As I drew in my head, and was turning around

 Greetings All,

I hope this holiday letter finds you well. I’d like to thank Chat GPT for replacing my interns this year and composing this instance of the annual holiday letter. In my prompt engineering I stressed I wanted this year's letter to be witty, warm, engaging, and brief. I think they are still working the kinks out. See for yourselves:

2024 was a great year. I am still enjoying living in Philadelphia and the whole city is enjoying The BirdsTM  having a good* season. (*As of the time of this letter’s generation. Of course, as Philly fans we all expect it to come crashing down spectacularly in an agonizing way. See also: Philadelphia 76ers.)

Me and my friend Jalen at the Rocky Steps (PMoA)

I was so fortunate this year to have lots of visits in Philly from dear friends and family like Lynn & Robbie, Hal & Lindy, Avi & Claire, Julie, Xian, and Jenny & Pesto! Avi and Claire and I saw some art and tried some cocktails. Julie ran a race. (I sat out due to a swollen knee.) Jenny and Pesto and I ate some food and took some walks. Xian and I saw the Pixies and Cat Power and Modest Mouse. 

Fangirling at the Pixies with Xian!

It was a big year for concerts from bands from 2006: I also saw the Decemberists, and Neko Case and Les Savy Fav. I also got to see Kate’s fiance Matt play when Big Something came to town. (Stay tuned for wedding pics next year of baby Kate all grown up.)

Courtney, Tim (LSF), Natalie

When my sister Lynn and Robbie visited me in Philly we went to the Philadelphia Museum of Art  and a 76ers game with Shelley and Keri. Speaking of the 76ers, I got to meet 76ers podcaster Spike Eskin at a live recording of one of my favorite podcasts (The Rights to Ricky Sanchez):

Spike and two Ricky Fans

I will reiterate that in my place in Philly there is a guest room with your own bathroom and you are welcome to stay for as long as you like. Come Through! 

In May, I took an absolutely amazing trip to San Francisco to visit my friend Ingrid. We biked all over the beautiful city and saw amazing parks and art and laughed for 3 days straight. I also took the ferry to Oakland and Miki showed me around there. It was a lovely time.

Me engaging with the Art

Ingrid and Me

More cool art in Oakland

In July, I went to New York City with my nieces to celebrate that they were both starting new degree programs this fall. Lindy is a 1L at Wake Forest University Law School and I think learned a lot this semester about exactly how fun “Bluebooking” is. (Actually, Chat GPT really should end the tyranny of Bluebooking in law school but that is a whole ‘nother TED talk.) Kate is in her first semester to earn a MFA in Choreography and also a Certificate in Nonprofit Management at the University of Greensborough. (Apparently a certificate in for-profit management is too far fetched for modern dance. 😉)

While visiting NYC with my nieces we went to restaurants and bars from when I lived there 20 years ago and saw some shows on and off Broadway. We went to the Whitney Biennial and the Met Cloisters. It was a blast. They are so much fun to hang out with.

Kate, Auntie me, Lindy - Obligatory Subway Selfie

 Lindy and Kate before The Six

I started a new job this year and now work for Altera Digital Health in their data interoperability business unit, dbMotion. dbMotion has large clients in Israel, Melbourne, Australia, Canada, and the US so I look forward to meeting clinicians working to improve health outcomes with data-based decision making in all those locations.

Shark Tooth GangTM all spent a good amount of time at Oak Island as usual:

​​

Robbie, Lindy, Lynn, Me

I went to see Illinoise and loved it!

 Me before the show

Here’s my observation to share that borders on advice: You never know how much paying it forward will pay it forward. I am still in awe at how much joy I still get from the year I spent working with students at ASYV in Rwanda (2013). This year, I received a holiday letter much like this one from one of the students I had the privilege of working with way back then. He’s graduated from several universities in the US and is now back in Rwanda working on renewable energy solutions to improve his home. What an inspiration!

I’m also still working with Julien to fundraise for Rwema Football Academy in Rwanda and am so inspired by how devoted he and his team are to creating a sense of team and belonging for the kids he’s coaching. Look for the good in the world and see how you can join in and be a part of the change.

Peace on Earth,

Courtney

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 | 2023

And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

Greetings,

I can’t believe this is the 20th edition of my holiday letter! This year to recognize our 20th edition, to much protest, I have shifted to a Google Group so that you can unsubscribe below. Don’t worry, the service that removes your email does not inform me about it and you will not get a follow up email asking why. (The universe may well judge you, but I will not.)

In 2023 I had the privilege of traveling for work several times to Mozambique and Ethiopia. In Addis at the end of one of the trips, the team and I had an amazing visit to a club called the African Jazz Village where thanks to my indefatigable colleague Eyoel, and much to my deep mortification, we actually met the legend who created the genre, Mulatu Astatke. 

Left to Right: The father of AfroJazz Mulatu Astatke, my colleague Eyoel who will not be denied, my colleague Ali who is basking in the glow of genius and my colleague Tafadzwa who is almost as shocked as I am

In May, I moved to Philadelphia and I really like it there. I moved into a new construction condo in Fishtown (north Philly) where I have a guest room (with its own full bathroom ensuite) so please plan a visit. The place is really comfortable and I like it. I have a big rooftop set up so come have a beer on the roof with me.

The roof set up just needs you.

New Mailing Address:

CMFK

700 Moyer St. #310

Philadelphia, PA 19125

(Deep, heartfelt thanks again to my sister Lynn & her husband Robbie for putting me up for *a year* in Raleigh. It was fun being with them but Raleigh never quite took. I will continue to spend my holidays there. As I write this, I’m planning my trips to Louisville and Raleigh for Christmas.)

I’ve been having a lot of fun watching Eagles, Sixers and Phillies games in local bars with a very engaged fan base.

I’ve already been lucky with visitors to Philly so far! (This means that if you haven’t visited yet, you should feel behind.) To get the ball rolling, Lindy and her friend Hal helped move me up here. Thanks Lindy and Hal!

Independence Hall, Independence Lindy and Independence Hal

Lindy is doing just great and is on track to graduate from NC State in May. She took the LSAT and is already accepted to some law schools. (Teaser for next year’s letter for the big reveal where she decides to go.) 

Next up, Julie came to visit me in June and we had fun and also ran a 15K, but these two activities were wholly unrelated.

fun

After the 15K

My friend Anita came from Cape Town to visit me in September. She likes my place well enough but did decry the shortage of pets in my unit.

Me and Anita

Kate and Matt came to visit Philly in October and we had lots of fun. Kate is engaged to Matt now, but who cares? (He was already family as far as I am concerned.) Kate is dancing and creating choreography with several companies and doing just great.

Kate, Matt, Me

Lynn and Robbie came to visit and Lynn has lots of opinions about what furniture I need to outfit the condo. (She watches way too much HGTV.)

You might be thinking I took every single person who visited me to see Philly’s Magic Gardens, and you’d be right. 

I love it there.

I was also so lucky to get a visit from my college roommate Sarah and her family in November. Somehow her son is 7??!??! He is not taller than me yet, but the clock is running on that.

                                                                                Me, Nathanial, Sarah

I have been fortunate to be a regular guest at Lynn and Robbie’s place on Oak Island again many times this year and always had a wonderful time.

Lynn, Me, Lindy

Lynn, Me, Lindy

This year for Thanksgiving I visited my Mom in Louisville, KY. On Thursday I joined my family for Thanksgambling at Churchill Downs, and as usual it was an absolute blast.

Note to self not to be photographed with all beautiful teenagers ever again

Also this year I had the fortunate opportunity to reconnect with a student I worked with in 2013 at the Agahozo Shalom Youth Village. Julien Shyaka has started the Rwema Football Academy  based in Kirehe, Rwanda at the Mahama Refugee Camp. Julien is giving back to his community and using soccer to drive inclusion, and connection. I’m excited to see how his Academy grows in the next year and eager to provide any support I can.

Wishing peace on earth to all,

~Courtney

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

A bundle of toys was flung on his back

 Greetings, 

Once again, I hope this warm, engaging 19th edition of my holiday form letter finds you well and deftly eludes the clutches of your overzealous spam filter. I realize this year’s edition is a bit behind schedule and I assure you the entire editorial team has been handed a severe dressing-down. With the traditional apologies out of the way, let’s get to the updates.

In April, I relocated from Cambridge, MA to North Carolina. (Thanks for the send off from the best bar in the world, Parlor Sports!) 

Getting on the board is one of this year’s proudest accomplishments.

Cal, me and one of the top 4 bartenders in the world, Nikki, taking a spin on the other side of the bar.

Dimagi sendoff gathering in Central Square.

I put all my stuff in storage and flew down to stay with my sister Lynn and brother-in-law Robbie for a little while, ‘just until I get my own place’. I have landed in their recently empty nest and they are taking great care of me. As such I am in no rush and am still freeloading, erm ‘house sitting’ for them at their place in Oak Island and the home they share with their cats, Cosmo and Venus, in Raleigh.

New Mailing Address:

CMFK

1421 Princess Anne Rd

Raleigh, NC 27607

It’s fun to be closer to family. My niece Kate is teaching dance in all venues from public elementary schools to the America Dance Festival. Baby Niece Lindy is a Junior at NC State, a regular on the dean’s list and the Wolfpack’s biggest fan.

Working remotely is the new normal long term for me. I am still working at Dimagi and we are very excited to have celebrated our 20th anniversary this year. I am still challenged and energized by working on public health programs in low resource settings all over the world.

 

If there wasn’t much work travel to report in 2020 and 2021, this year I made up for it with 3 separate trips to Cape Town (June, August and October), a trip to Senegal, and a trip to Ghana. (Extra special thanks to my dear colleagues Abdoul, Ismaïla, Adjo (and Adjo’s cousin!) who took extra special wonderful care of me when I had COVID in Senegal this October.)

Here’s me, Molly, Mary and Anita in Stellenbosch in June. 

Here’s the West Africa team in October.

Here’s some of the team enjoying a sunset harbor cruise in Cape Town.

I also was fortunate to have time off for an extended break in August and a Safari and beach trip with friends in Zanzibar. Holly, Steve, Jen, Emily & I saw the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro crater and spent a week at the best beach in the world in Paje Zanzibar. I was here last in 2013 and it was still just as beautiful. I think maybe the best tide pools in the world.

On Prisoner Island near Stone Town Zanzibar with Jen, Emily, Steve, & Holly. 

Jen, me, Steve, Emily & Holly on a vista over the Serengheti. We saw lions, elephants, hippos, zebras, warthogs, giraffes and everything else. It was staggeringly beautiful.

We covered a lot of dusty kilometers in this extended land rover with our driver and cook.

Me on the beach in Paje, Zanzibar. This is my happy place.

I visited my mom several times this year in Louisville, KY, and did a few side quests including a fun bourbon tour and some river kayaking:

Adam, Sharon, Kerry, Erin and me at the Willet at the end of a 2nd tour. We’re holding up incredibly well under the circumstances.

On the way to kayak

Same group cleaned up for brunch in downtown Louisville.

Mom & Me in July.

In fact, my most recent trip to Louisville ended earlier today. As a last minute edition as we go to press: I was able to join my mom and huge extended family for their annual Christmas Eve gathering hosted by my cousins Matt & Mary Randolph:

Aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins, and friends gathered on Christmas Eve

(Sure you received other Christmas letters, but did they include this year’s Christmas? And if not, can they even really call themselves Christmas letters at all???)

(I didn’t run much this year due to a foot injury so no race pics. Sorry, sweat fetishists.)

2023 is already shaping up to be a busy one. I have my travel visas for trips to Mozambique and Ethiopia already filed and that’s just for January. I also may eventually get my own place to live. Until then, you should come visit me at my sister’s beach house in Oak Island, NC. Wishing you health and purpose in 2023.

 Peace on earth,

~Courtney

@CourtneyMFK 

Outside of Cape Town in wine country in October

 

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021