RIP Chain
#186
My trip reports have become a bit boring since I wrote on brobcohen.com.
Is it because I’m more boring? Are my travel decisions watering down? Is it because of the availability of comfort?
I’m sitting tired at an airport lounge, eating garbage food, and trying to stay awake so I can sleep for a long leg. This was never going to be interesting. But a part of me thinks that I’ve been going to far too many “cultural” spots, that is, eat and drink in cool places aka spend your money somewhere else than home.
What’s needed is the long treks in nature, action, chance meetings with strangers and shared experience. And yes, still food — preferably with locals in places you wouldn’t normally end up. Got some of this in Rome when visiting friends and getting brought along to a 12 person friend dinner in Trastevere. That’s what I’m talking about!
My most recent glimpse at this was a sorry tale that wouldn’t excite anyone. Namely, a shoulder to shoulder (a generous description) bus ride for about 45 minutes. There was some shared laughter and complaining as more and more people piled in when we all said there was no room. The excitement was a lady getting karma after piling her and her kid in to the dismay of us sardines, only to get accidentally hit in the face by a guy squeezing on with a stroller.
Even though I absolutely hated the experience, it at least flashed a but of what I like about traveling, which is surprise. There must be a way to work it back in. Maybe some of you have figured out ways to do this when it’s not just yourself, but it’s surely an art I’m still developing and will continue trying to do.
This reads like a diary post, I know that, but I’m a bit too tired to write in any other format then the rant my brain is deciding to take me on. I have to avoid coffee too so that I can sleep, so no artificial awareness support.
There are likely going to be changes to this newsletter, my writing output, the Instagram channel, and pretty much everything I create in the coming year. I’m not waiting until then to start per se1, but I need the time off work to figure it out — call it a skill issue, it might be, but I need some free time to think.
Of course I’ll let you know when I know, until then I’ll keep putting these out, even it comes out late or less interesting than before.
Boring week, yes. Can I let you off like that? No. So what’s there to do?
Recommendations. Yup, you guessed it. A view into my cycle of not enough time (feel busy > tired so I consume something to relax > don’t create > the urge to create backs up > yadda yadda). That said, I’ve found a few good things lately, many of you won’t be interested, but you never know. Plus, when has that ever stopped me before?
Anime: These trailers aren’t the best, but the shows are fun. If you don’t watch anime yet, these aren’t the place to start though..
The My Hero Academia final season was pretty good too, I think there is one more episode left but the finale is behind us (I think). Also, I’m going to try and see Demon Slayer the movie this week, it’s still in theaters some places I believe.
Non-Anime TV
I’m only including Always Sunny in Philadelphia right now because I’ve been rewatching and showing the joys of it to my girlfriend and it hits! Almost three seasons in and no misses. I hadn’t seen all of these episodes before either so it’s good to fill in the gaps. Only 15 seasons or so to go !
Music
Sad note on Movements; they’re playing at Chain Reaction’s final show coming up. They are closing after decades of being the hardcore and alternative hub in Orange County. Of course that means that was where I went to my first “real” concert - meaning w/o parents and in a venue rather than at the fair or something. It was Bullets and Octane and I don’t know who else. So goes the cycle of things. Serendipitously enough this song says “the cycle comes full circle again” which I didn’t know until they said it as I was typing.
RIP Chain. You were the closest I ever got to “the scene” and what we had seen in videos in New Jerseys basements. Hopefully someone will revive you or build a new place for the energy to go.
For those of you who don’t like the above styles of music, here is some … electronic music you might like more…
All of these are great seeds for “radio stations” while at the gym. Just fyi ;)
Stores in Florence (not exactly the most universal recommendation)
Tee Pee Vintage w/ the coffee shop around the corner where we first heard of the store (Caffe Canto Alla Mela)
Bottega di Evan (this one is barely in Florence)
5 recent things I’ve thought are overrated w/o much explanation (maybe it will come later) I DO NOT mean bad, just overrated.
The city of Lucca
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky (mostly in comparison with the other books of his I’ve read)
Italian coffee (vs. specialty coffee)
Jorge Luis Borges short fiction (some are amazing but many are boring)
The song gold digger (shout out to my friend Mike)
Somewhere along the way I picked up the idea that new year’s resolutions are stupid. Not because you shouldn’t strive to be better; I’m a big time supporter of trying to become your best. Rather, you shouldn’t wait. When you think of a habit you want to develop or something you are lacking, do it. Pushing it to the new year is only procrastination. It would be better to have some momentum going into the new year — especially since putting the changes off to the new year is most pernicious as you approach the end of the current year. Ex: “I’ll start eating healthy after the holidays”. Sure you will.
Always remember, gyms are packed in January and collect on annual fees from all the drop outs. Don’t be the drop out.