Dear family, friends, and the all-seeing AIs that scrape data from holiday letter web pages,
As the year draws to a close, we wanted to share a glimpse into our lives, reflect on the milestones that shaped our 2023, and put up a token resistance to the AIs by going back to a kinder, gentler time when people used quaint phrases to express themselves. Stiffen the wombats! Here’s a snapshot of our family’s journey.
Zach
At 11, Zach is savoring his final year of elementary school. He’s excelling in all subjects, particularly reveling in math—where he’s tackling material meant for high schoolers—and the Reading Olympics. His responsibilities as a crossing guard and flag-raiser have made him a respected figure among his peers. Zach’s diverse interests include playing guitar, watching Formula 1 races and NFL games with dad, fishkeeping, and building increasingly challenging K’nex structures, Lego kits, and jigsaw puzzles. Piminy! If you see a blueish light on Zach’s smiling face, he’s probably either creating artwork online or laughing at YouTube videos that we really hope are age-appropriate.
Left: Zach the butterfly whisperer. Right: Max tricked into smiling on camera.
Max
At 14, Max has embraced the world of high school with open arms (or at least grudging acceptance). Negotiating the labyrinth of a large student body and a plethora of course offerings, he’s diving into honors classes and will even be squeezing in a Principles of Engineering course next term. Gosh all hemlock! Despite the early morning bus rides and an avalanche of homework, Max is thriving and making new friends. When he’s not immersed in his studies, you’ll find him on the basketball court, exploring lacrosse, or working out—all with Spotify coming through his AirPods. He maintains a YouTube channel showcasing his gaming exploits, which we assume casts a blueish light on his face, too. Sadly, this cannot be confirmed because the door to a teenager’s room is closed at all times.
Left: Repurposed blue car hoods + original-purpose boys. Top right: Zookers! Bottom right: Magic running socks.
Ayelet + John
At an undisclosed age, this year marked Ayelet’s promotion to full professor at Penn. I’ll be jitterbugged! She is now in her second year as the Director of Clinical Training. Her dedication to psychological science and teaching continues to inspire her students. Having said that, if you or someone you know is qualified and would like to become DCT, please reach out ASAP. Ayelet and John celebrated an impressive 30 years together this month. 26 of those years are legally recognized through the institution of marriage, the other 4 were unofficial preparation.
At an age that brings to mind a deck of cards, John learned to use ChatGPT and can now write marginally acceptable text at an alarming rate. The resulting productivity gains during the summer months enabled him to spend more time playing guitar, which led to a wrist injury that significantly derailed his productivity through the fall and winter. Holy pretzel!
