LIFESTYLE Newsletter Vol. 2 No. 5
Nick's LIFESTYLE Newsletter
Sparkle ALL THE THINGS
THIS IS AN INTRODUCTION
Hello again everyone. It's been a few weeks. A cold few weeks. Weeks full of green foods and less carbs.
- I just finished the NatGeo show "Mars." It is about THE FUTURE where we start to colonize Mars, but the gimmick is that they cut back to segments in the present with scientists talking about what we just saw dramatized. Great concept. Decent show.
- NO UPDATE on my body turning against me. I went to Apple Valley Medical Center for my blood draw and they fucked it up. So, I get to redo it...BEST HEALTH CARE IN THE WORLD, FOLKS.
- Finished Spider-Man on PS4, 100% on it and all the DLC. PRETTY PRETTY PRETTY GOOD. I think I like Breath of the Wild better tho.
- New section DEBUTS this issue. THE HOPE SPOT.
THIS IS THE END OF THE INTRODUCTION.
3 THINGS THIS WEEK:
ITEM THE FIRST:
THE (NOT) JOY OF CHILDREN. As discussed in previous issues, I do not like children, but I hit this video in the rabbit hole a few weeks ago and it is pure joy. Yoyoka. This kid projects joy. Yes, yes, you might say: "Of course, Bulls on Parade is a SUPER FUN SONG TO DRUM," and you would be RIGHT. However, there are limits to the joy it can generate on its own. If you don't want to sit through the whole video, at least check out 2:41-3:20 where she comes in from the chorus and hits a quick snare roll in the downtime in the bridge. SO MUCH JOY. It is a good reminder of 2 things: 1) JOY IS REAL, 2) Anything you can do, an Asian child can do better.
Of course, I looked at more videos and she has been drumming on stage since she was 4. 4?!?! Like, what the fuck were you doing in your life at 4? Reading "The Little Engine that Could" and dancing around to "P.Y.T.?" (THAT WAS WHAT I WAS DOING). She is sponsored by a bunch of drum companies and everything. Super amazing.
Reminds me a bit of my other favorite kids that I subscribe to on Youtube, Audrey and Kate. Audrey was 8 and her parents bought her Rocksmith and now she is amazing and making original music with her sister who, obviously, learned bass the same way.
I must be mellowing in my old age when my lead is the joy three children bring me. This only applies to these 3 specific children. TO BE CLEAR.
THAT IS ALL THE KID TALK FOR THE YEAR.
ITEM THE SECOND:
TIS THE $EASON. Inspired by every other email newsletter you get, the LIFESTYLE is also getting into the holiday gift guide mood. No affiliate links here though, just honest opinions.
Hedgehog Hop is the latest game from FRIEND OF THE LIFESTYLE, Seppy. It is a quick and simple tile laying game where you a trying to match the dance moves, style and color of hedgehogs as they create a dance mob. It is a quick and enjoyable 12 minute game with some interesting spatial decisions. (MSRP $12).
Tower Games is my favorite friendly local game store and no one is FRIENDLIER than the proprietor, Bob. Tower Games has a wide selection of games for people of all times (including the above, Hedgehog Hop). Looking for something casual to play with your family during the holiday or something more complex to invite me and my geeky wife over to play? THEY HAVE IT ALL (or can order it). Extra bonus, if you come on a Monday night, you can play games with me!
20XX LIFESTYLE Newsletter Best Writer of Bound Lies and Other Fictional Matters Award winner, Mindy Mejia, published her book late last year and while we all await for the next one, STRIKE ME DOWN, we can pick up her last one on the cheap. If you are looking for good Midwest-based suspense tale, pick this or any Mindy Mejia book. (MSRP $16.99).
PERSONAL COACHING
If you are looking for a personal or life coach, I have a great recommendation. FRIEND OF THE LIFESTYLE, Kristin Trautman has been doing a ton of work to better herself (AS USUAL) and is in the coaching game. She graciously offered me a teaser of her work and it was so nice and a reminder that I AM NOT TERRIBLE. If you don't have contact information for her, let me know and I'll get you in touch.
ITEM THE THIRD:
NEW SECTION. Starting with this issue, I'm starting a new occasional section, THE HOPE SPOT. It is named after a part of a pro wrestling matching where the heel (bad guy) is controlling the match and the face (good guy) has a brief moment where you think they are getting the advantage back before the heel cuts them off again (by poking them in the eye or doing some other dirty tactic). It is a glimpse of hope that gets the crowd excited before their hopes are crushed. That is how I feel when I read about about really cool science or cultural things before the despair of reality-based politics crash me back down. That is the feeling I got when I read this: Secretive energy startup backed by Bill Gates achieves solar breakthrough. What a world we live in where we can no only capture energy from the sun, but now do it at the extreme heat needed for glass, concrete, etc. I WILL PROVIDE THE HOPE. You can turn to the news to provide the cut off.
GRATITUDES:
20XX LIFESTYLE Newsletter Best Writer of Bound Lies and Other Fictional Matters Award winner (and Holiday Gift Guide recommended author), Mindy Mejia and Dr. Chuck Tingle. I recently had two conversations about my LOVE of Chuck Tingle. One was a FRIEND OF THE LIFESTYLE asking me what the deal was, why did I like him. I tried to explain it, but it was hard. When I listen to him talk, it sounds like my inner monologue before I try to refine it for output. I love that in the end, his stories are about love. Love between two people, a person and a handsome billionaire jet, a person and a dinosaur, whatever. If you can see past the ropes of cum flying everywhere, there is a heart warming story about how we are all trying to do the best we can and that love is the energy that will support us. IT IS ALL AROUND US, we just need to open our hearts (and butts) to it. Two was with a MIXED GROUP of people and one of them asked me to explain Chuck Tingle to the other, whom had never heard of him. OF COURSE ASPIE MODE GO! Ask me to talk about something I love and I won't stop until I start to realize that you probably don't want that much detail or length in our conversation. I got the feeling I was being made fun of a bit, but oh well, LOVE IS REAL and I will try to spread it.
Anyways, I feel a warmness in my butt that I got to introduce Mindy to the works of Chuck Tingle. She has never judged me or looked at me strangely when I talk about it. Much like Chuck Tingle she is a mystery. There is a lot about Mindy that I don't know and I am comfortable with that. AND SHE IS A REAL AUTHOR.
What is great is that she is my Tingler friend. I can always send her a text about a Tingler or a book cover and she shares her excitement with me. While, I am quite certain she is not the fan that I am, she at least humors me without making me feel like I am being made fun of. In just a few short weeks, MY WORLDS ARE COLLIDING. We are going to a live show of Chuck's podcast, MY FRIEND CHUCK. I'm super excited and hope my two favorite authors can meet and talk shop. CHECK PLEASE.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (please mark "ok to print"):
I received one reader letter from the last issue in response to my personal values:
Hey Nick, I read your 15 values and these are great things to aspire to but as values are aspiration there was one more I thought you should consider. In my mind, it read something like this:
"Emotionally Honest - I will allow myself the freedom to feel what I need to feel so that I might experience things honestly and better channel my feelings towards productive ends."
People feel what they feel. Our personal responsibility lies in which feelings we feed (or compress into explosives) and which we let pass through us. Though this may seem to be covered in value #2 & #8 in combination, I think a value which promotes kindness, forgiveness, and/or generosity internally should be on your list directly somewhere.
Good call out. I think that a lot of people struggle with focusing internally on things like this. I, for example, am typing this on a Reduced Work Hours week (a/k/a what other people call "Vacation") and I decided to spend this entire few days off without any human contact. I learned with my last week off that I filled it with activities with other people since "hey, I have all this free time." I was miserable afterwards and felt like I didn't get time to recharge. I gave myself permission to accept that it is okay to take this time off FOR ME (with one exception Saturday night). I won't feel guilt about it. IT IS OK.
I really appreciate the feedback and it has been OFFICIALLY INCORPORATED.
FAVORITE THING TO GO IN MY EARHOLES THIS WEEK:
Underworld - Drift Series 1. I've been an Underworld fan ever since I heard their live album "Everything Everything." I never really got into them before. I think "Dubnobasswithmyheadman" is a vastly overrated album. Seeing it done live and a bunch of songs post that album was amazing. I totally get why seeing electronic music live can be a bummer. No one wants to watch someone twiddle knobs for 2 hours, but this show is a great example of how it can be done right and the crowd is amazing.
Anyways, last year they started a project called "Drift" where they created a new piece of art every week. Mostly songs, but sometimes videos (or both). Of course, not everything is amazing, but most of it is pretty good or better. I think it is amazing that people who have been doing the music thing for over 20 years now committed themselves, and succeeded, in such an ambitious project. They released a highlights album and a full album of everything, it's all up on Apple Music, Spotify or whatever. It is linked here too: Drift
WE ALL HAVE HOPE.
WE ALL HAVE A TAG TEAM PARTNER IN LIFE.
IT IS UP TO US TO TAG THEM IN FOR THE COMEBACK.
THAT IS ALL.