LIFESTYLE Newsletter Vol. 7 No. 7
Nick’s LIFESTYLE Newsletter Vol. 7 No. 7
THIS IS AN INTRODUCTION
Hello again everyone. It's been a few weeks months. Weeks of enduring a return to this country. Weeks of wondering what the fuck is going on in this country. Weeks of pondering an escape from this country. Well, at least I can be your insufferable friend who talks about their trip to Japan for another issue.
The above photo is me at Orchestra Hall seeing Mozart’s Requiem (K. 626 for all you Mozart music cataloging nerds). The best piece of music ever written, obviously. I’ve wanted to see it live my entire life, but it was always too expensive or at times I had other things going on. I bought the best seats in the house and made Melonie endure music. It was live-streamed on tpt and you can watch it on Vimeo. If you see someone head banging in the balcony, that’s me (probably)! Live 11/22: Søndergård Conducts Mozart's Requiem
Of all the things I miss about living in Bloomington, literally the tap water is #1. Best tasting tap water in Minnesota? Bloomington wins the competition.
From the science desk: MORE PROOF CATS ARE SMARTER THAN BABIES.
Since we are getting back to the political times where we are told “the debt is so important and we must cut services and taxes BUT NOT MILITARY/INTELLIGENCE” time because Republicans love to increase debt when they are in charge and are super-fiscally minded when not…I’ve been reading a lot about the meaning of national debt and the different levers the government uses (or could use) in relation to it. This is fascinating and includes some links to other materials.
Everyone enjoy that new season of Queer Eye? PUT IT IN MY VEINS.
NO MORE BULLETS (due to Item the Third below)
ITEM THE FIRST:
HEY, CAN I TELL YOU ABOUT HOW I KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT JAPAN SINCE I’VE BEEN THERE FOR TWO WEEKS? Ok, this should be the last time I have a major section about Japan for the next 10 months or so.
Thank you to all the JAPAN CLUB email people. I didn’t set out to write a novella every day about Japan, but it was a nice way to wind down from the intensity of Tokyo and I truly appreciate all the emails back, it did help shape the content and got some of you merch from Japan.
tl;dr - Japan was amazing.
I’ve started planning my new life there after watching this video:
If you have 45 mins, it is a pleasant watch. That guy driving around and being a mobile grocery store and helping? THAT WILL BE ME (just maybe in Hokkaido instead). I can make a living when rent is $210.
One thing I’ve seen in several videos about these dying towns is how you can buy an old school. Anyone want to go in on that with us? Perfect retirement community. I’m in charge of the music room tho.
As I read the news today about yet another school shooting in America (at one of those good schools with the Bible in it, even), I remember the big time headlines in Tokyo while we were there. A string of 10, yes 10, robberies in all of Tokyo. Between August and October. Or, as we call it here, a “New York Minute.”
Honestly, my FRIENDS, we are all on the train to death, some moving quicker than others, often without realizing it. If you have a dream, go fucking do it. Now.
ITEM THE SECOND:
LOSING ANOTHER .75 GALLONS OF WATER: The weight loss and muscle building journey is continuing. Still losing. Still making gains. Sippin’ sauce and livin’ hoss.
The latest thing I’ve discovered is something called “rucking.” It is where you have a special heavy-duty backpack and you put weights into it. They make kids in the army do this, but now you can be old and pay for the privilege. You can go DIY and do dumbbells or live your rich life and buy plates or special weight bags. I’ve started with 20 lbs. on my treadmill walks (since it is cold out). The claim is that it is supposed to jack up my cardio without running. So far, that has not been true. I’ve stayed mostly in the blue/green cardio zone doing 4 MPH at a 1-10% incline. It is helping my core stay strong though and that is a win. I bought some more weight to give 30 or 40 lbs. a try and see what that does.
This lead me to having a conversation with Melonie where I said, “did I just spend $200 on a dumb backpack and weights to effectively add the weight I lost back on? Should I just have not lost weight?” Honestly, it just feels like I’m back in Japan, since my daily bag there was at least 10 lbs. most days, on my back for hours at a time. 🤷♂️
However, I did hit one of my goals and rewarded myself (and arguably, punished others) by buying my knock off Rob Halford outfit. My lifelong dream of leather pants, fishnet shirt and studded vest has been fulfilled. Now I have something to wear to my retirement party. HELL BENT FOR LEATHER.
ITEM THE THIRD:
TH-TH-TH-THINGS. As a bit of a skeptic on AI, both personally and professionally, I think this long read from PARASOCIAL FRIEND OF THE LIFESTYLE, Ed Zitron, Godot Isn't Making It is fascinating. Based on my personal experiences and some research I’ve seen at my own workplace, AI seems like it has some use cases, but they are narrow and boy are we lighting investor money on fire trying to make new ones.
Journalism's fight for survival in a postliterate democracy sums up many of my fears for the future quite nicely, thank you.
Enough of the gloom and doom though. Here are three handpick, artisanal videos for you:
Transformers Have Weird Names
I will never have this much joy for music and I love music.
One of my favorite things with music is figuring out the samples. That is stupid easy now with the internet, but this was a fun 30 mins. If you check one out, the flip Burial does to create Archangel is one of the best (watch that semitone counter move!).
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (please mark "ok to print"):
None. I miss your correspondence.
FAVORITE THING TO GO IN MY EARHOLES THIS WEEK:
Getting ready for the big start of the 2024 MUSIC REVIEW. Very excited. About halfway through the year, I was like “this is a pretty meh year in music” BUT IT IS NOT. What have you loved this year?
Anyways, two things filling my earholes this week.
First, a sentence that I never thought I would write: “Did you know Ghetto House was making a bit of a comeback?” IT’S TRUE. If you miss those days of seeing Slugo or Boogie at a rave in 1996-2002, check out: HiTech - SPANK! ft. GDMRW, HiTech - SHADOWREALMS or some other recs in this article: Hide Your Toes (Or Don’t!) From Detroit Trio HiTech, which is from Hearing Things, a website founded by a bunch of people laid off from Pitchfork earlier in the year.
The other is ROSÉ’s new album, rosie. The second single off of it is the incredible “Number One Girl.” Great album, all the way through tho.
IN MEMORY:
I woke up on 6 December and started looking at the news as I do and saw that one of my top Japanese idols, Miho Nakayama (中山美穂) had passed away at age 54. The crazy thing is that as the day went on I started seeing coverage of this in Variety, CNN, BBC and other places. Very strange. Miho was not the biggest or most popular idol by any means, so it was strange to see so much coverage.
Miho started as an idol in the mid-80’s, but was also starred in an early NES game, which was rare for a celebrity back then. She hit her music peak in the early 90’s as the previous class of idols like Akina Nakamori and Seiko Matsuda were losing popularity. Late in the 90’s she transitioned to acting and had steady work in TV and movies after since.
Not sure why this one is hitting me more. Maybe because it is Japan. Maybe because I was literally looking at 45’s of her in Tokyo two months ago. Maybe it is because she is eight years older than me.
Here is a nice write up in English: Farewell, Miho Nakayama (1970-2024)
Rest in power, Miho.
THIS IS THE END OF THE NEWSLETTER
THIS WEEK MARKS A HUGE STEP FORWARD IN RECOVERING FROM MY TERRIBLE THING.
I’M READY TO LET THE PAST GO.
I LOOK GOOD. I FEEL GOOD. I’M ACTIVELY PURSING MY DREAMS. YOU CAN DO IT.
THAT IS ALL.