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Am I the only one that watched the movie Half Baked starring Snoop Dogg and Bob Saget before ever getting high? Let’s just say I did not get it.

Do you know what else I don’t get? Rosé! Why does everybody like it? It’s usually so sweet and gives me a headache, which is why I was dubious of Source & Sink’s 2018 Rosé. Boy, was I in for a surprise! Aaron and Rande of Source & Sink have gone to great lengths to elevate this much-maligned category of wine. After sourcing 100% cabernet sauvignon grapes from a single vineyard in California, they aged them in amphora, which look like large clay pots, made from the same sun-kissed soil that supported those vines. The result is more zippy peach than sickly strawberry and as dry as the desert heat. If you think it’s not warm enough for rosé, get over yourself and grab a bottle. The only trouble is they might have sold through this vintage, but if you text me, I might just send one your way. ( 🇺🇲 313.825.4670 or 🇨🇦 647.370.6832 )

I was going to apologize for not posting a recap two weeks ago and explain how shameful I felt for not meeting the expectations I had set for myself, but honestly, who cares? Let's move on and talk about the tough questions you all answered over the last two weeks. One, in particular, turned out to be a real head-scratcher! Many of you jumped in to respond when I asked what’s the kindest thing anyone’s done for you, but few of you actually answered the question! Most admitted it was hard to rate one kind act above all others, and I agree. How do you say something a friend did once is more kind than the endless number of things your family has done over the years? Will my boyfriend be mad if I say the kindness of a stranger means more than all his grand romantic gestures? Guess I’ll have to get a boyfriend and find out!

While this question was tough to answer, it easily stirred up a sense of gratitude for all the nice things people have done for me. I couldn’t choose just one, so I’ve decided to share a few of the things that have proved most memorable as of late.

In no particular order, here are five of the kindest things people have done for me:

#1 - Let me sleep on their couch.

After a year of working from picturesque rooftops in Istanbul, I got the itch to come back to the States and get my hands dirty again working with startups. Instead of doing the responsible thing and waiting for a job offer to move, I spent six months bouncing between cities, countries, and continents, cashing in airline miles, and taking interviews as they came. Friends cleared off their couch cushions and feigned surprise as I explained why I was returning from my grand European adventure after just one year.

While I tried to maintain an optimistic appearance, inside, I was scared. I had upheaved my life for the third or fourth time in as many years, and the glass half full facade was starting to crack. I’m not sure how many people saw that, but no one made me feel bad when I asked for help. Considering the isolated nature of the last year, those six months seem like a dream, and I feel incredibly grateful for the friends that kindly let me sleep on their couch.

#2 - Gave me a job.

My current boss is also my former boss and the first person to give me a chance in the world of startups and venture capital. We met on Twitter, and I pestered him with lengthy emails until he gave me a job. I don’t think either of us knew what we were getting into, but we somehow managed to build a sense of trust that persists to this day. He’s seen me cry, heard me laugh, and wondered why I never eat lunch at work. There are few people I’d rather have in a literal or metaphorical firefight. He’s set a high bar for anyone I work with in the future to reach, and I’m thankful he gave me a job (twice)!

#3 - Visited my grandma.

My friend Emily and I are both only children from farm families who spent a lot of time with our grandmas growing up. It was heartbreaking to see Emily’s Grandma Rose pass away before seeing her fall in love, get married, or have her first child. My Grandma Jeannie is a pain in the ass, but I’m grateful she’s still alive and swearing. Somewhere along the way, I had the bright idea to take Emily along on a visit to her, and they became fast friends. While I lived far away and only visited a couple of times a year, Emily stopped by weekly. They would Facetime me and make the most insane Snapchat videos. I’m not sure I fully appreciate how much those visits meant to them, but they meant the world to me.

#4 - Ignored me.

After my divorce, I assumed the typical division of friends would happen. I wasn’t wrong. Being in San Francisco during the split, far from our mutual friends in Toronto, seemed to lessen the blow, but it was hard. When a couple of close friends visited my ex, we did a wine tasting together, which was fun if a bit odd. Before they flew home, I begged my friend Julie to meet me for coffee. I wanted to tell her how much our friendship had meant over the last ten years and let her know I would always love her even though I knew we probably wouldn’t see each other much anymore. Julie had other plans.

Each time I tried to say goodbye, she found a way to deflect. I think at one point, she just said ‘no.’ She made us leave the coffee shop before I was able to break up with her or finish my espresso. We hugged just long enough to avoid bursting into tears, and I walked home in an anti-climatic stupor. A few weeks later, Julie called to catch up like normal. A few weeks after that, we talked again. We started having wine-fueled calls with her husband Mike laughing in the background. Julie refused to let me give up on our friendships because of something as stupid as a divorce. I’ll be forever grateful for her ignoring my attempts to break up with her.

#5 - Adopted my cats.

Some of you might judge me for this one, and that’s okay.

When I decided to leave San Francisco for Europe, I didn’t know where I’d end up. I assumed I’d zig-zag between startup cities like Berlin and Paris for at least a year as I built a VC consultancy. Bringing my two cats, Cora and Leo, along for the ride didn’t seem plausible, so I tried to find a friend or family member to take them in. No one agreed. A week before my departure, I made what still feels like the hardest decision of my life and took my two precious cats to a rather chic adoption center in San Francisco. Saying goodbye for the last time, knowing they would never understand because they're cats, was excruciating.

I don’t know who adopted them, but I am sure whoever fell for Cora and Leo has a big heart. They must have seen Leo’s curious nose and turned up ears. I’m sure they saw past Cora’s shyness and messy fur. They might think I’m a monster for giving up such sweet cats, and I admit I’ve often felt like I am. I couldn’t give them the stable life they deserved and am hopeful they found it with a new family. I’ll never get to tell them, but they did one of the kindest things anyone has ever done for me.

Well, that was honestly pretty heartwarming! Text me if you have any feedback or want to grab one of the few bottles of Rosé I mentioned! I swear I won’t leave you on ‘read.’ ( 🇺🇲 313.825.4670 or 🇨🇦 647.370.6832 )

I’m off to sheepishly ask my upstairs neighbor if they really must jump rope before 8 am every morning. Until we talk again, I hope you'll keep being curious enough to ask questions, find the courage to answer them, and even if you don’t have the guts to drink Rosé out of season, have the audacity to give a sh*t about other people's answers too!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit otherpeoples.substack.com

Recap 006: How kind of mew.

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