Hello there,

This time last year, I offered the following permission to our email list: “I am going to give myself the handful of hours it would have taken to put this whole retrospective email together. I warmed up two slices of pizza and will enjoy my full lunch hour while continuing my rewatch of The West Wing. My letter to you this month is an invitation to do the same.” (emphasis added).

I got more replies than usual supporting this choice and naming that you will, in fact, do the same.

So as I look out the window on this snowy St. Louis day I want to extend that same invite: Join me in slowing down for a bit.

This weekend I:

• I read a book and a half over this past weekend. For those interested it was The Science of Storytelling by William Storr and Hidden Potential by Adam Grant
• I cuddled with my dogs for 30-minutes without anything on the TV.
• Saw Wicked in the theater (it was very good)

Ellen Burstyn, the Academy Award–winning actress, was interviewed for the podcast Death, Sex, and Money and shared something she does to slow down. Burstyn shared, “I have what I call should-less days. Today is a day where there’s nothing I should do. So I only do what I want to do. And if it’s nap in the afternoon or watch TV and eat ice cream, I get to do it. I had that kind of day yesterday.” Slow down with me. And if you can’t do that fully, at least give yourself one “should-less” day this holiday season.

I think you’ll like it

Until next time,
Steven Harowitz

2025 fellows

Stand out stories

As the traditions of year-end approach, we asked the Campfire team about their “unsung” stories of the year. Be it a TV show, play, or movie you loved; or a human interest story that folks may have forgotten, what should have gotten more shine when it happened?

Put another way: what’s one story you don’t want to leave 2024 without highlighting one last time?
Our Media Producer Kaliice loves documentaries, and is always looking for new ones to watch. One that stuck with her this year that she’s heard a lot of people talk about is Jim Henson: Idea Man. As she puts it, “It was so well done; it was amazing to dive into the story of the man that shaped most of our childhoods.”

Fellow Henson fan and Content Strategist Amma is reflecting fondly on A24’s Sing Sing, a film she recommended earlier this year. Based on the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program in New York’s Sing Sing prison, the movie is largely performed by actors who took part in the real program. They’re stunningly good, and she really hopes you check it out.

Our Founder Steven’s pick was a story rewritten: “I think my unsung story of the year is T-Pain’s On Top of the Covers (Live From The Sun Rose). I know, I know—it’s not exactly a traditional story, but it feels like a counter-narrative in action. For years, T-Pain’s name was synonymous with autotune. While it’s undeniably part of his legacy, it doesn’t define him as an artist. This live set flips the script, showcasing a mix of incredible covers brought to life by T-Pain and his stellar band. It’s a fresh chapter in T-Pain’s story—and a reminder of his artistry beyond the tool that first made him famous.”

For our Client Engagement Manager Kim, the Olympics had the best story of the year. She writes, “I live for the Olympics, so it’s got to be Thea LaFond’s historic performance in the women’s triple jump, where she not only won the gold medal but also secured Dominica’s first-ever Olympic medal. This is an incredible story that will stick with me for years to come. Her achievement is more than just a victory; it’s a powerful source of inspiration for an entire generation of young girls in Dominica.”

Our Special Projects Lead Mariah wants everyone she knows to listen to two St. Louis Public Radio pieces that weave together the history of the Veiled Prophet secret society, 1970s activism, Fair St. Louis, and the legacy of the Ferguson Uprising. These pieces are great examples of storytelling that reconsiders a long-told narrative by centering a different perspective and that speaks truth to power.