Weekend Edition: What is a Week End?
Some good distractions for your weekend enjoyment
Week 10 of Pandemic Life has come to a close, and the ATAD portfolio is up 40%. This week, I evaluated 5 companies and found 2 buys. As a quick recap, since this newsletter launched on in January I’ve reviewed 46 companies and added 33 stocks to the ATAD portfolio. Paying subscribers can access the spreadsheet which includes my track record and purchase history.
This was also my second week leading the newly formed Growth Marketing team at GitLab, where I am now officially a Senior Director in addition to my interim role leading Corporate Marketing. I’ve wound down my previous role as General Manager of Meltano, and the project is now being lead by early GitLab employee Douwe Maan and the strategy is now to build an open source platform for ELT pipelines.
The switch to fully focusing on Marketing has been a lot of fun, and leading two organizations totaling 50 people has me back in my executive sweet spot. It’s been a few years since I last managed at this level, back when Mattermark was ~70 people at its peak, and I am enjoying doing it without having to simultaneously learn to be CEO. It does sort of feel like all the days bleed into each other, and the structured time commitments that come with my work bring a welcomed sense of normalcy.
Good Distractions
In the weekend edition, which is free for all readers, I like to share what I do to sharpen my mind and stay connected with media, culture, technology and politics. I truly believe that part of being a good investor over a lifetime is not a purely academic pursuit, and instead requires continuous integration of information from all parts of life. Ultimately companies produce products which other businesses, the government, or consumers buy. To understand how the world works, I like to be right in it.
TV & Movies
We installed a TV in our bedroom, something I would have considered blasphemous before lockdown, so that I can happily fall asleep at 9pm and not have to drag myself from the couch. We have been exploring years of popular culture that we missed including starting The Amazing Race from the beginning (fun fact: TOMS Shoes founder was in Season 2). I’ve been surfing Netflix for movies I’ve never heard on, and really enjoyed This Beautiful Fantastic (an excellent date movie btw) starring Jessica Brown Findlay and Tom Wilkinson.
For some pure escapism I also started re-watching Downton Abbey from the very beginning this week, and was reminded of one of the best quotes of the show. I’m wondering how I’ll feel when we get to the Spanish Influenza episode.
Books
I have a goal to complete 200 books in 2020, and I’m significantly behind pace because I have started so many new ones! You can follow me on GoodReads to see my progress.
“The Value of Everything: Who Makes and Who Takes From the Real Economy” by Mariana Mazzucato
“No Filter: The Inside Story of Instagram” by Sarah Frier
“On Grief and Grieving: Finding the Meaning of Grief Through the Five Stages of Loss” by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross and David Kessler
Exercise
Between the home cooked meals, and a new mission to explore the wide range of delicious Colorado beers, I’ve also been on a mission to walk 15 - 20K steps per day. With two young labradors, this isn’t hard, but now that it’s getting hotter here in Denver I’ve also been logging longer walks and runs on my Peloton Tread ($PTON - purchased 4/21). I was sad, for consumers, that the company will not be delivering more of this product in 2020 per their most recent 10Q filing.
I’m loving the live classes, both on the bike and on the treadmill, and I’ve committed to doing more of the 10-20 minute arm exercise classes with free weights this week.
Video Games
I took a week off from the stalk market, and didn’t use my Nintendo Switch Lite to play Animal Crossing at all this week. I wanted to see how much I’d miss it, and I did! I just had a chat with Daisy Mae, and I’m back on my turnip game this morning. For those who haven’t played before, one awesome thing they do in the game is localize your weather and seasons… so you get a nice sense of time passing.
Check out my coverage of Nintendo ($NTDOY) from May 3rd
Other Entertainment
Clubhouse engagement seems to ebb and flow (and most of the conversations eventually end up in navel gazing on the app itself), but they do that that organic magic that is crucial for consumer apps… and sure did raise a lot of money.
I attended my first virtual wine tasting over Zoom, hosted by VGS Chateau Potelle
I dyed my hair bright pink (technically it is “Valentine”)
Planned the design for some raised beds we’re going to have constructed by friends of ours in the yard, so I can grow my own tomatoes, peppers, and herbs for pizza!
Made 3 pizzas, roasted a chicken, and slow cooked carnitas for 18 hours.
Life Improving Purchases
I’d love to hear about products or other purchases you’re making that improve your life, as this can be a great way to find investments. Thinking about what goes into the brands, materials, supply chains, promotions and all other aspects of my favorite products opens my eyes to areas I had taken for granted or didn’t even know existed.
Apple 12.9-inch iPad Pro (from $1,099)
Casper Airy Linen Quilt ($315 for King)
The Bouqs Weekly Flower Subscription ($48/month)
Hawos Mill for Freshly Ground Flour (currently out of stock on Amazon.com)
iRobot Braava Jet M6 (6110) Ultimate Robot Mop ($449)
Thanks for reading, and have a great weekend!
Please follow @a_ticker on Twitter and hang out with me @daniellemorrill on Instagram
Congrats on the new role. Look forward to see what the new growth team delivers.
No filter is a very good book, highly recommend it to anyone wanting to understand how pivots can work, how Instagram were far more deliberate than you think and how Facebook consumed them slowly but surely.