Dear Reader,
As 2022 rolls in, life already feels as if we are all watching GROUNDHOG
DAY go viral on repeat. However, there are so many reasons to look up in the
new year– and not just at the mind-blowing James Webb telescope or buzzworthy billionaires orbiting in space. As IdaHome begins our fourth year of publication
(!!) I want to thank you for reading, liking, and passing forward our magazines, tweets, Instagram stories, juicy gossip, and polymathic content. You are the
reason IdaHome now has more than 100,000 online monthly readers and why
20,000 free magazines disappear in two weeks! Secondly, as I type, I’ve tested
negative but remain in quarantine with my twice-vaxxed, Covidian 15-year-old.
Thrice vaxxed, I’m lucky that only my sense of smell is Omi-diminished, which might be a plus since we live with a
dog, cat, and tennis shoes that always smell like crimes against humanity. I’m living proof that deadlines endure even when life stinks.
31 deadlines later, this month’s IdaHome focuses on technology and how it applies to learning, living, giving,
dying, and flying virtually over the Himalayas. Apple hit 3 trillion invisible dollars in net worth and Facebook is so
very Meta - but what exactly has big tech done for me and you besides allowing 4 million of us to view Machine Gun Kelly’s proposal to Megan Fox? Our writers distilled that baffling question into some practical answers.
Jeffrey Wise reveals everything you wanted to know about cryptocurrency but were too mystified to ask.
“Technically Speaking” editor, Hailey Minton, explores VR and AI, inescapable giants masquerading as tiny acronyms that rule our future. And as complicated and scary as technology might appear, it can save your life. April Neale
explains how Saint Alphonsus Cancer Institute is bringing state-of-the-art treatment and specialists to the Treasure Valley. April also posed some tough questions to Boise Mayor, Lauren McLean, and received tougher answers on
head-butting topics like the pandemic, climate, and affordable housing. One of the toughest questions in life is, ‘What if today was your last day?’ Tommy Ahlquist has faced that question many times, as an emergency room physician, and suffering two heart attacks. In these uncertain times, I encourage you to read his poetic, honest essay on the inescapable.
Admitting our failings is never easy, but brutal truths can make life more beautiful, as Mariel Hemingway reveals
to Dana Plasse. It’s an inspiring interview about how finding the courage to face the dark side allowed her to find the strength and happiness to help others. There’s pretty pictures too- so read on! Be well! Enjoy!
Karen Day
“Do things for people not because of who they are or what they do in return, but because of who you are.” –Harold S. Kushner American rabbi, author www.idahomemagazine.com
5
