Chris Brooks Newsletter 032
Like a lot of other folks over the past month, I'm now on Blue Sky. So far, I like it—there's a critical mass of boardgaming/wargaming community members there, as well as golf and nature (bird photos!).
1. 🚘 Where I've Been Traveling
November was a great month of just hanging out in Napa, enjoying our new home there, and sharing daycare duties for Master Rory. I've played some golf, played some pickleball, done a few fun rides with the new e-bikes, and continued to enjoy the amazing walkability of our location.
Right now, I'm in Las Vegas enjoying a brief family fun weekend with Julie's family.
2. 📖 What I've Been Reading
Articles:
I grow weary of remaining optimistic and repeating the Voltaire-esque mantra "we live in the best of all possible worlds" (but without the snark). Kevin Drum does a nice job of summarizing some truths about our current state of the world. BTW, I'm one of those "one out of seven people have no interior monologue."
I don't follow the travel and miles/points blogging world as much as I used to (we don't fly or stay in hotels as often), but this story was a great read: Egypt Exposes Me for Lying About Airport, Provides Video Evidence. Talk about the Streisand effect!
Because of my liberal leanings (more on that below), you might think I'm anti-capitalist, anti-wealth, or anti-entrepreneur. Quite the opposite. This take on how Norway Shrugged 🇳🇴🤷 is concerning, as there's been similar talk about taxing unrealized gains here in the USA. This is such a terrible idea. It would only serve to increase the complexity of our tax system, allowing those with the cash to navigate and plan around it, while those (usually entrepreneurs and startup-stage employees) without the means will pay the price.
You may have read about Willow, Google's state-of-the-art quantum chip. This is exciting news, but consider:
There's a nice mix of tabletop and video games in NPR's best games of 2024. I've added a few to my Steam wishlist (Metaphor: ReFantazio was already on my list based on Jacob's mini-review). I'm also hoping to play more Arkham Horror LCG with Napa family over the holidays.
Books:
Slowly trodding through my latest fiction series: The Scholomance by Naomi Novik.
My non-fiction read was The Road to Serfdom, prompted by some wargame buddies who claim that "more people should read Hayek." It was a good reminder that being a "liberal" has had different connotations over time. Nate Silver has a decent take on this issue. I highly recommend reading the book. Also, consider diving in via the excellent course on great economists over at Marginal Revolution University.
3. 🍿 What I've Been Watching
TV Shows:
Julie and I watched quite a few shows last month. We turned on Amazon Prime for house outfitting work, so we've been binging shows we haven't had access to for a while.
The Wheel of Time has lots of changes from the books (that's OK!), and season 2 is way better than season 1.
Cross is creepy and good.
Reacher is violent and fun.
Re-watched season 1 of Jack Ryan because I'd like to complete the series before we switch off Amazon Prime.
Bad Sisters season 2 is happening now.
Silo season 2.
Movies:
Hey, I watched Sideways twice this year! It holds up.
We were on a Paul Giamatti kick, so I suggested Duets, which I regret to inform you does not hold up so well. We agreed that Gwyneth Paltrow (!) was the star of the show. Honest question: Was there ever an underground traveling karaoke competitor cohort?
After watching the newer TV series, Julie and I wanted to see the Tom Cruise Jack Reacher. Great showcase of Pittsburgh (like The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Fences).
Blitz is a pretty decent not-a-war movie set in the London Blitz of WWII.
On Jacob's recommendation, I watched the Half-Life 2: 20th Anniversary Documentary. So much fun nostalgia, though I think it could have used a better narrative arc.
Yacht Rock: A DOCKumentary on Max was a fun ride. It ends hilariously with Donald Fagen of Steely Dan hanging up on the interviewer with a choice quote.
YouTube:
This live version of It's Too Late showcases not just the amazing Carole King, but the easy-to-miss husband (at the time) Charlie Larkey playing bass.
This lead me to an awesome cover of the song. I want to see this band live!
This series of sorta NSFW commercials plays like a mini soap opera.
4. 🎶 What I've Been Listening To
Music:
Jim and I wrapped up our album club pick of Tapestry by Carole King. One of my most listened-to albums of all time. Jim wasn't as familiar but really enjoyed diving deep into it. It is far from a perfect album (the middle is weak, in my opinion), but the good stuff is just so good. On deck is Tracy Chapman.
Thanks to The Bear, I discovered this amazing Eddie Vedder version of Save it For Later, an English Beat song I adored as an OG MTV generation participant.
5. 🎮 What I've Been Playing
On the video game front, I’m still enjoying my re-run-through of Balatro. I haven’t picked up the Switch or Steam Deck in months, but that will change soon—I’m planning to replay Half-Life 2 on the Deck after watching the documentary.
For solo wargaming, I’ve been diving into Comanchería and Great Campaigns of the American Civil War: On to Richmond II (aka GCACW). I’ve also been playing some GCACW on VASSAL with my wargaming buddies—mostly as a way to learn the nuances of the game.
I joined Jacob's game night to play Ethnos, a surprisingly good classic Euro game. I also joined a local game night to meet some Napa gamers and played Harmonies and Fromage, both of which were excellent. Fromage has an extremely cool lazy Susan board setup.
Wishing you a happy holiday season! See you in 2025.
-Chris