#57 CYB: Putting the Garden to Bed, Fall Books, and More AI Reads

It’s fall in Northern California, and the weather has been wildly unpredictable. I packed my summer clothes last week, and it will hit 95 degrees today, so I rushed the switch. But despite the heat, the garden knows summer is over. The tomatoes have grown massive but have stopped ripening. The cucumbers are sprawling across the lawn, slowing down production. Although happy with the cooler sun, the herbs are also slowing down.

This week, I cleared the raised beds, added compost to the soil, and prepped them for winter greens—arugula, chard, and kale. Next weekend, we’ll put away the outdoor cushions before the rains come and trim back the citrus trees, which insist on getting taller despite their confined spaces.

Fall garden prep feels like an essential part of the seasonal cycle: greens in the fall, a short winter rest, then spring planting and growth. With only about three months of winter here and the rain so necessary, this time is a brief, meaningful pause.

BOOKS AND ARTICLES

ROM-COMS, yes.

I started reading rom-coms during the pandemic. Some of my favorite authors focus on queer romances, like the Vera Kelly series by Rosalie Knecht, and I’ve read every single book by Jasmine Guillory.  So, my taste is eclectic. This month, I obsessively read through the Elin Hilderbrand Paradise series, set on the island of St. John.  While the characters' wealth and privilege can sometimes be frustrating, these are vivid, absorbing reads that offer a great escape. The books Winter in Paradise, What Happens in Paradise, and Troubles in Paradise are winners for me.

Lies and Weddings, Kevin Kwan (2024): I’ve been a fan of Kevin Kwan since Crazy Rich Asians and waited 19 weeks to get this book from the library. While Lies and Weddings doesn’t break new ground and sticks to the formula, it’s an entertaining read with sharp observations about wealth and status. I’ll keep reading Kwan’s books as long as he writes them.

Unreasonable Hospitality, Will Guidara,(2022): Unreasonable Hospitality is worth checking out for those who enjoy business books with a motivational spin. Guidara, a New York restaurant scene veteran, offers lessons on hospitality that translate into any industry. While the first half is compelling and insightful, for me, it became a bit of an eye-roll by the end. Still, it's an engaging read for those looking for a fresh perspective on service and leadership. 

AI AND THE FUTURE OF WORK 

AI is rapidly transforming the workplace, and I’ve been digging into some of the latest research on this shift. Andrew McAfee, a Google AI Data fellow, recently published a paper on the impact of AI in the workplace, and Paul Reitschka, a fellow Threadian writing on data science and AI, shared another critical study. Here are some key findings:

• 39.4% of U.S. adults already use generative AI

• 28% of workers, including those in blue-collar jobs, are integrating AI into their work

• AI could boost labor productivity by up to 0.875 percentage points

Read about the first paper, AI Revolution in Nonprofits: Insights from Andrew McAfee’s Latest Report, and then about the second,  AI in the Nonprofit Workplace: Comparing Two Perspectives. 

Thank you for reading CYB #57. If you found this issue thought-provoking, feel free to share your thoughts or pass it along to someone who might find it helpful. I appreciate your engagement and look forward to continuing the conversation in future issues.

Warmly,
Susan

PS Since you made it this far, you have to see Bowen Yang as Moo Deng (channeling Chappell Roan)—I’ve watched it like 5 times. His face!