The 2024 Footnotes Gift Guide
12 items I loved this year + Substacks I paid for.
Wishing you a lovely start to the holiday season! You’re here for the gift ideas, so I’ll keep it quick. Everything below is something I own (or pay for in the case of subscriptions) and recommend based on my use. Nothing is sponsored.
I’m too tired chasing a 16-month-old to figure out affiliate links; try to buy locally if you can and don’t flay yourself if you can’t. 😊 Let’s go!
Writing gifts
Refyne EP1 pen. It was our ‘copper’ anniversary this year and Caitlin got me this punchy travel pen. I prefer a pen with some weight; my theory is that heavy pens have a similar effect to heavier cutlery, which makes food taste better. The copper version of the Refyne EP1 has some heft, making your writing feel weighty and important. The EP1 uses a Schmidt easyFLOW cartridge so it sails over the page.
Stalogy 365Days Notebook. I use these for journaling and day-to-day notetaking. The Stalogy B5 grid-style notebook is a good upgrade from Moleskines. Do note that the paper is thinner, so heavier pens show through the page. The Stalogy B5 is my anchor notebook, used for the blended bullet and long-form journaling that keeps me (sort of) organized.
Decomposition Book. Featured in last year’s gift guide, I’ll plug these lovely composition books again. The naturalist sketch art on the covers has gotten even better! I use these for no-nonsense logging of running workouts. While I also use digital apps like Strava, I find value in the manual ritual of writing with intention about my physical life.
Running gifts
Tracksmith Longfellow Shorts. I used this fitted short for my run commuting this year. The length makes it versatile, something I can wear to jog over to my workspace and keep on during the day (after changing into a more appropriate top). I wouldn’t wear these men’s shorts for intensive workout sessions, but they fit the bill for both cookouts and casual work environments.
Hoka Cliftons. My favorite shoes in 2024 have been in my shoe stable for years. The Clifton is a neutral workhorse that’s good for just about anything; it’s cushy enough for 20+ mile runs and light enough to rip a faster session. Among the best shoes on the market year after year.
New Balance Fuel Cell Rebel. I have a suspicion—completely unsupported by data, research, or even half-assed internet searching—that plated running shoes displace force in a way that increases risk of metatarsal injury. While I certainly get a performance boost wearing a carbon plate, my feet always feel strained afterwards. So, I avoid plated shoes except for racing. I like that the Fuel Cell Rebel has a responsive foam and springy midsole design, and also lacks a plate. I wore them for 4-6-mile threshold sessions and a recent hilly 5K that was a bit technical because I was pushing a stroller. They felt great in all instances.
Tech gifts
Casio A700WM. Having developed a fondness for synthwave music, I’ve built up a small collection of Casio watches. My one acquisition this year was the A700WM, which has a steel mesh strap and orange-colored backlight. It’s like wearing a 1979 Volvo Tundra on your wrist.
Lumipets Light-up Dog. We’ve had this since Mo was born and she still enjoys playing with it. It’s a soft, silicon, slobber-proof toy with a few LED light settings triggered by tap or remote control. The soft colors also make it a calming nightlight for both kids and parents with frayed nerves.
Soundcore Space One Noise Cancelling Headphones. My company’s office is open space, as is the nearby co-working space I use. When the scheduling-software start-up guy near me gets loud trying to close a deal to keep his company viable for another 3 months, I reach for these bad boys. The head cushions are pillowy soft so I can leave them on for extended periods without pressure pain.
Books
Working by Robert Caro. Pulitzer-prize winning Caro’s deep biographical work on Robert Moses and Lyndon Johnson needs little introduction. This series of essays includes a fabulous recounting of how Caro went from short-form rewrite newsman to paragon of long-form biographical study. Caro’s reflections are filled tidbits any creative will find useful.
Second Wind by Nathaniel Philbrick. A memoir about sailing and how the drive to compete changes over our lives. Philbrick was a champion Sunfish racer growing up before career, children, and the ho-hum workaday of adulthood drew him away from the boat. One day he has an impulse to pull his old Sunfish from the side of the house, wipe off its mildewed spars, and get back at the tiller. The story, especially his recounting races on New England bays, kept me turning the pages.
Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut. Some of the more annoying bits of election discourse are hyperventilating comparisons of the upcoming administration with the fascists of mid-twentieth-century. I understand why people do this, but such comparisons are reductive and generally unhelpful for forward-looking politics. Vonnegut actually fought fascists and his stories about them never allow readers to fall into lazy dichotomies of Good v. Evil. Mother Night explores the moral complexity of a double agent pretending to be a Nazi propagandist while secretly working for the Allies. Vonnegut delves into the ambiguity behind well-intended actions and the consequences of deception in service to ideals.
Substacks I paid for
Here are the newsletters I paid to support this year.
. Probably the nicest guy on Substack,
created The Half Marathoner as a round-up of upcoming races. It’s now an organic community of runners of all speeds from around the world. People say ‘don’t read the comments’ on the Internet. The Half-Marathoner is one place where you should. Perfect for new runners and runners looking for friendly community.. One of my favorite new podcasts this year,
’s Substack is anchored by interviews with writers who give an inside scoop of their creative lives. This year’s convos prompted me to think about my own writing in new ways. Perfect for new writers, English or creative writing majors, and those interested in a creative pivot.. An OG ultra blogger,
’s work has evolved into incisive commentary on public land, running in middling life, and the intersection of writing and physical performance. You really can’t find that any place else. Perfect for experienced trail runners and those interested in American mountain life.. Contemplative round-ups that often veer adjacent to running with discussions on performance, focus, and creative life. Would it be fair to describe
as the Austin Kleon of the running world? Perhaps. I read 100% of Mario’s newsletters and think it’s worth paying for. Perfect for athletes who like following sports with a humanities or literary lens.
I hope you enjoyed this guide. If you’re loving Footnotes, consider a gift subscription to share your interest with someone you love. Your support helps me continue the thoughtful work I try to create with every post.
Tweets of the week
Coming up: On keeping a running log—Joan Didion, record keeping, and staging the self on paper.
Thanks for reading.
Thank you, Sam, for the shoutout and support. Adding Caro's book to my reading list.
You are so kind, my friend!!!! Thank you for this, truly 🙏