Dear reader,

We've just hit 80 newsletters landing in your inbox every Saturday morning at 8:15 BST, Swiss-watch style. Honestly, I'm a bit stunned by this milestone.

This round number, coupled with a family getaway to Marbella, got me all introspective about this newsletter adventure. There are a few thoughts I would like to share:

The stats

• 81 emails out the door (including this one)

• 1208 of you lovely subscribers❤️

• 55% average weekly open rate (you're awesome!)

• Our top readers? They're peeking 3-15 times a week

• 250 die-hards opening 3+ times weekly

• 480 regulars checking in 2+ times

Behind the Scenes

It's a 90-minute weekly ritual - drafting, tweaking, and 📨 hitting send. Friday mornings are usually when I put the finishing touches on it. Funny enough, my subway commutes have become these unexpected bursts of creativity. Who knew being sardined in a metro car could spark inspiration?

My toolkit?

It's a quartet:

1. Reader: My digital scrapbook of cool stuff

2. Apple Notes: Where the Italian first draft comes to life

3. Claude AI: My translation and editing buddy

4. Substack: The launchpad to your inboxes

The Real Talk

Let's be honest - this newsletter gig? It's brought its fair share of... let's call it "growing pains." I'm not digging coal here, but finding the right words for "challenging" is tricky.

Every week, I square up to a topic and bam! There it is - that gap between what I think I know and what I can actually put into words. It's humbling, to say the least.

And here's a kicker - those posts that make me want to hide under a rock? The ones that dig into the deep, scary stuff? They're the ones you all seem to appreciate the most. Go figure.

But you know what? Despite the occasional mental wrestling match, this whole experience has been pretty darn cool. There's something magical about channeling my thoughts into this little digital package that pops up in your world every week.

When I kicked this off, I was aiming to keep my mind as sharp as possible through writing. I used the peer pressure of a weekly deadline as an incentive, and it seems to be working! The fact that I'm sticking to it? That's a confidence booster right there. #SelfKudos

Have a great weekend,

Simone