Pick Two: Fast, Cheap, Good
You can't have all three
Many years ago at some point in my career, I heard someone say this in regards to work:
“You can only have two of these three qualities of work: fast, cheap, and good. It will never be all three.”
I wish I could remember who said it and exactly what situation they were referring to, but I guess those are moot points because any time I share this theory with someone who hasn’t heard it before, I can almost see the lightbulb switch on above their heads.
If the work is fast and good, it won’t be cheap. It’s going to cost you a rush fee.
If the work is cheap and good, it won’t be fast. After all, money tends to light fires under asses, and if you don’t value the work enough to pay what you should, they aren’t about to prioritize it.
If the work is fast and cheap, I can promise you it won’t be good. It’ll feel rushed and uninspired.
The last combination—fast and cheap—is what I would bucket AI under. The creation of AI tools that threaten to steal jobs away from so many varying trades is a new anxiety that doesn’t necessarily keep me up at night, but when it’s brought up, I shut down. As someone who is very good at jumping to worst case scenarios and has a tendency to lean into catastrophic thinking, this new technology that can do what I do for work in a cheaper and faster way is annoying at best and terrifying at worst. But then I realized…
Whether it’s ChatGPT, Bard, or whatever else, it’s free (unless you equate it to losing a tiny chunk of your soul every time you utilize it, which I do) and extremely fast, writing you paragraphs in seconds. But it isn’t good. It’ll never be good.
It’ll always be “good.” Period.
The type of “good” you use when a stranger or acquaintance asks you “How are you today?” “I’m good!” That kind of good.
Or when you order the least offensive glass of white wine from a limited menu and it tastes like cold Franzia and the waiter asks how it is—
“It’s good!”
AI writing will never be GOOD. The type of GOOD you get in response to a homemade meal you spent hours making with your own hands—
“Oh my God, this is GOOD.”
Or the GOOD you get when you run through the presentation deck you’ve been working on or turn in writing you’ve poured yourself into for days and weeks—
“Oh wow. This is GOOD, Emma.”
Or the GOOD you get when you’ve been taking care of yourself and it’s showing—
“Holy shit. You look GOOD.”
AI will never be able to garner that good. And I’m good with that. In fact, I’m great with that.
WATCHING 📺
I’m very late to the game, but over the weekend, Zac introduced me to Architectural Digest’s Open Door series on YouTube and I. am. OBSESSED. I’ve never been more simultaneously inspired and depressed in my life, and I can’t stop watching. It’s like the luxury, grown up version of MTV Cribs and it’s incredible. Our favorite house so far is Patrick J. Adam’s—I’d move in tomorrow (after taking all their portraits down, of course).
The other YouTube channel we’re watching a lot of lately is Cash Jordan’s NYC apartment tours. It’s just so interesting to see the options there and how some people are willing to pay thousands of dollars in rent every month for a literal 10’x12’ “studio.” I find it very entertaining.
LISTENING 🎧
Volume 2 of Voicemail Vent Sessions dropped yesterday, and it’s turning out to be my favorite kind of episode to record. Listen in to hear vents about asking women when they’re due when they aren’t due, the death of chivalry on public transit, job burnout, and the epidemic of reposting on IG!
MAKING 🔪
This week, I made one of my go-to weeknight recipes—these baked chicken drumsticks. They are incredible easy, super yummy, and provide lots of protein for dinner. You don’t have to do lemon pepper seasoning—mix it up!
I’ve also been perfecting a new smoothie, and I think I’ve got it. Check out my Pineapple Cake Smoothie recipe on the blog!
SHOPPING 🛍️
My CALPAK carry-on is falling apart after several years of use, so I went ahead and bought this Amazon Basics replacement that my friend Amy Jackson swears by. It already arrived and it seems fantastic—sturdy, smooth, and holds a ton. I’ll be using it next month, so I’ll report back!
Speaking of CALPAK, they have some new limited colors available in the Luka Duffel that are to die for (namely the apple green). Someone told me Dani Austin (can’t believe I just wrote that name in one of my letters, JFC) has a discount code (DANI15) and they weren’t wrong and I did use it so I guess I’m a hypocritical little bitch, but we already knew that. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Last weekend at Target, Z and I bought a couple of these zero gravity lounge chairs to add to our backyard setup and this outdoor rug. The chairs are WILDLY comfortable, just watch your hands when you sit down and lean back because Zac pinched the shit out of his pinky finger and drew a lot of blood. The rug is very blue-forward which ended up working perfectly against the dark blue of our house! Love it.
In the same vein, I’m looking to find an easy, functional solution for covering up and protecting our outdoor furniture without having to invest in heavy ass slip covers, and am looking at these from West Elm. They don’t protect the sides of your cushions for when the rain is rain-ing, but I love the idea of being able to just easily fold and velcro these covers when necessary. Stay tuned.
Not to be a Taylor FREAK, but after her rain-drenched show in Nashville the other weekend during which her makeup literally didn’t move, Deuxmoi posted her full makeup regime for this tour and I screenshotted it:
Now, I haven’t bought any of these specific products BUT I DID end up getting a Pat McGrath lipstick the other day that I am already very in love with. It’s my first PMG lippie, and I love how pigmented the colors are. The one I got is called Infatuation and is from the Satin line. Don’t love the tube with the bow, but I can overlook it because the color and texture is divine. Here it is on!
Not the best lighting, but you get the gist.
That’s all for today’s letter! Thank you for reading, liking, commenting, engaging, sharing—thank you for all of it.
Have a fantastic weekend, and I’ll see you online!
—EGM