Each week (give or take one or two here and there) I share three things I like – It could be a book, a movie, a podcast, an album, a photo, an article, a restaurant, a food item, a beverage, or anything else I simply enjoy and think you might too.
1) Fantasy Football
Once upon a time in an America that hardly exists any more, except maybe in Texas, football players were the kings of their social sphere until High School graduation. No sport so dominates television ratings like football does. For these reasons, fantasy football is generally considered “normal,” to the degree people talk about it casually. But make no mistake, it is deeply nerdy. It is a fantasy game in which players live out our dreams of managing a professional football team. It is as fantastical as a game that might involve, say dungeons or dragons. It is as nerdy as any world building game involving settling Catan or taking over Irkutsk. And I write all this with deep affection and a 20+ year history of playing this nerdy game. Draft season is upon us, so bring on the podcasts, the group texts, and the friendly wagers. Give me a reason to care about the second WR on a non-playoff team. Keep me glued to my news feed to see which player was just lost for the season and who miht win that QB battle. I am here for all of its nerdy, addicted, not-actually-normal behavior.
2) Tamron Camera Lenses
I took (or re-took up) Photography about a year and half ago and have absolutely loved it. (If you’re interested in following my photographic sharings, you can do so at Instagram or Threads or the Foto App). It is overwhelming getting into a hobby with countless gear and brand options and even more strong (pretentious) opinions by its participants about said gear. Where to start? My friend Tony, who is a world class photographer, pointed me to Tamron lenses. They primarily do zoom lenses, rather than prime (lenses with a fixed focal length) and are engineered with equivalent quality to much more expensive lenses. Tamron lenses aren’t cheap, but they are good value and they offer the flexibility for all different sorts of shooting. I am still new enough to photography to be a true brand loyalist, but I am very close because of how quality and enjoyable these lenses are.
3) Lunch Lady Land
A video from the days when comedy was at its peak, featuring two legends. RIP Chris Farley, and RIP Adam Sandler’s funny era.