March 1, 2018

LIFESTYLE Newsletter Vol. 1 No. 4

Nick’s Lifestyle Newsletter

The GIF manifestation of how I feel sometimes. See also: how I wanted to walk through the Charlotte airport a few years ago.

THIS IS AN INTRODUCTION

Hello again everyone. It’s been a few weeks. The winter is a time of quiet and solitude, even on email marketing platforms that I have repurposed to communicate with you, (insert name).

• 75% done on our 100% run of Super Mario Galaxy 2. Not much progress over the month.
• Being disconnected from Facebook is STILL wonderful. Sadly, I need to log on to check on some things I’m selling in the marketplace. If you see me there, do not say hi.
• I don’t recommend Lowe’s for water heater installations. NOT GOOD.
• My wife planned a date day for us. We toured several Asian markets in the south suburbs. I was surprised at the quality of some of them. Almost competitive with United Noodles.

THIS IS THE END OF THE INTRODUCTION.

3 THINGS THIS WEEK

ITEM THE FIRST: Queer Eye reboot on Netflix. The original Queer Eye was one of my favorite shows ever. As someone who grew up without a dad for the most part, I didn’t really learn much about adulting and how to be a gentleman from the male perspective. Queer Eye helped bridge that gap and got me interested in cooking, not dressing like a raver, taking care of my skin, establishing a comfortable and welcoming home and basic human empathy. I simply cannot put into words how much that show transformed me. It was a transformation that likely going to occur anyways due to my age, but it really guided it to the best possible outcome. I also liked that it was a show about building people up and trying to push people to be better for themselves and the people that care about them. Lastly, Carson Kressly, amiright?

The new Queer Eye is just as good. It took me about 1 episode to warm up to the new Fab 5, but after that we powered through the season. It was refreshing to have so much positivity blasted at me and reminded me of the transformation the first show provided. I have thus dubbed 2018: THE YEAR I WILL BE BETTER. I think it is time for a refresh based on this and a few things referenced in previous issues. I don’t know what form that will take as of right now, but it is time for a reset on a few things in life. WE MUST ALL BE BETTER.

** TAKE NOTE: this does not include my terrible job. I will still hate life between 7a-3p Monday through Friday. I am a whore for pension.

ITEM THE SECOND: I really debated writing about his because it is essentially a dumb rich white person problem, a side effect of affluenza. As part of ITEM THE FIRST, I decided to treat myself to a new computer. It was on our budget list for the year, but I happened to see a deal on a very very expensive and fancy computer, so I jumped on it. I told Melonie: “I’m going to do something for me!” I bought a ridiculously powerful computer for a sum of money I have never spent on ANY electronic. As I had it on my desk for a few days the guilt of breaking from my frugality started pushing back and I was in full crisis mode for 1.5 weeks. I have never been so indecisive about keeping or returning something in my life. It was crazy and embarrassing. Embarrassing that I have so much wealth that I could even get into this situation. I went to great lengths to try to quantify the enjoyment I would get from this device versus a lower cost option. MY EXCELS HAVE EXCELS. If you have any tips on how to quantify joy or self-worth, please send them in. I feel like there is a methodology or way to break this down. THERE MUST BE. I was able to do it with my establishment of FUN POINTS, so there must be a way to make JOY POINTS or SELF-WORTH CREDITS. Also, I apologize to any LIFESTYLE readers that got sucked into my rainmaking self-guilt trip during this time.

ITEM THE THIRD: Less straight white guys talking. Related to ITEM THE SECOND I was pondering what things I could do with my fancy device and I thought about podcasts or video content or something and then I thought–WAIT. I’m a straight white upper class guy. I think my opinions are already pretty well represented everywhere, thank you. I’m not really needed. I am fine with this. I think a lot of other people with the same realization go the other way and thus TRUMP. I’m really looking at my media intake and trying to make sure it is not all people that look/sound like me, which is sadly difficult in my interest areas. I’m very thankful that parts of the board gaming community are actively working hard to give more women, people of color and sexual/gender diversity a voice. I’ve also found some new tech podcasts that are doing the same. BABY STEPS.

GRATITUDES

My RPG group. Related to ITEM THE THIRD, I have found some wonderful friends in the gaming world. When I first started gaming I was worried it would be overrun by gross older dudes that didn’t know how to act around other humans. While I have definitely seen them, most gaming events I go to have a “Minnesota diverse” group. Some of the first people Melonie and I met were Zach, Tami and Wade. They, along with Doc and Melonie, comprise the RPG group that gets together bi-weekly. I have discovered two things during the year we’ve been RPGing:

1. I don’t like RPGing. I can barely function and understand the norms of this world. Trying to determine the norms of another world that doesn’t follow the conventions I am used to or have come to understand breaks my brain HARD. This is not due to anything or anyone in the group not being a fantastic and skilled person, it is my inability to process an alternative reality. I may talk about this more if there is interest and/or when I am done with it.
2. More importantly, the people in that room are all great friends. We started as people that had something in common, board games, and our friendship has long since grown and transitioned beyond that. We have other interests and do things other than play games. They read LIFESTYLE newsletters. It is wonderful. Most weeks, the joy it brings exceeds the panic over the first list item.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (please mark “ok to print”)

None.

FAVORITE THING TO GO IN MY EARHOLES THIS WEEK:

I finally got my top 20 tracks of the year together. I wait until the calendar year is over and it takes me a few weeks to give everything a fresh listen and stack rank it all. Here it is in text form:

1. Wiley - U Were Always, Pt. 2 (feat. Skepta & Belly)
2. Ronika - Make Your Move
3. Brother Ali - Own Light (What Hearts Are For)
4. Minke - Gold Angel
5. Ronika - Marathon
6. The XX - On Hold (Jamie xx Remix)
7. Phoenix - Lovelife
8. Brother Ali - Can’t Take That Away
9. Jammz - Who’s That Girl?
10. Just Kidding - More to Life (Extended mix)
11. Apink - もっとGO!GO!
12. Kana Nishino - Liar
13. Marc Baker - No Place I’d Rather Be (ed. note - YES, REALLY Marc Baker, but not THE MARC BAKER)
14. Fear of Tigers - If I Could Change Time
15. Paperwhite - Only Us
16. HELLOVENUS - Mysterious
17. LUXXURY - Feel the Night
18. Night Drive - Rise and Fall
19. TWICE - Only
20. Kana Nishino - One More Time

Here it is in Dropbox form: HERE (link removed)

2018 HAS TO BE BETTER.

IT CANNOT BE WORSE.

THAT IS NOT A GOOD ENOUGH REASON.

THAT IS ALL.