8-Bit Newsletter, Vol. 8
Paying homage to the utilitarian roots of the Not That You Asked Newsletter
Howdy y’all,
I just got back from an incredible trip. I’ve often found it hard to relax and enjoy my time in my country of origin (Los Estados Unidos), but this trip was an absolute joy, and the 10 days flew by. Huge thanks to my brother, his wife Maria, my legendary pops, Kolb, his partner Morgan, and everyone else who just spoiled me and threw their credit card down before I ever could. Love y’all, and thank you for making home joyful rather than stressful.
I also succeeded in getting a new 10-year passport, which will remain on my highest shelf very far away from Torta. Also, it was my brother’s birthday, for which my Dad got all three of us matching “Brooklyn” soccer jerseys. We don’t fully understand why, but we sure do love it. #fazion
Thanks to my brother, we also went to our first-ever King Boys concert, to catch Paul Simon at Wolf Trap, which is the only concert venue in the country operated by the National Parks service, and worth visiting if there is no music playing, let alone someone our Dad raised us on. #graceland
If you want to see more photos from the trip, check out this recent Instagram collection.
I’m now back in Puerto with my dogs, projects, events, and community here, which also feels great… on with the newsletter!
8-Bit Newsletter’s name and format pay homage to the ugly but utilitarian roots of the Not That You Asked Newsletter. (Not that you asked…)
The original Gmail newsletter had this description:
I started this newsletter to direct you to corners of the internet that I like. Some will be corners I have created, others will be places I found and like. They will cover a gamut of topics, but three specifically:
Life in Puerto Escondido, and the occasional travel tale 🛫
Writing, Reading, & Memoirs 📖
Music (playing, listening, dancing, todos) 🎤
Trav Shares
Jesse Welles is the new John Prine
If you haven’t discovered Jesse Welles yet, it means you missed a video I shared on Instagram where I covered one of his songs, and maybe you’re just not super into folk music. Regardless, I would highly encourage you to check out Jesse. He recently published an album with 64 songs, mostly original, called Under the Powerlines. He’s a prolific songwriter and incredible lyricist, and I’m really excited to watch where his young music career goes. He almost writes a new song whenever something crazy happens in the news (aka. every day), like a recent tune called “My Billionaire Daddies are Fighting.”
Wild Robot
I read the book in a few days (it’s pretty short… because it’s for children), and the day I finished it, I watched the animated film. Both are great, and the story is so pure and logical, I kept thinking, “Why didn’t I think of this?” Whether you have kids or not, check it out. Torta = Brightbill in my world.
Phone Addiction
I wrote an article about my phone addiction earlier this year, and what I’m doing to address it. Mainly, it sleeps in another room and doesn’t always join me when it used to.
Since that article, I’ve also added the app Opal to my phone, which blocks my access to social media from 9 am to 5 pm during the week. You can set up any number of blocks, but I kept this standard block that the app suggests, which has definitely cut down my screen time by around an hour a day.
When you add it to your phone, the very first thing the app does is ask a few questions, then it estimates how many years of your life you’ll spend looking at your phone. If you’re like the 99% of us addicted to our pocket computers, it’s a shocking number. For me, it was 17 years. I aim to change that.
Note: It does a good job of trying to get you to pay for the pro version after you download it, but the basic version is free.
Doechii has anxiety
If you somehow still haven’t watched this video that has 31 million views, well… you should. Also, her album has been on repeat for me this year. If you haven’t given it time… you should. I think it’s the best big hip-hop debut since either good kid m.A.A.d city or College Dropout.
Cher’s Memoir Stinks
If you want to know why, read this; otherwise, just don’t read it and pick something else. (I’m currently reading Connie Chung’s memoir, which is far better than Cher’s.)
Not That Anyone Asked Travel Memoir
My memoir RULES! You should read it if you haven’t.
I’ve gotten more 5-star ratings and a handful of very kind reviews since the last 8-bit, but unfortunately, the audiobook version is paused for the time being. A local family in need moved into the studio I was using, and I’m not sure how to recreate a professional set-up of the same caliber… hopefully, I can figure out a way to get it done.
Also, I’m feeling very ready to start on book number two. I’ve been keeping a rough outline for a few years, but I’m eager to start writing out the full story, from the pandy to chasing down this Sobreluna dream in Puerto Escondido.
Sobreluna Update
Speaking of Sobreluna (absolutely crushing these segues), the project has had a really incredible few months. We have a pool, the palapa is starting very soon, and we’re finally moving onto colors and wood after years of working in concrete. We found a big investor who now holds 10% of the entire project. With that money, we were able to hit to fash-forward button, and there are around 20 guys every day now building our dream.
There are still 8 shares left, so if you’re interested in joining the project as an investor, don’t hesitate to reach out. I love talking about the project and growing the investor team that will support our community and patch of paradise long into the future.
Sostenible_PXM 💧
Earth Day was such a blast this past April. Here are the highlights!
• 70+ volunteers and supporters in attendance 💪
• 57 giant bags of trash removed from the streets of La Punta and La Barra (29 plastic to be recycled, 28 general garbage) ♻️🗑️
• 88 new “Agua Gratis” water drops cut and painted to mark our free water refill network💧
• 14 single-use plastic recycling points cleaned and fixed up
• 40+ raffle prizes given away to 12 big winners 🎟️
• 1 27L Eco filter won in a silent auction (congrats Jordan)
• 9000+ pesos raised to keep doing and improving these community-led projects
• 1 eco-documentary premiered, from our new partners at @patagonia_mexico 🎥
• Two great bands keeping the party going late 🎶
• Countless great connections and memories made
Our next community event is scheduled for Sunday, June 22nd, where we’ll be cleaning the beach in La Barra, which is where most of the trash that flows down Rio Colotepec ends up.
As always, reach out if you want to join our free water refill network here in PXM—we’re only a few locations away from reaching 100 free water locations throughout the city!
Bob King Memorial Advice Section
I’ve had a couple of weird health things in the past few months. One near my belly button that cleared up on its own, which I’m still confused about. One on my left eyelid, a wicked stye, that’s currently healing. I dealt with a number of random health issues at the end of last year as well (lost a big toenail, weird rash, etc).
I work out and shower every day. I try to eat healthy. Unfortunately, I’m a bag of skin, bones, muscle, and organs, and no matter how well I take care of that meat bag, sometimes things go wrong. What I’ve been surprised about is the feeling of judgment I’ve caught a few times from friends and acquaintances, which is how this backstory becomes an advice section.
It reminds me of a time when I was living in Australia and one of my dear friends, Jess, got lice. After dealing with it for over a week, and even contemplating shaving off her very long brown hair, we were chatting one day, and she said, “Thanks for making me feel normal.”
She continued to tell me that some of our other hostel mates were seemingly judging her or even avoiding her. People she considered good friends. I’d had scabies years prior, which is about the grossest skin infection one can get, and that incident likely helped me skip right past any judgment I might have carried into a lice situation. Either way, I remember thinking, “It’s weird people are being judgy, it’s not like you wanted to get lice.”
That’s true for basically any medical thing that might go wrong for a friend or family member. Nobody wants lice, a rash, to lose a toenail, or to get cancer… but our bodies can betray us or fall victim to an invisible force. If that ever happens to an acquaintance, friend, or loved one, skip past judgment directly to support.
I was surprised at times to feel judged during the last 6 months of random health issues, but it happened, and it was disappointing. It reminded me to avoid any harsh reactions, negative facial expressions, or hints of judgment if a friend shares a medical misfortune with me.
They’re likely sharing because they feel self-conscious or worried about it. The best thing you can do in that situation is to listen and let them share, to be a non-judgmental support, and to say or do whatever you can to make them feel normal.
We’re just different-shaped bags of meat after all. Be kind to your fellow meat bags.
Pheatured Photo
