Dear readers -
Welcome to issue 35. We are officially early middle-aged and moments away from a mid-life crisis.
Let’s jump right in before I start posting photos of my frosted tips.
Dealing with Death
It’s been 2 months since my mom died. Grief comes and goes without any consideration. I don’t mind that part. It’s the price we pay for meaningful relationships, memories and love and I’d rather live in a world where this is the risk.
Here is what I mind. Dealing with all of the paperwork stuff. Getting access to bank accounts, all of the calls to let businesses know, emailing/sending copies of a death certificate and trying obtain money owed. There really has to be a better way of doing this.
I have called Ascension three different times while waiting the instructed 7-10 business days to follow up, just to have the same conversation with a new person. When I first called they had no record of her passing which is strange because she died in one of their hospitals. This is just one example of the many maddening conversations. Sure, there is some humor in all of this and I’m glad I can see part of that, but also, WTF.
Business idea: A death agency called the Reap the Benefits or Deceased and Assisted, that handles all of the paperwork of everything described above. The domains are available if anyone wants to invest. My mom would find this funny.
Twizzler Love
Apparently Twizzler’s can be somewhat polarizing. Me? I love ‘em. There is always a pack in our pantry. Unless I eat them all. Then they reappear quickly. I’m an OG guy. I do not need new flavors or nibs or pull apart gimmicks.
Whatever you do, do not look up the ingredients. Don’t.
Here is a 80s commercial for Twizzlers, just because:
Some hard hitting facts:
Origin: Twizzlers were first produced in 1929 by the Young & Smylie Confectionery Company, which later became part of the Hershey Company in 1977.
Main Product: Twizzlers come in a variety of flavors other than the original black licorice, including strawberry, cherry, and chocolate.
Form: They are typically long, thin, and twisty, making them easily recognizable. The most popular variety, strawberry Twizzlers. And my fave.
Varieties: Over the years, Twizzlers has expanded its product line to include Twizzlers Pull 'n' Peel, Twizzlers Nibs, and Twizzlers Filled Twists among others.
In late 2024, they plan on releasing clothing accessories including suspenders, belts, and a thin version for shoelaces. (Just kidding, but they should - KFC would).
Production: The largest facility producing Twizzlers is located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where millions are manufactured yearly.
Cultural Impact: Twizzlers have been a part of American snacking culture for decades thriving during movies.
And here is how they are made:
If anyone wants to buy me this Christmas Ornament, go for it!
Which leads to the first poll in the history of this newsletter! Talk about interactivity.
Through the Chinese Lens
Many years ago I purchased a $25 CCTV lens on Ebay from China. It even attached to my Fujifilm perfectly. It’s a finicky lens that requires an entirely manual approach to shooting. It’s similar to trying to get an old NES to work (minus blowing on it).
If you get it right, it creates these super cool macro-esque images that present a kinda moody shot. Some feel like graphic design or paintings. It’s a reminder to get my Fujifilm X-H1 and start shooting again.
In the meantime, enjoy a handful of these below.
落汤鸡
Ice Bathing
Similar to CrossFit, you can’t do an ice bath without letting the whole world know. That’s what I did on a Sunday morning - a very kind invitation from a friend of mine.
Talk about shrinkage.
I just got back from swimming in the pool... and the water was cold.
George Costanza
I’m here to tell the truth. I was scared. I knew it would be a complete shock to the system. I knew it would trigger a fight or flight situation. And I had no idea how I would respond. I did not want to let myself down and I sure didn’t want to do it in front of a friend. And on video. But F-it, right? Let’s do this thing.
You can see in the video below, my initial reaction is complete shock. My body is overwhelmed. But I knew that breathing was the key to calming myself. I am taking big quick breaths to help myself calm.
After about 30-45 seconds of intense breathing I entered a calm state. I can properly assess the situation. My assessment? Well, it’s kinda cool I am still in this freezing tub, but not being in it sounds pretty good. My hands and toes really hurt. The blood has vanished from them. All I have to do is get out.
And I consider that. After all, I got in and graduated past the initial shock. At one point I said: I hate this.
But. I promised myself 3 minutes and I was already halfway there. I focused on making it, thinking positively and occasionally wiggling my fingers and toes. And I passed.
Once I got out, shivering kicked in but I felt great. Mentally it was a massive boost and physically, it was a profound experience to feel the body recover. It took most of the day for the feelings in my fingertips to recover. But there was a natural high that carried me through the day. Plus I did something I was scared of doing.
If I can do it, you can too. Just remember to tell everyone about it.
Consumption
Everything going inside of this head.
Links
The Nike Air Jordan 1 High ’85 “Bred” To Return for Its 40th Anniversary
A Museum Employee in Germany Was Fired for Putting Up His Own Art
Woman Goes Full ‘Weekend At Bernie’s’ Using Dead Uncle In Attempt To Get Bank Loan
The 56 Most Iconic Watches of All Time
Kid Wins European Seagull Screeching Contest With A Performance For The Ages
The World’s Best Coffee Maker Just Got Even Better
Inside a $200 million ghost town in Turkey filled with castles reminiscent of Disneyland
DJ Oneloop Hip Hop Set
Watching
Parasyte: The Grey (Netflix): No country does the drama/horror-ish/sci-fi genre better than South Korea. They’ve set it up nicely for a season 2.
Lover, Stalker, Killer (Netflix): What a bat sh*t crazy documentary.
Thank you for being a part of this newsletter. I am so grateful.
Much love,
Daniel
In Halloween, my husband and I raid my daughters candy basket for things she doesn't like and he'll get the chocolate and I'll get the twizzlers and Almond Joys. I love them!!
Have had the same thought about the business opportunity. My thought was "Who Knew the Afterlife Was a Bureaucracy" - we're 3+ years into the process from our mother's death and the estate still isn't settled.