Intro / Preface / Extra Words
Hello all. I wish the circumstances were different, but unfortunately right now the Grizzlies are terrible and I think it's time to consider tanking for draft picks.
But no matter. The Christmas season is upon us and even a 9-20 Grizzlies team won't get us down.
I hope you're able to use up all your remaining vacation days and spend copious amounts of time on your couch rewatching classic Christmas movies. And that you're able to wear pajamas all day. May your days be merry and cozy.
Enjoy.
Heavy Rotation
Christmas Jams
This is my playlist of Christmas songs on Spotify. I've divided it into sections, so if you hear a song you don't like you're probably going to want to skip the next several (because they're going to be similar).
Here's the basic outline:
- Everything you'd hear on 104.5 The River after Thanksgiving
- Swing/crooner classics
- Campy classics like Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer
- Classical
- Pop
- Christmas Rap (yes that's a thing)
- More pop or folk (Sufjan and stuff)
Have fun! – Calvin
Current Things
'You are being programmed,' former Facebook executive warns
If you've read this newsletter for any amount of time you know we are not fans of the impact of "Social Media's" (big scare quotes) impact on our culture, the tone of disagreement, the way it shapes our brains, and the impact it has on our kids (suicide rates are skyrocketing). And apparently we aren't alone. Just this week two different former Facebook bigwigs came out in agreement with us.
Article above (exec 1) and video below (exec 2).
– Brian
UPS Driver Very Excited to See Snacks Left by Homeowner
My friend Tiffany J. has one of those door-cam-bell things (I'm sure Calvin has one of those too, he likes trendy gadgets with one word names... it's probably called "Knock" or ""Open" or maybe "iRing"... but I digress). Recently it caught the delightful and wholesome reaction of her delivery guy discovering the pile of snacks she left for him during the Christmas rush. The story has been picked up by WMC 5 as well as InsideEdition. We could all use a little more of this type of joy this holiday season. -Brian
Timeless Things
The 5 Best Toys of All Time
Excellent toy reviews from a trusted source. Safe to say that I'll be getting Avery all of these things at some point. Thanks to my little sis for the link. – Calvin
Random Things
Slippery Stairs
Two things we don't deserve because they are too pure: The love of dogs and Japanese game shows. -Brian
Up in the Air: Meet the Man Who Flies Around the World for Free
This dude is crazy. Thinking about traveling just makes me feel tired. Who would live on airplanes for fun? -Brian
Follytics
The Seeds of a Moderate Movement Must Be Nurtured
I can't tell you how fast I would register at this point with a third "moderate" party that rejects both established parties and claims a carved out reasonable center position. -Brian
Further Reading
Harry Potter and the Portrait of What Looked Like a Large Pile of Ash
This is a chapter generated by a bot based on the analysis of all seven Harry Potter books. It's amazingly bad and extra funny if you read it aloud. The bot also generated the book title, which is very mysterious-sounding and totally unmarketable. Thanks to my Dad for sending me this. – Calvin