Issue #50

Making a Bot, Lord Incandela, Sneaker Video Interview, and more!

Dear readers -

It’s issue 50 which means half a century and that this newsletter is a quinquagenarian. I have no idea how to pronounce that.

I’m excited to bring this issue to you on a Friday. Today we’re talking cancer, AI, your Lordship, sneakers and more. Welcome!

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Quick Prostate Cancer Update

This has been a disorienting experience to process, not gonna lie. But I have focused on logic and science and this week I had a follow up appointment to discuss a 2nd opinion on the pathology report. Right now, I have surgery scheduled for next month, but I continue to do research and talk to experts. More to come…

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Sir Botty Charlton

I often describe my job as a marketing advisor as a one-person agency. I say that because AI has allowed me to build out my offerings with scale, speed and deeper insights. AI is here and I’m embracing it to ensure my professional relevancy. So, I challenged myself to build a bot via ChatGPT that leveraged APIs, web scraping and python. Nerdy, right?

But I wanted it to be fun, because I knew it would be frustratingly difficult. I love soccer, Manchester United and have run a fantasy premier league titled “Catalina Wine Mixers’ since 2006. My team is always awful. So allow me to introduce you to…

Sir Botty Charlton, named after 1966 World Cup Winner and Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton, is an AI and API-powered Fantasy Premier League (FPL) assistant.

Built with real-time data and smart strategy, Sir Botty delivers weekly FPL tips, transfer recommendations, optimal starting lineups, and captain picks. Whether you’re chasing mini-league glory or aiming for global rank, this intelligent FPL tool gives you the edge. Analyze fixtures, maximize points, and manage your team like a pro — with the charm and wit of a football legend.

It pulls from your Manager ID and voila! Mine is 618908. Try it out. if anything, I did alright with the name, right?

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Lord Incandela Has Entered the Chat

That’s right. I am a Lord of the Principality of Sealand. Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?

In addition to being a humble servant of branding, motorsport culture, South Korean movies and TV, and surrealist whimsy—I also now hold land. Technically offshore. Technically royal.

Could I have gone with Baron? Or Sir? Of course. But Lord Incandela felt… correct. I don’t want my ego to get too big.

Now the real dilemma: do I update my LinkedIn?

Don’t worry, you can still make eye contact with me. I promise not to change. Too much.

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🔥 Interview Drop: Mike D. Sykes, II of The Kicks You Wear

This week, I sat down with Mike. D Sykes, II—writer, sneaker head, and founder of the The Kicks You Wear newsletter—for an honest and inspiring conversation about sneaker culture, storytelling, and staying true to your passions.

We talked about:

• The confidence boost of buying his first Jordans

• Why he launched The Kicks You Wear

• How he blends business, culture, and storytelling

• His top 3 sneakers of all time (spoiler: Ray Guns make the list)

• What advice he’d give new collectors

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Consumption

Everything going into my brain

Reading

The Hearing Trumpet. This book by Leonora Carrington is considered one of the best surrealist novels out there. Excited for this one!

Watching

The Gentlemen (Netflix). This took me back to Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. Fun show.

Links

Love Surrealism? You Will Probably Hate This A.I. Reboot of a Dalí Film!

KFC Launches Fried Chicken-Flavored Toothpaste

Holland America Line Sets Sail with Record-Breaking Sushi Roll at Sea

‘The White Lotus’ Is the Worst Kind of Travel Inspo

Lucasfilm Confirms Release Date for Shawn Levy's 'Star Wars' Film Starring Ryan Gosling

Switch 2 gets new pre-order date in late April for US

Mitama Matsuri Complete Guide: Tokyo's Lantern Festival Extravaganza

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Well, that’s a wrap everyone. Thanks as always and have a great weekend.
Much love, Daniel