Hi friend!

Here's your forever-free email I send at 7 am every Friday.

Each week, I send you something cool you can watch, read, use, and listen to.

If you dig it, or if you have any suggestions, reach out to me and let me know. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

If you hate it, cancel anytime. If you hate me, cancel me anytime.

Here's something for you to...

1) watch.

What's the Problem with Feminism?

A short video articulating the beauty of the first and second waves of the Feminist movement, as well as the muddiness of its third wave.

I've been asked several times if I was a feminist, to which I always say:

"If you're asking if I believe men and women should be granted the same freedoms, then yes. No shit."

But I've always been hesitant to identify with the word. Unfortunately, the term over the years has been hijacked by a number of different people with a number of different agendas. This video articulates this hijacking quite well.

On a lighter note...

Teen Boys Losing Virginity Earlier And Earlier, Report Teen Boys

Man. I can't believe how much has changed since I was a teenager.

(2-minute video)

2) read.

Idea validation vs. customer research (and how to do the better one)

Written by Laura Bosco (professional Content Writer).

My entrepreneur buddy sent me this article as I establish my online marketing business. But its lessons can also be applied to art, writing, or building or creating of any kind.

For me, it's been the hardest part of creating content or building a business:

How can I figure out what my audience/customers actually want, instead of trying to convince them to want what I've made?

In Laura's words:

Idea validation is proving your target market will pay for your idea before you build a product or business.

(i.e. what Dillan does)

Customer research is learning more about customers’ wants, needs, fears, motivations, and more so you can build a product or service they love.

(i.e. what Dillan always avoids because it scares him)

3) use.

A library card

Did you guys know libraries are still a thing??

Also, apparently Covid is contagious. Crazy world.

Anyway, this link is to my county's library. But if you don't have an online library card, I HIGHLY recommend you take 60 seconds (literally), go to your county library's webpage, and get one. It's free.

Here's what I've been using it for:

Libby: An app which connects to your Kindle. You can order, hold, and request eBooks and audiobooks when you link Libby to your library card...for absolutely free. I've read 10 books in the past two months and haven't paid a cent.

(Tell me I'm smart)

Lynda: An online learning platform with tons of amazing courses on technical and businessy stuff. I've used it to learn how to build basic websites and how to use simple coding languages.

Rosetta Stone: For real. With nothing but a library card, I've been logging onto Rosetta Stone for free. I'm making some headway in French.

Omelette du fromage. See?

If you enjoy reading and learning (nerd), there's no reason to not have an online library card. Did I mention it's free?

4) listen to.

Carla Bruni

The latest album of the French-Italian singer/songwriter.

I especially love listening to french music when I'm cooking. It makes me feel cultured AF.

Listen on iTunes, Spotify, or iHeartRadio.

Extras.

Favorite blogs.

What Fast Food Taught Me About Addiction

What quesadillas taught me about society.

How to Use Your Friends

How to cultivate (and participate) in a loving, supportive and helpful tribe.

Don't Take My Advice

Just don't. If you know what's good for you.

Quotes.

“When I don’t know what to do, I try to do whatever scares me most.”

-Connor Russo

“True wealth occurs when the way we spend our money is not simply compensating for how we earn it. Wealth occurs when the way we earn money and the way we spend money are aligned with one another.”

-Mark Manson

“Anxiety serves no purpose, unless it signals you to do something different.”

-Sam Harris

Thank you as always for the support, friends! If you enjoyed this newsletter, I encourage you to forward it or invite your friends to subscribe. I hope you all are happy and healthy!

Much love.

Dill 💙