> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Stuff #76 - Chicken Fashion, Michelin Stars and Heardle - URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/stuff-76/ - Published: 2022-03-07T05:39:00.000Z - Updated: 2022-03-07T05:38:59.000Z - Description: Chicken Fashion, Michelin Stars and Heardle - alongside all the Stuff that makes us smarter. - Author: Matt - Tags: Newsletter Hey, I'm Matt... The platform move of last week didn't seem to generate any problems, the delivery and open rates have remained stable, so I'll stick around here for a while! The news cycle remains relentlessly grim, I'm hoping that Stuff can help give you a little light distraction. **Thank you for being a part of Stuff.* If you received this email from an excellent friend, and would like to subscribe, [please go here](https://mattrutherford.co.uk/newsletter?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk). If you'd like an archive of Stuff from the beginning of 2022 - [it's here](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/tag/newsletter/).* Also, huge thanks to the 11 new subscribers that joined this week - it is great to have you on board! Onward with the Stuff that MattR's this week... --- 1. **Monday Motivation:** Let this week be the week you put some thought into your own career plan. I'm right in the middle of the career/development planning cycle and stumbled across this article. [This guide has 25 practical steps that you can take to drive your career conversations](https://review.firstround.com/the-ics-guide-to-driving-career-conversations-25-tips-for-purposeful-career-planning?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) and have more meaningful dialogue with your manager. #6, #18 and #25 are particularly insightful. Bonus Stuff: [What if we rethought the traditional career track? ](https://thehill.com/opinion/education/595047-time-to-get-off-the-career-track?rl=1&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 2. **Your new superpower:** [Forget trying to get to inbox zero, aim for calendar zero instead.](https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/417801?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Controlling who has your time could be the greatest power that you develop as a knowledge worker. This is a 'lightbulb moment' article that could help reframe your productivity. Bonus Stuff: [What if we just stopped being so available.](https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2022/01/not-sorry-for-my-delay/621264/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 3. **Essential Reading:** [Four practical techniques to help build long-lasting rapport with your colleagues.](https://blog.trello.com/lasting-rapport-with-your-colleagues?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) In this hybrid working age, finding tighter bonds with the people you work with will become an important superpower. 4. **How to take care of yourself:** [Five actionable ways to cope with a stressful news cycle.](https://www.npr.org/2022/02/25/1083077194/news-anxiety-tips-self-care?t=1646384446970&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I implemented some of these when I was feeling anxious about the Covid-19 pandemic, this week I revisited some of the suggestions. 5. **TWIL:** The world record for holding your breath under water is close to 25 minutes. Last year, a 56-year-old free diver from Croatia, Budimir Šobat, [broke the world record ](https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2021/5/freediver-holds-breath-for-almost-25-minutes-breaking-record-660285?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)for ‘longest time breath held voluntarily’ with a time of 24 minutes and 37.36 seconds, surpassing the previous record by a full 34 seconds. For reference, that’s longer than an episode of The Simpsons or Seinfeld. 6. **In praise of listening through:** I'm a massive advocate of listening to whole albums in one go, [but what about the journey of listening to ALL the albums by a favourite artiste or band in one 'sweep'.](https://www.kevinsmokler.com/2022/01/25/in-praising-of-listening-through-every-album-by-your-favorite-artist?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) I can get behind this idea, and I'm currently thinking about who I should start with, if you fancy the journey with me, hit reply, and let me know what you will be listening to. I'm going to someone with about 6/8 albums and blog my journey through their work. 7. **In honour of:** International Womens Day is tomorrow (8th March) and in honour, [this article about Dame Stephanie 'Steve' Shirley is essential stuff.](https://www.computer.org/publications/tech-news/research/dame-stephanie-steve-shirley-computer-pioneer?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) Steve was a computing pioneer, entrepreneur, and essentially 'invented' remote working. 8. **Common as muck:** [This is a beautiful, life-affirming article](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/im-common-muck-spent-150-23194880?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) by Birmingham based journalist [Kirsty Bosley ](https://www.bozzers.co.uk/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)who went to a two-star Michelin restaurant for the first time, and was pleasantly surprised. C*hefs-kiss!* 9. **Haute cluck-ture:** Are you looking to spruce up your chickens' wardrobe? [Well, we have the answer for you right here. ](https://www.sadanduseless.com/stylish-chickens/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) 10. **Finally:** The simple daily puzzle apps keep coming, the best I've seen this week (and right up my alley) [is the lovely Heardle.](https://www.heardle.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) It's Wordle, but with music - you have six guesses to figure out what intro is being played, each guess gets you one second more. Obviously speakers/headphones on! 🎧 My **aural stuff** for you this week is a terrific new album from France by Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupil. Topical Dancer mixes influences from around the world, with a poppy electronica that brings to mind early Christina and the Queens, or maybe Mura Masa. It is a terrific listen, curious and uplifting all at the same time. [Listen to Topical Dancer by Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupil on Spotify here.](https://open.spotify.com/album/4ivk3u8J7qg7YoWUZlnGNz?si=rr2sxaTMRYqtW6KCh%5Fixow&ref=mattrutherford.co.uk) ### Smart Stuff that someone said: > Do what you dream of doing even while you're afraid. - Ariana Huffington --- ### Other Stuff I've done: [The Questions - an icebreaker for every meeting](https://www.thequestions.app/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk)