Hi y'all,
- This is the last newsletter from the old Joey. This time next week, Macy and I will have welcomed our daughter into the world, and the rebellious, fire-throwing version of me you've come to tolerate will emerge from my pre-fatherhood cocoon as a dad butterfly. Presumably one wearing a fanny pack and commenting too often on the weather. We couldn't be more excited, and we can't wait for you to meet her. For a little fun, I'm opening a quick survey: suggestions for her name, advice for new parents, which large Colorado predator we should be most worried about, etc.
- Talking of surveys, I really appreciated the readers who came along for the ride on last week's. If you missed the fun, you can still jump in here, but know that your lack of early participation has already docked you 7 horses (can you afford to be docked more?). Thanks for the photo submissions, too. Jim, those eggs look suspiciously like you stole them - true?
- Song rec for this week is the new-school R&B track Imitation (how to become you) by Doggone. I've been blasting it on headphones for the past couple of weeks, and every listen turns up some new little detail. There's a lot going on: maximalist production, purposely blown-out reverb, multiple false endings, and surprisingly clear, crisp vocals. Doggone feels like a disciple of the Dijon and Mk.gee school: earnest lyrics, fuzzy pedal-distorted guitar, and production you could get lost in. Probably my last song at full volume for a while. Also reminder that you can find all of these recs here --> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/70ImUJMXWZz4RoRRxLnEM6?si=9d9750a100ac4143
- Talking of fun musical acts, this past Friday I got to see the band Cardinals at Globe Hall, an awesome little Denver venue, as part of a small celebration of my upcoming fatherhood. It was a really special night out with a great group, so if you were there and you're reading this, thanks for making my "last night out" one for the books. And if you're ever in Denver, go to Globe Hall (and swing through Fort Greene first). No place in the state more consistently gets up-and-coming acts into such an intimate room (over the years I've had tickets to see Big Thief, Maggie Rogers, and Brockhampton there), and the BBQ is good too.
- At the top of the list of things you don't care about, but I'm writing about anyway because I apparently don't want this newsletter to succeed: for the first time since 1993, an American man is road cycling's world champion. Brandon McNulty, normally the right-hand man to Tadej Pogačar (currently the best cyclist in the world), attacked alone with 33km to go in Montreal and held off a chase group full of stars who couldn't agree on who should do the work (highlights here). Worlds is a strange race. Riders leave their pro teams to ride for their countries, there are no team radios, and this year the reigning champ, Pogačar himself, was out injured. That's how a scrappy US team with no real favorite worked together and pulled off the upset. It's exactly the kind of underdog story that should get my countrymen fired up, if only they still cared about cycling. Ohh yeah, talking 'bout when we did (and maybe why we don't any longer) - the last guy to win this was some dude named Lance?
- I enjoyed this AI Apocalypse Bracket, which asks: just how doomed are we, really? Will a seeded, bracketed knockout tournament between possible scenarios help us figure out whether we're heading toward Skynet or just falling for marketing hype?
Joey
Member discussion