Don't click this
#46 I already know you know you won't
Always good to start with some Tim Henson.
It turns into a gear episode but it’s been designed super well and fun to be inspired to have a house designed like this — at least a little bit. And I need to play music more even if I’ll never be anywhere close to Polyphia level.
What was that whole don’t click thing about?
I’m happy that the readership (all y’all) read these posts, but only a few of you click links and I think you’re missing the point. Perhaps somewhere along the way my writing became more enjoyable than the things that I’m posting, but it’s not so much discovery if you don’t watch the curation.
I make fun of vloggers but it’s the same idea. People care less about what they’re saying and prefer how they’re saying it*, a la talking heads on TV. (Though they can “share” links by screensharing, keeping you on their platform).
I generally think of newsletters or influencers as conduits for discovery — occasionally the author/curator themselves have good ideas I am trying to consume. It just depends. I am curious where I fit, I’m sure it’s different for each individual. Almost always the answer.
With that rant over…
This issue comes to you from an extremely wet Saturday morning, amid potential blizzards in California. Unfortunately, we will not be getting snow as we never do, but I did spot some hail yesterday.
This season I have yet to visit the mountains or the snow. Meanwhile a friend is planning to summit Rainier (obviously in the summer) for charity. I need to get my act together — I have been planning on doing another Tough Mudder or something of the sorts as a sort of training exercise and motivator to kick it up a gear. Though this benefits no one else than myself… well the $100 or whatever entry fee goes partially to charity.
Ok, ok.. Today’s issue is quite a bit of a brain dump - like the weather. Link? Let’s pretend there is.
The Oregon Trail
On the topic of motivators and adventures, I started listening to an audio book about a modern man who went on the Oregon Trail across the country in a covered wagon. I’m really itching for some outdoors as you can see but that sounds miserable. Even crossing via my old-time favorite PC game, Oregon Trail, was arduous and you typically (read: always) lost a (read: several) friends or family members to dysentery or drowning.
Instead, lately I’ve been playing Hogwarts: Legacy and watching the related Hogwarts House party Tik Toks go viral. FYI: The internet has collectively decided Gryffindor is the douchy uncool house. Slytherin parties, Ravenclaw hosts after hours, and Hufflepuff blazes. The music choices for each are great too — and in this case, Ravenclaw wins my vote.
(These are worth watching, you don’t even need Tik Tok to watch them… I just can’t embed them, sorry.)
It’s a great way to delve into the universe that so enthralled me as a kid. It sorted me and my character into Ravenclaw which I always thought had potential as a house. Though my classmates are a little too nerdy, but not my kind. Like everyone else, my best friend has become a Slytherin who is breaking the rules to find a cure for his cursed sister. Anyways, it’s been fun, and it seems there is a ton of story and world left to discover.
I never read anything but the core 7 and I’ve never really heard much about the others — were they terrible or did we all grow up and decide we had had enough teen wizardry and we’d all move on. Lastly, RIP to the days where the whole world was reading to find out what happened. I bet 90% of the people who read Harry Potter retired from reading after high school.. Alas.
It’s also insane to me that I used to read every book again prior to the new one coming out. Barring all other read throughs, that’s 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 28. Now I hardly even think about reading a book again. Childhood me (and millions other) defining unhinged. I also somehow could crush each one in a 24-hour time frame. I’d skip meals and stay up late after having waited in line to get a first copy at the store. Nuts.
I feel a bit all over the place. Chat GPT** what do you think about this week’s edition?
“Based on this week's newsletter, the author appears to be a thoughtful and reflective individual who enjoys sharing their personal interests and experiences with others. They have a diverse range of interests, from music and design to video games and literature, and they enjoy exploring new ideas and learning from others. The author also seems to be self-aware and reflective, commenting on their own tendencies and behaviors.
As for whether people would like this week's edition, it's difficult to say. Some readers may appreciate the author's personal reflections and find the mix of topics engaging and interesting. Other readers may find the content too diverse and prefer a more focused newsletter. Ultimately, whether someone enjoys this week's edition will depend on their personal interests and preferences.”
That’s true every week, Chatty. But thanks for calling me self-aware. I appreciate it.
Now, off to play some rainy day board games.
Ciao!
Notes
*I’ve always imagined people reading with 10 open tabs, occasionally digging deeper into related videos or secondary (maybe even tertiary) links on what is shared. More realistically it’s a quick scroll while you’re on the toilet.
** My grandma knew what Chat GPT when it came up in conversation (probably because of the NYT article). I consider that a huge win for this newsletter and our community. Aforementioned article: Why a Conversation With Bing’s Chatbot Left Me Deeply Unsettled - The New York Times (nytimes.com)