Here’s a roundup of the podcasts to which I’m subscribed. These shows comprise the media that I consume regularly as I don’t watch television. They tend to be educational, scripted, high production-value shows with only a few unscripted interviews sprinkled in. I listen while commuting, running, or cooking. Most shows I play at 1.5x speed on Apple Podcasts, but the music-related episodes I play in real time.
Continue reading Podcast RoundupCategory Archives: Uncategorized
An Engaging Day
Mount Tamalpais, CA. June 26, 2021.
Continue reading An Engaging Day
Backgammon is beautiful
Backgammon is a beautiful game.
Obviously, a physical backgammon board can be beautiful. The field of tall triangles with circular checkers lying on top is an attractive geometric pattern. Backgammon’s frequently a high-end game, and fancy boards have features like exquisitely swirled Bakelite checkers, hand-stitched leather fields, alligator skin attaché cases, or other absurdities.
However, consider the beauty of backgammon’s game mechanics. Although backgammon is a simple game — able to be summarized in 160 words (see below) — the gameplay is dynamic, engaging, and potentially heartbreaking. In every facet, the elementary rules generate extraordinary emergent characteristics which, in turn, demand intricate strategical considerations, and that’s a beautiful thing.
WTF America
Curious Incident
A very New York thing happened today: my friend won a lottery for front-row seats for the Tony-winning Broadway show “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.” The play was brilliant, and I enjoyed myself thoroughly with laughs, gasps, and tears. But wait, there’s more! Continue reading Curious Incident
Sports Spectating
I follow two sports: NBA basketball and pro Super Smash Bros Melee.
Growing up, I was blindly anti-sports. How people could get so invested in their region’s sports team, enough to spend hundreds of dollars for seats and enough riot when they lose and parade when they win? It’s just a sport! You idolize men who spend their livelihoods throwing a bouncy spherical thing through an elevated hoop! Continue reading Sports Spectating
Mock Magic Personal Statement
Preface: while reading my friend’s personal statement about gaming, I thought back to applying to college 8 years ago and thinking about writing an essay about playing Magic the Gathering. I decided against it because gaming still has this weird stigma of being a fringe hobby and a waste of time, but back in January 2016, when solidly 25, I wrote a personal statement as if I were still 17. Continue reading Mock Magic Personal Statement
Things I have more of than spoons
After having lived on my own and mostly cooking for myself for 3+ years and accumulating many pots and pans and spatulas and baking pans, I still only have one spoon. I got my spoon in Taiwan in 2007 (yay AID!). It has a bird on it.
And here’s a list of things I have more of than spoons: Continue reading Things I have more of than spoons