I love Andrew Johnson’s voice.
His soothing, Scottish voice, counting me down 10 … 9 … 8 … into “a gentle state of relaxation.”
Imagine Sean Connery calmly whispering into your ear.
That’s Andrew Johnson.
My co-worker uses him to fall asleep. My friend Shannon uses him instead of Xanax to cope with her fear of flying. I listen to him before midterms and finals.
He’s a $2.99 app. A real Scottish person, too. But really an app that offers guided meditation sessions set to sublime music and, oh, that voice.
Johnson passed 10 million downloads late last year, he told me on Twitter. And he’s caught on among my cohort of harried millennial friends, all women trying to figure out how to unwind from work or school.
So if anyone has told you recently a version of “You need to slow down,” or “You need to take care of yourself.”
Try Andrew Johnson.
More Top Picks Rain Chain
It requires less time and money than a yoga class.
And now, some notes from the beat …
Obama Library
The Chicago Park District Board is scheduled to vote Wednesday on an ordinance authorizing the transfer of about 20 acres of land in either Washington or Jackson parks to City Hall for the Obama presidential library, according to a meeting agenda.
A transfer would occur only if the president and first lady choose one of the parks as the library’s home, meaning only one park would be effected.
The University of Chicago is vying with New York’s Columbia University, the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Hawaii for the facility. A recent Tribune poll found Chicago voters strongly support Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plan to use parkland for the library.
A decision from the Obamas is expected by the end of March.
On the Table
On the Table, a citywide event in which small groups of friends and strangers gather over a meal to discuss Chicago’s future, is returning May 12 for the second consecutive year, the Chicago Community Trust said Thursday.
The event coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Community Trust, one of the area’s largest philanthropic foundations, which awards grants to many area charities.
The inaugural event last year attracted more than 11,500 participants, representing every Chicago ZIP code and 11 area counties, according to the Community Trust.
Participants sat down for a meal at various locations, from private homes to churches. Some conversations focused on a specific topic of interest to the host or guests; others followed a discussion format recommended by the Trust.
To sign up to participate as an On the Table host or a guest, visit http://www.onthetable.com.
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