Are these kettlebells the right size?; Trending 🔥 #1; Ten films at Thanksgiving

3 Things this week and my favourite quote about thankfulness

Happy Thanksgiving.

I recognize that you may not be reading this from Canada, but that doesn’t change the fact that I will be carb-loading.

It turns out Thanksgiving kicks off the charcuterie season in our house. It’s one of my favourite things to put together when there are guests. It always feels like an exuberant, abundant, fellowship-inducing event. Here’s my first effort for the year.

Our first charcuterie of the Fall. Baked brioche buns infused with Boursin herb cheese, vegetable samosas, gouda crackers and Godiva chocolates. Loved by all three generations at the table.

In a world of troubles, I tremble when I think of all the blessings in life. And I’m holding on, and—to quote a favourite line from a too little talked about film—I will “accept the good.”¹

Thanks so much for spending some of your weekend with Things I Wrote Down. Here are three things and an exquisite quote.

1. Are these kettlebells the right size?

We recently got the family membership at the Y. And we’re loving it. We were amazed to learn that kids’ lessons and activities are included, so, not only can we use their facilities at any time, Petra and I can work out while the kids are in swimming lessons, Karate, etc.

Gamechanger.

I’ve really been enjoying doing these kettlebell workouts by Jeremy at Functional Fit. He’s a busy dad who puts together workouts that can be done between naps or, as it turns out, while the kids are in their 30 minute lesson.

If you need a quick, go-to workout that you don’t have to do any prep or thinking about, I recommend!

And believe me when I say, I'll need to swing these after all the feasting.

2. Trending #1

It was pretty sweet to see DANIEL our new film project over at Unveil trend as the #1 new project on WeFunder’s “Most Raised This Week” list.

We’re Thanksgiving thankful to the 110 new investors who’ve helped us raise 10% of our total funding goal in the last two weeks alone! We are getting closer to production every day.

This weekend we surpassed $283K!!

How can you help? There are two ways you can multiply the momentum.

1. JOIN THROUGH INVESTMENT. Join the growing team of investors, helping us bring DANIEL to life, with any amount $100 or more - you’ll also get fan-based perks. (If you live in Ontario, Alberta, or BC, you can reach out to me directly, otherwise, you can invest from anywhere else)!
   

2. SHARE THIS EMAIL. Every new pair of eyes on our Daniel WeFunder page gets us closer to our goal, and we all benefit when timeless Biblical stories are told!

10 Films to watch this Thanksgiving long weekend

You know how it goes. You decide to watch a film as a family, then spend 37 minutes searching, arguing, and finally picking a film that makes no one happy.

I see you. So, this week I compiled a list of 10 Films that are great for the family on a lazy long weekend. Plan ahead—more great watch time, less miserable search time.

These films will fill up your cup, are (almost all) great for family viewing, and are perfect Sunday afternoons.

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A quote

You already know that I know that I quote Annie Dillard too much.

I can’t help myself.

To close out the link round up this week, I thought I’d share one of my favourite passages from her too-quotable work, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek.

From “The Waters of Separation”

There is not a guarantee in the world. Oh your needs are guaranteed, your needs are absolutely guaranteed by the most stringent of warranties, in the plainest, truest words: knock; seek; ask. But you must read the fine print. “Not as the world giveth, give I unto you.” That’s the catch. If you can catch it will catch you up, aloft, up to any gap at all, and you’ll come back, for you will come back, transformed in a way you may not have bargained for – dribbling and crazed. The waters of separation, however lightly sprinkled, leave indelible stains. Did you think, before you were caught, that you needed, say, life? Do you think you will keep your life, or anything else you love? But no. Your needs are all met. But not as the world giveth. You see the needs of your own spirit met whenever you have asked, and you have learned that the outrageous guarantee holds. You see the creatures die, and you know you will die. And one day it occurs to you that you must not need life. Obviously. And then you’re gone. You have finally understood that you’re dealing with a maniac.

I think that the dying pray at the last not “please,” but “thank you,” as a guest thanks his host at the door. Falling from airplanes the people are crying thank you, thank you, all down the air; and the cold carriages draw up for them on the rocks. Divinity is not playful. The universe was not made in jest but in solemn incomprehensible earnest. By a power that is unfathomably secret, and holy, and fleet. There is nothing to be done about it, but ignore it, or see. And then you walk fearlessly, eating what you must, growing wherever you can, like the monk on the road who knows precisely how vulnerable he is, who takes no comfort among death-forgetting men, and who carries his vision of vastness and might around in his tunic like a live coal which neither burns nor warms, but with which he will not part.

Annie Dillard.  Pilgrim at Tinker Creek (1974).  Perennial Classics: New York, 1998. 
Page 275-76.

1. 10 points if you guessed it! The film is Things We Lost in the Fire. If you haven’t seen it, it’s very worth the watch.