have gotten on and off the court, especially in more recent years. And I almost feel like I’ve missed half the story.
What I’m taking away from all this is how special it is to have a craft, something you love to do and maybe even want to be the best at, to do that continuously for a long time, and if you’re lucky, to have good people who can grow with and sharpen you along the way.
Relationships, like a craft, can get so much better and richer with time, but it seems like there are no shortcuts to get there. Those final moments of Federer and Rafa’s professional rivalry came through with the breathtaking power that they did only because they were built on years and years of accumulated interactions — triumphs, defeats, and all the big and little shared experiences in between that we know nothing about.
Projects, projects
A new Ode post on a few recent additions to my wardrobe. Also: my fall playlist. Lastly, a brief Napa Valley memory from the summer, now on Youtube.
This month’s finds
Let’s just say my screen time noticeably went down the week I was reading this book. 😅
The playlist I keep playing for all occasions lately.
An interesting way of thinking about anxiety I haven’t heard before.
A deep dive into the origin story of Notion, probably the most needle-moving tool I’ve used in recent years.
A pretty simple Korean potato salad recipe — loved having this as a side dish for a week.
One more thing
I bought two stationery things recently: a 2023 Hobonichi Techo Cousin, my go-to planner (I talked a bit about it in a previous post), and a Moo hardcover notebook (I first got one as swag at an event and liked it a lot). I’ve been working on a post about all my thoughts on “productivity”, from tools to systems to philosophy. I’ll definitely share more about it in this newsletter when it’s ready.
Opening scene: Just a little a fall color story 🍁