Hi there 👋
At some point over the past 10 years you’ve signed up to receive my (infrequent) personal newsletter — thank you! 😊
Considering the last issue was sent over 3 years ago, I’ve definitely delivered on the ‘occasional & infrequent’ promise. Welcome back to existing subscribers!
And to the handful of people who are new in this digital corner, Welcome!
In this first new issue, I want to re-introduce myself and this newsletter, and over the course of the next few weeks, I’m hoping to share regular updates, thoughts, recommendations, and experiment with both content and format…
Why now? And what is this?
Over the past few years, I’ve managed to reduce my social media usage a little bit. I’ve also noticed more friends leaving social media and I’ve never been one for a busy group chat.
Unfortunately I don’t get to see or interact with as many people as I would like to. We’re all busy, spread in different corners of the world, living a busy modern life and trying to make it all work. There’s nothing to feel bad about: time is limited, running its course and all we can do is to decide how we want to spend it, and whom we want to spend it with.
So, in rethinking how I interact with my own community online and offline, I’ve realized that I want to avoid my social interactions being dictated by an algorithm change or an ad-network. I’ve had a growing appeal in owning my own content and doing things my way, when I feel like posting & sharing it.
It started a few years back, re-opening my own blog where I share small updates, photos, personal thoughts, or interesting articles.
It continued with an increased use of my digital journal, powered by Day One, a journaling app I’ve used since they launched over a decade ago.
And now, here with Substack. Over the past few months, I’ve witnessed more of my creative friends, solo-preneurs, and indeed my wife Shana, leverage the power of owning your own newsletter and content on Substack, a platform that puts the emphasis on content, over format and style. I find the idea of going back to something more personal, intimate, and authentic format much more attractive than posing in public.
So I’m trying something new (again):
Less short snack-formatted social media updates, more long-form thoughtful content.
I don’t have a fixed goal for now: ‘no purpose just ✨ vibes ✨’. I’m not trying to sell something down the line, nor do I have any plan to launch a premium version of this newsletter. It’s purely personal, as a way to keep in touch with people I don’t get to see as often as I’d like. (And use a platform I like along the way.)
Where to find me?
Of course, I’m not 100% off social media at this point. But if you’re looking to get in touch, I would recommend my personal blog & website at Tibz.blog
It runs on an open platform called micro.blog which is owned by its community and doesn’t serve ads or track your data.
If you have questions about using it or setting it up, you can respond via email or leave a comment (scroll to the end of the newsletter)
What to expect?
As I mentioned above, the format that this newsletter takes will evolve overtime, without a doubt, but you can expect some infrequent personal and professional updates, recommendations of music, tv shows, books, movies, articles to read online, and any other oddity that comes to my mind.
In the next few installments, I’m planning to write around specific themes:
A personal update to catch you up on what’s been happening over the past 2–3 years.
A professional one to talk about the company I’ve joined last year.
Recent trips and what Shana & I took away from them.
Discussions of tools and apps and services I use.
Life in Paris and some local favorites.
And more…
Onward
So yeah, I’m trying something new, and I hope that you join me on this little email-powered relationship of ours.
I’m already at work on the next update, but I think this is more than enough for a first installment. Before I leave, however, I have a quick ask for you:
What you can do…
I don’t want this to be just a one-directional process, so I’d like to leave you with one question. Feel free to respond directly by leaving a comment below.
=> What are you looking forward to the most, this autumn? <=
See you soon, in your inbox.
—Tibz
I’m looking forward to moving and being in our new place 🏡💕