Howdy!
In response to the darkness and vitriol that has permeated media over the past week, I have attempted to make this newsletter as lighthearted as possible. Instead of getting mixed up in online arguments and despondent rabbit holes, I urge you to read the silly things I’ve linked below, reach out to a friend you haven’t seen in a while, and take some time to go outside. As Anne Frank once wrote, “the best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside.” You are what you focus your attention on, so focus it on something positive this week.
Here are some Things I’ve Been Enjoying:
“A brilliant, punchy tune lashed to a lyric that made heartbreak sound heroic.” An appropriate description for the enduring appeal of Mr. Brightside. I’ve been to three weddings this year and this song was played at every one of them. I love it and always will.
Hundreds of hippos are destroying Colombia, but the locals love them. If you’re thinking “Are hippos native to Colombia?” - they’re not. Pablo Escobar brought them there illegally and they’re spreading faster than his drug empire did.
“The persistent are attached to the goal. The obstinate are attached to their ideas about how to reach it.” A thought-provoking look at being persistent vs. being stubborn (the latter of which I am, unfortunately). I highly recommend this.
This artist makes giant troll figures out of trash. In my opinion, the world needs more giant human-like art displays.
Do you enjoy the flavor of habanero peppers but think they’re too spicy? Why not try the Habanada - a habanero-flavored pepper with zero spice. Also relevant, the Nadapeño. Great idea, and I love their punny names.
The city of Boston added giant googly eyes to its trains and buses. As someone who did the same thing to my robot vacuum in the midst of the pandemic, I approve.
Since the dawn of man, humans have been incessantly plagued by two problems - mosquitos, and music copyright issues on YouTube. Amazingly, Google may have just solved one of those problems forever. This is something I could’ve only dreamed of 10 years ago.
There are over 20 isolated tribes still living in the Amazon rainforest. Astoundingly, 50 members of the Mashco Piro tribe in Peru were recently caught on camera as loggers close in on their home.
Each year, nearly 100 natives of Florence, Italy compete in what is probably the world’s most brutal sport - Calcio Storico. This is a beautifully-made documentary about a sport I had never heard about and thought I had no interest in. Side note: due to my Italian citizenship, someone brought to my attention the fact that if I ever have a Wikipedia page, I’ll be described as an “American-Italian comedian”. That’s pretty funny.
And finally, the intro to Skyrim but its Gen Alpha Brainrot. (If you need help understanding any of the words I just wrote, please consult Urban Dictionary: Skyrim, Gen Alpha, Brainrot)
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About Matt
For those of you who don’t know, I’m a comedian originally from Cleveland, Ohio, USA. I make videos on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube while also writing about the interesting things I discover each week. That’s what you can expect in this newsletter, a hodgepodge of articles, videos, and other things that I think are worth sharing. If you like what you see I encourage you to forward this email to a friend so they can read it too. Thanks for being here!
I don’t know if it was persistence or me being obstinate that had me finish that read.Could be plain old stubbornness