8-Bit Newsletter, Volume 3
Paying homage to the utilitarian roots of the Not That You Asked Newsletter
Greetings from Space!
Just kidding, but I am at the airport, and this is still some wild futuristic technology. Read this short reflection I wrote a while back about air travel if you’re curious about why I love flying and waiting in lines at the airport so much. Even after my last airport experience (see previous post about my failed trip to LA and forced trip to Taxco), I love aviation. Really, all forms of travel. We’re lucky beyond measure to fly around the globe like birds.
8-Bit Newsletter’s name and format are an 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 as the setup:
I started this newsletter to direct you to corners of the internet that I like, and that I think you might enjoy. Some will be corners I have created or been featured in, others will be places that I found and liked. They will cover a gamut of topics, but three specifically:
Life in Puerto Escondido, and the occasional travel tale 🛫
Writting, Reading, & Memoirs 📖
Music (playing, listening, dancing, todos) 🎤
Trav Shares
I recently published the most spicy blog I’ve put out in a few years. It’s called The Top 5 Worst Pieces of Advice That Baby Boomers Are Still Confidently Giving To Millennials and Gen Zers. If you’re a boomer, I think you’ll find it interesting. If you were raised by boomers, I think you’ll find it rather relatable.
I just published a piece about how Open Mic Night has grown from an idea for a community talent show to the biggest weekly party in Puerto Escondido. If you host or throw events, it’s definitely worth a read… or check it out if you’re just curious about how our open mic night has grown into “THE BEST OPEN MIC IN THE WORLD” over the past three years.
Matcha a new track by Wic Whitney is BANGIN.’ Also, he’s a great follow on Instagram. His content gives joy.
My brother put me on this book called “My Own Devices” by Dessa, a rapper from the hip-hop collective Doomtree based out of Minneapolis. I’ve listened to some of the music since reading the book, and it’s aight… BUT THE BOOK! The book is incredible. Dessa’s book is the exact type of raw, honest, heartbreaking writing that I love most about memoirs.
The new 8-part series about the Tour De France on Netflix is unbelievable. For one, I apparently had no idea what the Tour de France is (I thought it was a single race). I didn’t even know cycling was a team sport. I also just had no idea of the level of gamesmanship involved or how far these riders push their tolerance for suffering.
Not That Anyone Asked passed 200 Reviews on Amazon, and still holds a solid 4.8 out of 5 stars. If you haven’t read it yet, maybe you never will, maybe there’s nothing I can say or type to convince you it’s worth your time, but I’m going to keep trying! Also, if you don’t want to take my word that NTAA is worth 5 hours of your time… read this new review by Lealyn Papaya.
Sobreluna Coliving & Coworking Update
We’re officially past the halfway point of the fundraising toward making our Sobreluna dream a reality! [Champagne bottles pop, trumpets blare, doves fly!]
Here’s our website, which will eventually be a lot more flushed out, but for now check it out if you want to learn more about the project. If it looks interesting to you, don’t be shy to reach out to schedule a call.
Below is the Sobrluna ownership team (Me, Maria, and Diego) having in-person meetings as the construction was getting underway back in April. Diego is showing us how to sit properly for a nice photo, lol.
Below you can see a bit of the progress. There’s a 25-person crew there daily, so the dream is getting built FAST. We’re still on track to open in early 2024.
Bob King Memorial Advice Section
This is from my blog about starting and hosting the world’s greatest Open Mic. In point number 8 I give three ways to “take care of the musicians who sign up,” and the first of those three ideas is this:
Make everyone feel great for getting up on stage, and especially with your regulars, make them feel important to the show itself. You’ll likely have 3–5 regulars that perform most weeks who genuinely are key to the show's long-running success. Don’t be shy to tell them that as often as possible. We all like to feel important—we like to feel needed—so let folks know when they are.
Let people know when they’re useful, important, or needed. I think this advice applies to nearly every facet of the human experience. I always joke that “I’ll do all the dishes, I just need someone to say thank you.” Acknowledging people’s positive impact and good deeds goes such a long way toward having a life full of healthy and happy relationships.
Pheatured Photo
I really like this photo of Joya and me at Richard’s B-day party at the river. It’s the kind of lazy passing moment that often isn’t photographed, but it speaks to how that day felt better than any posed-for group photo could. Also, if you can zoom in enough to read the hat, I think you’ll thank yourself for the effort.
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