Spoilers

**Warning:**

*This contains spoilers. for Game of Thrones (After Season 4 Episode 3 you can read). It also contains a spoiler for how many episodes are in Season 1 of Squid Game. It also contains a spoiler for season 9 of RuPaul's Drag Race (spoiler has been retracted), a spoiler for Breaking Bad (anyone who hasn’t reached season 5 should not read), a spoiler for Seinfeld (anyone who has not reached season 8 should not read), there is also an inconsequential Curb your Enthusaism scene featured below.* The Portlandia clip at the bottom below, is pure chaos. It is an evil clip full of Spoilers. Do not watch if you care about television at all.

I hate spoilers. To an extreme. I think there are a couple of things that I hate about spoilers that are a common occurrence. People say spoilers and then say spoiler alert after. This is not helpful. An alert is pre-emptive. Sir, your “alert” should be a profuse apology and reparations.

Another common occurrence is the discussion of spoilers in regards to an older show. This is the age of the internet when generations of people are finding old shows and gems from the past all the time. These spoilers are costly. Check your surroundings.

The other month I saw an outrageous Sopranos spoiler, OUTRAGEOUS , this was on a very famous podcast.

Literally the most shocking moment on the show was casually announced with not a micro hesitation. I felt immediately wounded despite my having seen the series from start to finish a full seven times. How could he utter such a revealing fact about this fresh and new television show from a quarter-century ago? But in all seriousness, The Sopranos is a timeless masterpiece.

I’m extremely careful about spoilers but here are a couple of memorable times that I’ve accidentally spoiled things… followed by what I’ve had spoiled.

THINGS I HAVE SPOILED

Season 9 Drag Race: I was re-watching a series finale with a new roommate who was watching RuPaul’s Drag Race season 9. She was on the last episode, where the drag queen would be crowned. When asking my roommate what season she was on she started to show me on screen the WINNER'S NAME. While technically I didn’t say she had won, this was horrible.

Breaking Bad (spoilers for anyone who hasn’t reached season 5): This one is the most upsetting spoiler I’ve ever done. I was talking about a show to someone who is really arrogant about their intelligence and doesn’t think I'm worthy of his intellectual debate or discussion. He’s a smart guy for sure, quiet, and interesting too, but he overlooks so much. Anyways... he was watching Breaking Bad and I was excitedly talking to him about it. He was at the part where Gustavo starts to get big in the show. This, for me, is when Breaking Bad leveled up. The precision of Gustavo leveled up the show. I remarked oh I love Gustavo, he was so good in season 4. Immediately my friend was like “that’s a spoiler, now I know he dies”. I argued, but he was right. It was idiotic. This one was a painful one.

I was once showing my friend who was watching Seinfeld for the first time. A clip from Curb Your Enthusiasm where Larry David gets offended that Jason Alexander calls the George Constanza character a jerk. There is where Larry reveals that all the antics George does on the show are actually modeled after his life. Here he reveals the fact that Susan dies from the envelopes. This was a huge spoiler. Here is the clip below.

As punishment for my cousin completely ignoring one of the most underrated comedy shows of all time, The Larry Sanders Show, I engaged in a game where every day he didn’t watch it, I'd reveal a guest star who has been on this immense show.

THINGS I HAVE HAD SPOILED

GAME OF THRONES

Back when HBO Max wasn’t really a thing and streaming wasn’t ubiquitous, I’d watch episodes on weird websites that were most likely illegal. These would be really clutch when back in the day you’d want to watch the episode as soon as it came out. Without an HBO subscription and watching live, your options were really shady websites that opened up a lot of pop-up websites. At the time there were crackdowns on these websites and eventually the episodes would be posted and then users would post the episode links in the comments. So you’d have to scroll to the comments to click the episode link. Well one day when looking for the Game of Thrones episode link, someone wrote “Joffrey dies here in this episode”. It was still amazing to watch how it happened, but it was an awful spoiler. I’ll never forget where I was when it happened.

SQUID GAME EPISODE NUMBER

A hilariously small spoiler that happened to me that will just serve as an example of how insane I am about spoilers. When Squid Game initially came out, my roommate told me that there were 9 episodes. I was very upset because I didn’t know how many there were and thought there would be 10. There could have been 3 or 6. Another cousin I have who understands this, would vehemently refuse to hear titles of episodes of Always Sunny in Philadelphia “the reveal is part of the show.

UFC FIGHTS

These are always my fault but there are so many times I don’t watch a fight and plan to watch it the next day on MMA Core. MMA Core is an amazing website where you can find fights that have just happened. It is a very spoiler-proof website because you have to click each part of the fight. If the video was 7 minutes, and it was the whole fight, you’d know it was a first-round knockout. In the same situation, the way MMA Core does it. You’d have part 1… the fight and part 2 next video would be below, and that would be the winner announcement (which you wouldn’t know: anyways it’s a great website for avoiding spoilers. I, however, always go on Instagram and accidentally see who wins, this happens a lot. I never really mind this kind of spoiler too much. If I’m super into the fight, I see it live.

At the time of this writing, no knowledge about the legalities of the aforementioned website have even vetted and the illegalities mentioned are strictly speculative and embellished for story enhancement. They do not reflect any documentation of anyone’s actions.

In summary, dealing with spoilers nowadays demands constant vigilance and care. Whether it's sidestepping unintentional reveals from friends or navigating through the hazards of online discussions, the fight against spoilers is relentless. Despite the challenges, there's a collective appreciation for the joy of experiencing stories without prior knowledge. So, let's proceed cautiously, honor each other's boundaries, and keep cherishing the excitement of discovering our beloved shows and movies without spoilers.

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Two World Records I’ll Try to Break

I am interested in breaking a couple of world records. Not because this is something I sought out specifically do to, but I was performing at such a rate that I began to google a few records, I think I am in contention of two different records. I will try to make a formal attempt at breaking these world records sometime this summer (2024).

The records are, most jumping jacks completed in one minutes. As well as the most pushups completed in one minute. 

World records are mind boggling. They are literally the best performance of a certain task in the entire world. Human beings can do incredible things so to outperform everyone is absolutely insane. Being the best in the world at anything is crazy. 

Often times the world records are so insane that they’re inconceivable. If there was a record for fastest marathon run with a pineapple on your head, that time would be an exceptional marathon time, without the pineapple. The level of excellence in society as demonstrated all over the internet is insane.

However, i must say I was underwhelmed at these two world. Records.

The most jumping jacks in one minute (male) is 136, and was achieved by Binod Thapa (Nepal), in Kathmandu, Nepal, on 28 July 2023. This may seem like a lot, and it is… but at the end of a 1 hour heated HIIT class, i did one minute of jumping jacks and did 121. This is a ways away from 136 obviously, but I feel it is conceivable. The most pushups per minute is something I also think I could achieve. It is currently 101 in 60 seconds. That’s obviously impressive but I have at the end of the same class, done about 60 in 30 seconds, while this pace is very impressive, and on pace to set the world record…the degree to which you get tired is a huge factor. That said, I didn’t time it but I once did 101 pushups, in one set, incredibly quickly. This was last month and was untimed, undocumented and you’ll have to just trust me. I will be documenting these feats/ attempts soon. But i will not be applying for the official record. I would love to drop a world record video but refuse to do the paperwork, and procedure that gets Guiness paid, and legitimizes the record. I think it would be a cool statement to say… hmmm interesting book of records you have there… but its really a record of the person who achieved the task AND wanted to pay Guinness 300. Thats not me. I like the idea of making Guiness less official. It makes me happy to think about holding a world record that is out of the book.

Here is an insane world record that I wouldn’t even dream to think that beating this was possible., because im worried my assessment of being able to beat such aforementioned records might seem like delusions of grandeur. It is pretty ridiculous to say that world records are underwhelming, but those are. Here is an extremel yoverwhelming world record.  The world record for most jump rope is otherworldly.  Cen Xiaolin, a Chinese rope skipper, defends his gold medal with a score of 228 jumps in 30 seconds at the 2023 World Jump Rope Championships held in Colorado Springs, US.. Watch the way he has to bend over so as to decrease the time/ distance the rope has to travel. This is expertise at another level. THIS record is impressive. Footage of the other two will not be included here because… meh. 

This one though. wow look at the pace. Staggering. That is over 7 jumps per second.

Finally got my Rolex

Sometimes, without any reason, it takes me forever to do something that I really want to do. This is obviously a healthy, natural thing for long-term goals or anything that is an ambitious pursuit. However, sometimes I take forever to do a simple task. Often, this has to do with prolonging desires unnecessarily. One fairly common version of this is not wearing a new clothing item because you are saving it for a special occasion. I've got a fancy robe in my closet I haven't worn once in 6 years because I'm saving it for the ideal moment. In the casket? Haha.

Sometimes I'm so excited about a TV show, comedy special, or movie coming out that I'll savor and relish the chance to watch it insanely long, sometimes to the point where I don't get around to watching it. This is stupid. Really stupid.

I can get so ceremonial about something that no time seems good enough, and this is a habit I've been breaking a lot lately. But something I've heard recently is "I am the occasion," "being alive is the occasion." I've been making a lot of big changes in my life with a good degree of success. Implementing moderation, not prolonging gratification excessively, immediacy of completing tasks—these have been game-changers.

So, anyways, getting my Rolex was one of these occurrences (pictured at the very bottom below). I think this watch is very representative of my philosophy. This thing is a beast—alarm clock, calendar, stopwatch. It is affordable, durable, a classic. I bought three of them for less than the cost of a Ferrari.

By contrast, I'm going to include two Amalie fancy watches that are interesting. The first image is this insane watch that has the solar system and zodiac signs, and it's truly a work of art.

The second watch I feature is a perfect combo of high-end and absolute degenerate. Watch this video.

Below is my Rolex that I just bought three of. I hope this changes my relationship to time, which I've been working on. Today is day one.

Lush living.

A trick for the laundry room and kitchen.

I have a trick that works both in the kitchen and the laundry room. It's the same concept, just in different environments.

Do you ever spill a bit of laundry detergent on the washing machine when you’re doing laundry? Well, just grab a sock, tee shirt, or some other clothing item from the load you’re washing, and wipe the detergent with it. Then, in it goes. Boom.

How does this trick work in the kitchen? Well, have you ever made salad dressing and it got stuck in the jar or bottle? Just grab some lettuce, throw it in the jar, and mix it around with a fork or something similar. The leaves will sop up the sauce or dressing, then you can throw them in with the salad.

You can also use this concept when you have peanut butter in a jar. If you take your nearly empty peanut butter jar, add some almond milk, put the lid back on, and shake it up. You’ll then be able to dump the contents out of the jar and you’ll see that the shaken almond milk will have picked up most, if not all, of the peanut butter. You can then use that for a smoothie or whatever else. Same concept. No waste.

Mombar.

Yesterday, I visited a restaurant in Astoria that I had never been to before. The occasion was my father’s 69th birthday, and our entire family planned to gather to visit a museum exhibit before exploring Little Egypt, the neighborhood in Astoria.

Although I had frequented Little Egypt several times, I never realized it was the official designation for this area. The ambiance certainly evokes Egypt, with street noises intermingled with Arabic conversations in an Egyptian dialect. As an Egyptian American living in New York City, this familiarity is very comforting and nostalgic.

I had researched a particular restaurant that seemed to have a buzz. When I mentioned it to my roommate Mailiis, she asked if it was the one with just that one guy. Vaguely recalling reading about the owner, I responded, "Maybe?" She confirmed it was Mombar and mentioned the notorious long lines. Prepared for potential difficulty getting a table, I aimed to arrive at the restaurant's opening time.

While strolling through Little Egypt, we passed by shops that stirred memories of Egypt—a fatayer shop with a large glass window where the baker skillfully prepared the dough before filling it with meat, cheese, custard, Nutella, or other fillings.

En route to the restaurant, we encountered stores specializing in nuts and dates, among other quintessentially Egyptian sights.

Suddenly, we arrived at the restaurant. Initially, I didn't notice it because its style contrasted sharply with neighboring establishments. Those shops boasted modern backlit signage or neon lights.

Mombar, however, had a gorgeously decorated exterior and a very old-fashioned door, resembling something you might find in Egypt. As I attempted to open the door, I realized it was locked, as was another nearby entrance.

I double-checked the opening time on Google, growing skeptical about whether the restaurant was actually open. It was 5:11, and Google indicated it should be open by 5. Through the window, I heard the clatter of plates and silverware. "I can hear someone inside," I remarked. I called the restaurant, and the owner assured me they would be opening in two minutes.

Upon entering, beautiful Egyptian music greeted us, reminiscent of Oum Kalthoum's vibes. For those unfamiliar, Oum Kalthoum was an iconic Egyptian singer, songwriter, and film actress from the 1920s to the 1970s, often referred to as "The Voice of Egypt" and "Egypt's Fourth Pyramid."

The Voice of Egypt.

Egypt’s Fourth Pyramid, Umm Kalthoum.

This is an awesome painting that my family actually owns that is a depiction of Umm Kalthoum by George Bahgoury.

Umm Kalthoum by George Baghoury.

Anyway, back to the restaurant... The decor was completely next level; we immediately felt transported to a different environment. It exuded a homely, Egyptian ambiance with intriguing artwork adorning the walls. We were the only patrons in the restaurant, which added to the feeling of being guests in someone’s home rather than customers in a traditional eatery. Instead of menus, the owner approached our table and detailed all the available appetizers and entrees, essentially reciting the entire menu as if sharing specials.

Before placing our order, my mom inquired about the captivating tables, sparking a tour of the restaurant led by the owner, Moustafa el-Sayed. He provided an in-depth explanation of everything, revealing himself as an incredible artist who not only designed and built the restaurant but also adorned it with his original artwork. While I'm not adept at art criticism, I'll try to convey Mustafa's creations. He intricately tiled the floors with patterns imbued with symbolism related to Egypt's history. Mosaic tile patterns adorned the exterior, echoing the same motifs. Mustafa seamlessly integrated Egyptian themes and perspectives into his work, from a handmade chandelier to a wooden ceiling installation crafted from cut picture frames.

Mustafa defied the stereotype of a typical Egyptian; his calm and poised demeanor exuded a comforting aura that alleviated stress for everyone around him.

The dining experience felt more akin to being in someone’s home than a traditional restaurant. Familiar scents soon filled the air, prompting us to identify dishes like Koshary by their distinctive aromas. The meal was authentically delicious; it had been ages since I last had Molokhia, a dish made from jute leaves, served over rice. Mustafa even presented us with rice shaped into three pyramids—a thoughtful touch.

The attention to detail extended to the quantity of food offered. When we ran low on rice, Mustafa didn't push additional menu items but instead offered more rice and Koshary, ensuring our satisfaction without any pressure to spend more. This personalized approach made the experience feel more like a genuine human connection than a mere transaction.

As Mustafa toured us through his restaurant, his pride in it was palpable. He proudly displayed books featuring his restaurant, including one chronicling various "little neighborhoods" like Little Italy and Little Egypt, with a glowing review of Mombar. He also shared a magazine from Japan featuring his restaurant among recommended cultural spots in New York City, highlighting its international recognition.

This achievement is all the more remarkable considering Japan's reputation for craftsmanship and detail-oriented excellence. Mustafa has crafted for himself a remarkable life; his restaurant serves not only as a showcase of his artwork but also as a tribute to his country. After seven years of dedication, dining at Mombar truly felt like a special experience—one I highly recommend.

Although I didn't capture photos of the food, I did document the overall experience with some photos and videos.

QUOTES FROM RANDOMS ON INSTAGRAM

These are some other people’s words on the internet about this restaurant. I do not know these people. I simply found them on instagram when I searched about the restaurant. These were just the first four that I found. 

“My favorite restaurant in nyc is Mombar a stunning tiny Egyptian restaurant in Astoria that has been there for 20 years. @bing_guan & i had koshari, ful, lamb, & georgian wine we brought. There is no menu but what is fresh that day & it really feels like you are sitting in someone’s lovely living room. Please go & support this lovely spot.”

-@pchza

“This is one of the most authentic Egyptian dining experiences we’ve had in NYC… and everything from the cuisine to the decor is made by one man: Moustafa el-Sayed. 🇪🇬Much love to @ranaabdelhamid for putting us on!"

📍 Mombar

25-22 Steinway St, Queens, NY 11103”

-@righteouseats. 

“Great restaurant, just a tip… It’s one guy (he’s amazing) so don’t go with a large group and don’t go there starving. It takes times but it’s worth it. He removed every single bone from the fish and puts a lot of work into the food. And cash only.”

-@jas_sand

Media then and now.

Buying music used to be a very different experience, as did consuming all sorts of media. The saturation is crazy now. I am obsessed with stand-up comedy, and Netflix drops way too much comedy for me to handle lately.

Not to mention YouTube, Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO Max, and other platforms where stand-up specials are aired. Obviously, because of technology, the barrier to entry and production costs have plummeted. This means that lots of artists are able to consume more media and produce it, of course.

Back in the day, there were one or two comedy specials a year. It was a very special event; you didn’t know it was going to happen, there was no information or podcasts telling you it was going to happen soon.

CDs offered an entirely different experience. You’d have to go to the store on a particular day when an album was released. The artists would know that you were going to listen to the whole album start to finish. There was album artwork in the form of little pamphlets tucked into the CD jewel case. There was artwork, and often times, all the lyrics to a few of the songs were written down.

Now you hear a song, and you’re like, “Oh, I hated that song, but now I’m interested in listening because it was engineered to chemically please me in a lab.” So I Shazam it and then forget about it and never listen to it again or think about it again.

What a difference. Albums used to be a sacred experience, and they still can be in digital form, of course; I’m not trying to say they can’t be.

However, there was something precious about a landscape that was less saturated. Things carried greater weight and were consumed differently. Now we are all watching dopamine hits of quick videos fed to us by algorithms.

Anyways, I think there are really cool things about both eras. I’m glad I get to watch so much comedy and have so many amazing pieces of media to consume.

I also love that my aspiration of having a comedy special doesn’t require me to have the best one of three comedy specials of the year. Good times on both ends. This is the first CD I bought and its booklet.

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What superpower I’d pick.

I love the question of “what your superpower would be?” It is cool to think about being able to have heroic strength and be able to perform all these unbelievable feats. The first ones that come to mind are often flight, invisibility, super speed, super strength.

I actually just googled the different types of superpowers, and they were plentiful and far beyond the number I could list. However, my chosen superpower is not on this list at all.

This superpower of mine would probably even be my one wish if I got any wishes that had to be personal. (I would wish for a globally agreed-upon world utopia or something like that with any one wish). If the wish applied to only me, I would pick this particular superpower.

I would want to be fluent in every language. I think this is an absolutely unbelievable power. I think the ability to communicate and connect with anyone on earth, with nuance, in their most comfortable native tongue, would be an absolute superpower. Anyways, I like to imagine that included in the superpower of knowing every language would be fluency in the language of comedy. That would most certainly be my greatest wish.

I always say this, and it’s annoying. It’s something I derived from Chris Rock and then took further than what I’d heard about it. Chris Rock said that Dave Chappelle is the most fluent person in the language of comedy he’s ever seen.

That really lit up a huge light bulb for me. Comedy is a language. It’s timing, tone, patterns, grammar, creativity, yada yada. There are linguistic elements to comedy and a multitude of other factors that do not apply to other languages.

I started to use this concept to inform the process that lay ahead of me. An open mic night is like Spanish 101. Yo Hablo español (pronounce the H here). When you see a comedy special by some legend, it’s akin to a person who has mastered a language gently and is now presenting a book they’ve written. Books are hard to write in your native language, let alone in a language you’re just learning. That’s why comedians don’t develop overnight. It takes years, decades to make a great stand-up comedian. You can see this if you look at George Carlin's work 20 years in versus 35 years in. It takes a long time to master something, to learn your voice, to feel comfortable. The difficulty with stand-up is that you have to fail publicly for such a long time, which is of course the major obstacle toward learning a language. Nobody wants to make mistakes. But you have to, and for learning a language, you must do so publicly. For developing as a stand-up comedian, you have to go in front of people basically saying, “Hey, I’m the funny guy, watch me,” and then you’re terrible. You cannot speak the language you claim. And you won’t for a long time. But there will be strides. Mastery of anything is difficult; getting good at things you care about creates the unique obstacle of needing to be bad at something you like. This means your taste is developed but your ability to execute is nowhere near your taste. That gap is torturous, but to excel you have to thicken your skin, show up consistently, and fail up. Every day.

Processes

We all take so much for granted all the time. To be fair, it’s almost impossible not to, but it's important to reflect on certain things at times. I certainly do.

I wrote my high school graduation speech about how we don’t know anything about the processes required to maintain the lifestyle we live.

In the speech, I used the example of a pen. Everyone has a pen and uses one regularly. At the time, pens were even more prominent given that computers and phones hadn’t taken over written communication yet. Nobody knows how to make a pen. Nobody really values how amazing a pen is: the pressurized ink, the affordability. Walk into a bank and get one for free. It’s crazy.

I also think everything you see has been removed and extracted from the earth and built. I think about this a lot when I’m walking around New York City and see all the skyscrapers. All these windows, all this metal, concrete, paint, street signage, every speck of every material was extracted from the earth in a process that was once a huge discovery, then turned into a business venture, and grew to the point where production could develop a city.

Anyways, today I came across one such process that I don’t think about, even though I complain about the result when it deteriorates or gets shoddy. I’m talking about roads, the roads in New York City, the crumbling infrastructure that any New Yorker is incredibly aware of. I bike a lot and the roads are horrendous. Often, in order to avoid terrible potholes and badly paved roads, I have to swerve and nearly get hit by cars avoiding terrible pavement.

Anyways, it is crazy the degree to which infrastructure in America is crumbling; the roads in New York City are terrible, despite the insane level of taxes paid here, and the cost of living. But anyways, today, and this whole week, I have been witnessing the paving of roads. I had no idea how it was done, just like I have no idea how refrigerators or condoms or dog leashes are made. Anyways, I got to watch these construction workers pave my street today. It involved a lot of machinery and a lot of weird foggy gross tar-y air. But it was a beautiful process to witness. I filmed some of it and I will put it right here.

I named my graduation speech "Fire Hydrant and Cookie Cutter" because I knew everyone in the audience would have a list of all the speech titles (at my boarding school every senior gave a speech). I didn’t mention this earlier because I wanted you to believe I was valedictorian or something. I was not. Anyways, I named the speech something nonsensical so nobody would anticipate what it was about. When I got out and had graduated, my aunt rushed up to me and said, “Your dad is the hydrant and your mom is the cookie cutter, right?” And I was like, “No, it was just nonsense.” Rorschach test much. Very funny lol.

Anyways, process is crazy and the things going on around us are incredible no matter how mundane they may seem.

Below is some footage of the paving of the road. Also, while filming I stepped in some tar that splattered onto the sidewalk. I looked it up and found that WD-40 could be used to loosen the tar off the shoe, just apply the spray to the affected area, it will loosen, then wash it away with a moist towel or rag of some sort. It worked wonders. Thanks for reading, champ.

Tar removing spray.

Oh and here are the steps involved with paving roads:

1. Surface Preparation: This includes clearing the area of debris, grading the surface to ensure proper drainage, and sometimes applying a base layer of aggregate material.

2. Application of Asphalt or Concrete: Once the surface is prepared, hot asphalt or concrete is spread evenly over the area using specialized equipment like pavers or spreaders.

3. Compaction: Heavy rollers are used to compact the asphalt or concrete, ensuring a dense and stable surface that can withstand heavy traffic loads.

4. Finishing Touches: Finally, the paved surface may be sealed, striped for traffic lanes, and equipped with necessary signage and markings for safety and guidance.

This process results in a smooth, durable road surface that provides safe and reliable transportation for vehicles and pedestrians.

Dumping Stuff out, not sure what that is. Here you can see multiple steps iin the process simultaneously. This was cool.

This was the scene on Halsey Street in Booklyn April 26th.

This is the compaction phase of the paving process.

Here is a car that is already not at all thinking about the road paving process.

The need to Impress.

I have such a strong need to impress people. It’s really a detriment. I wonder lately if that need is so strong that I’ve lost sight of what I want and pursue what I think is impressive all the time. Even now in writing this, I think I’d like to impress my readers with my honest introspective admission, confession. Oof. I think all humans have a need to impress, receive validation, feel seen. This is probably an important evolutionary feature. But I think mine is probably excessive. I must recalibrate and learn what it is I’m interested in. I don’t think it would be much different, but let’s poke holes in that boat and see if it floats.

My favorite Kobe picture of all time and Why.

This is my favorite picture of Kobe Bryant. I like operating at extremes. I have huge ambitions that I wouldn’t even utter because 1) They seem deluded 2) If I mentioned them it would already seem like I’ve failed my life. Anyhow, I admire people who execute at the highest levels. I like people who are willing to put in a tremendous amount of effort and sacrifice to achieve things they have a vision towards. This is a lonely path. I feel that many people do not understand my lifestyle, mindset, or the way that I operate. A lot of the things that I do seem extreme, extra, or obsessive. But I believe that certain goals require such a high level of focus and concentration and that they require atypical, uncommon behavior. Many people who do not have such a vision or belief cannot understand this behavior. Some people totally understand it. There has been a danger in my life of operating in such an extreme fashion. Moderation is something that I have just started to incorporate into my life in small doses. I’ve actually been enjoying it after a lifetime struggle with operating in an extreme, all-or-nothing way. Anyways, I have found that there are certain personalities and character traits that I am extremely compelled by. Kobe Bryant was my favorite basketball player well before he was accepted the way he is across the board. I initially got lots of hate for my love of Kobe, but I always saw a relentlessness and dedication in him that drew me to him. This is a quote about this photo I love. [Teammate] Celestand once wrote that during the 1999-2000 season, Kobe broke his wrist. Celestand was excited, because he thought with Kobe injured, he could beat him to the gym in the morning, particularly because Bryant lived over 30 minutes away from the practice facility.

Instead, when he got in the next morning, "Kobe was already in a full sweat with a cast on his right arm and dribbling and shooting with his left."

I love that there is an assumed level people think about. Oh you’re injured you don’t play. No. An adjustment will be made that will ultimately make one better.

Last year I badly injured my foot and could not walk. I was training very hard towards some goals I had involving physical strength and it was a major setback. I was on crutches and could not walk. I went to the gym every day and worked my upper body. My parents were furious and concerned. My brother was really worried and did not understand. When I went to the gym I got a lot of compliments on my dedication and drive. People would stop me to applaud my relentlessness. I loved it. I would get in a fight with my family every day on the way to the gym.

Lebron James said this about greatness “When it comes to discipline you have to sacrifice loved ones. You have to sacrifice loved ones for a long period of time if you want to be great. It is very unfortunate I am getting up every day at 5 or 6 am “ and when I get home after everyone leaves the gym I'm gonna take a nap, so you're sacrificing your loved ones because you’re not spending time with them, then I'm gonna wake up and train again, and eat dinner then go to sleep. And I'm gonna do that for a very long time.” This is what it takes to achieve a certain level of greatness, and it’s not for everyone. At all.

There are tons of people who inspire this in me. Big personalities who work really hard at achieving things through unconventional means that involve obsession, insanely hard work, and alternative routes of living. David Goggins is a king of relentlessness who has really created a mindset in me that has been both extremely beneficial and has functioned as the seeds for a mental illness. The trick is to channel this drive effectively and mitigate the destructive tendencies that relentlessness at all costs may create.

The other character is someone named Colin O'Brady. He came to my attention when I heard about his journey on a podcast. What was amazing to me was that he was in a position where he was told he would never walk again due to a reckless incident that occurred when he was jumping through fires as a stunt. He got so injured he was told he’d never walk again. His mother took him to the side when this was said to him and asked him to make a goal. He said he’d like to run a triathlon. At the moment, this was delusions of grandeur. His mother said okay, let's go, we gotta take it one step at a time. Colin ended up winning that triathlon and developing such athletic prowess that he set many world records. He was the First Person to Cross Antarctica Unaided and Unsupported. After 54 long days battling subzero temperatures, wind storms, and complete white-outs, Colin O'Brady became the first person to cross Antarctica alone, unaided without support or supply drops.

Anyways, I find these stories of resilience, achieving one’s vision, and relentless overcoming of obstacles very inspiring and am trying to find a balance between moderating certain aspects of life and channeling my obsessive tendencies to achieve many of my goals that are extremely ambitious. I am very dedicated and feel I am on a roll. I’m very excited.

Colin O’Brady discussing his trek on Joe Rogan Experience Podcast

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1ksTicPQeNMjbDHE74jndN

Polite Fight

The other day I got off of the subway and there was a strange delay at the top of the stairs. Initially, a crowd got off the subway and descended down the stairs. But I could see a big gap of space in people in the middle of the stairs. I didn’t see how their interaction began but I saw two individuals talking to each other in an aggressive tone.

(Woman gestures to the man)

Woman: "No sir after you."

Man: "No no, I insist, go ahead."

Woman: "Oh after you, I insist, and watch your step."

*(What reads like a nice considerate response was actually a comment doled out with a tremendous amount of passive aggression.)*

Man: "No ma'am I think you should go first."

Eventually, someone went first, I don’t remember who. But they were not done interacting. The other person immediately followed at close range.

Woman: "Oh have a great day. I hope you have a lovely day."

Man: "Oh you too god bless you."

Woman: "God bless YOU."

They proceeded to follow each other closely going down the second set of stairs. I made a detour to make sure I was close by in case anything happened because it looks so tense and loaded. I also wanted to be close by because this was so entertaining.

*(Woman) "No no god bless you."*

There were more lines like this, I don’t remember them but they had a whole ass fight. I let my imagination go to a place where there had been a physical altercation, and a courtroom scene later on like in the movies.

*"No no, god bless you," said the defendant to which the plaintiff responded "No no god bless your mothers soul and your grandmothers soul and all your beautiful relatives may they be very blessed." At which point the defendant struck the plaintiff your honor as was captured here on cell phone footage obtained at the scene. Haha.*

But that gave me a good idea, have my fights and say aggressions in tone. Then the reporting of the incident is subject. "He was rude and his tone!" Well what did he say. … anyways.. the energy was fuck you and the words were Mister Rogers. Cool.

By the way, Mister Rogers is the coolest guy. If you don’t know how cool he is, I urge you to watch his speech to the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee, where he asked for funding related to his show. It's incredible; I've included it below. It's a masterclass in genuineness, decency, and—I can't even find the words to describe it—just an endearing, sweet, intelligent, heartwarming display of excellence by someone who's clearly talented, passionate, good-hearted, engaging, and important. Wow. Check it out... the whole thing is so beautiful, including the response he elicits from the person he's speaking to.

Celebrating Too Early

YouTube is an incredible website. It suddenly took the world by storm with very little buildup. Pretty much anything you want to watch that you can think of is available. Whether you’re interested in watching a guy burn a refrigerator, witness an alligator attack, or observe ice cream being thrown on the highway, your imagination is almost the limit. If you can think of it, it exists.

One phenomenon I love is compilations. Sometimes these are curated segments of a TV show that depict every time a beloved character walks through a door without knocking. It could be your favorite podcast guest doing his weekly Questions and Answers segment, with almost every question they’ve ever answered edited together in one convenient video. Compilations are amazing because they either showcase the time and dedication someone had toward editing together a curated segment, or they present a kind of outstanding rare event and show you plenty of them in succession.

A particularly cringe-worthy thing to watch is a compilation of people celebrating too early. I think compilations on YouTube are amazing because you can find this token occurrence that’s unlikely, improbable, or remarkably rare, and then you can watch it happening for twenty minutes straight. This particular genre is a tough one. It usually involves a person who has almost achieved an incredible feat, such as winning a marathon or a race. Basically, it’s a 'tortoise and the hare' scenario. The person who almost wins and celebrates too early arrives at the finish line, where they make noise for the crowd, pump their fists, and engage in lots of other jubilant, victorious behaviors. The problem is, there’s always someone in second place who, while they’re celebrating, closes the deal. I love this character in the story. The person who almost wins, the superior runner, athlete, whatever, is very hard to respect after these clips because they lost focus at the most critical phase. These moments are never casual because they demonstrate an individual who has excelled, trained, and performed until their lack of focus ruins the moment substantially. I always admire the second-place finisher for the way they close out the end. But I often wonder if they truly know that their performance, while ultimately more focused at the pivotal moment, was substantially less impressive outside of their ability to crucially finish the mission. They lacked this mindset at the time they were filmed. They have all excelled and put in work, but they failed in monumental ways when it came to the mental and psychological challenge of winning and finishing strong.

Anyways, enjoy this compilation and read Relentless by Tim Grover. It’s a great read if you enjoy psychotic achievements, competition and excellence.

Frankly, this video serves as a warning to myself, who often does not finish things. Being one of these people is my worst fear, and I love this video because it instills in me a fear, a reminder, and a warning. It reminds me of the importance of seeing things through to the end, of maintaining focus, and of not succumbing to premature celebration. It’s a reminder that true success is not just about starting strong but about finishing strong. So, as entertaining as these compilations may be, they also serve as a sobering lesson for anyone striving for excellence in any endeavor.

Honestly there are so many of these now, hope this is a good one.

Needing a Public Bathroom

I drink a lot of water every day. Probably between 5-7 liters. So I end up having to go to the bathroom a lot, which I'm sure to make sure I do before I leave for a destination. It's rough to have to be in transit and fighting the urge to go to the bathroom. So one day I'm returning an item to a store and on the way back to the subway, I realize I already have a bathroom emergency on hand. It's pretty early and I was in a very commercial part of Manhattan. It didn't have small coffee shops, all the businesses were big chain brands. It was very early in the morning. I look at my options and AMC movie theater was the nearest to me. Oh! I'll just use their bathroom. They definitely have one as bathrooms are a major part of every movie theater experience. Where else would I suddenly need to go during the climax of the movie I'd paid 20 dollars to watch? I've actually only ever had to leave to go to the bathroom during a movie twice. Once, during Titanic, which to be fair, was long and was when I was very young. I was so upset to be going. I remember sprinting there and back, and I couldn't wait to get back, when I returned it was absolutely majestic. Anyway, yeah, they had bathrooms. So I go to talk to the lady.

"Hey, can I use your restroom just for a second?" I ask. "I'm sorry, you need a ticket to use the bathroom," she responds. "Sorry, there's a bathroom in Five Guys and Chipotle." "Oh great, thanks a lot," I respond.

Those were very close. I walk out the door and the neighboring store was Five Guys. Closed. Chipotle, the other neighboring store, closed. Ok. So I head back to AMC.

"They're closed," I say. "C'mon, let me just use the bathroom." "No, I'm sorry. Not unless you have a ticket," she says. "I'll let you hold my phone," I offer. "No, we can't do that here," she responds. "You say that like someone has ever asked you before." "Fine, I'll let you hold it while it's unlocked. Snoop around, do whatever."

She laughs. "Deal."

Wow, I can't believe that worked, I say out loud as I'm sprinting up the escalators to the bathroom. What followed was the second most glorious piss of my life*. Wow. Then I started to think about my phone and all the contents on it. Ehh, who cares? What's she gonna do, see some sexts? My penis? Enjoy. So I ended up staying up there and watching the new A24 movie Civil War. I mean, fuck her. What was she gonna do? Steal my phone? She was on shift, it was 10:06 baby, she wasn't going anywhere to steal a lightly cracked iPhone 12 Max Pro. Not give it back? I would love for that to escalate to the managerial level even more than I'd even like to get my phone back. "Oh yes sir, I had your employee hold my phone as a barter to go to the bathroom as an unticketed guest. Initially, she refused until I provided her with the credentials required to peruse my private contents at her heart's content." So I stay and watch The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare as well. Which I did not enjoy as much as Civil War, which was chilling. Anyway, I go back down. My phone is just on the podium and she's nowhere to be found. I pick it up, and ride the subway home. Ok, I actually made all that up. I never went back to AMC. But every time I have a scenario that I imagine and would like to wreak havoc with, if I do not do the scenario, I will create content out of the scenario. Anyway, I'd like to segue into a serious point. Also, there should be public bathrooms. It's honestly bullshit. We don't provide the public with anything of value because god forbid homeless people would be comfortable. If we spent money on making our cities in America beautiful accessible comfortable inviting places to be, that would leave slightly less money for unjust horrific wars. In France, they had little booths you could put coins into and they were like fancy porto-potties. That was cool. In New York City, it's kind of difficult in some areas to find a restroom. Bars and restaurants usually will be fine with it, even if there is signage that says customers only for restrooms. Those signs are most often just a legal way of saying don't use our bathroom if you're homeless. So even I'll always try those places, with no intention of buying anything. I'll go with one of two scenarios. The first is the inquisitive diner and the second is the look at me I'm not homeless move. I've provided a video of each for your enjoyment below.

*I will write about the number one most glorious piss of my life in an upcoming blog post. It will be an exclusively true story.

The “Inquisitive Diner” Method.

The “I’m not homeless” Method.

Two Skills I wish I had but Won’t Work For.

Sewing is amazing. There are so many reasons I wish I could sew. It would be incredible to be able to make little additions to bags, make my own clothing, and incorporate sewing into art projects. The thing about sewing is that it takes so much work. It is so difficult to do that even people who sew wish they knew how to sew better. I’m not sure if I’ll even be able to sew the most minor of things, let alone the grand visions I have in my delusions of grandeur. When I think of sewing mastery, I think of Alexander McQueen, who talks about how pivotal his experience as a tailor was for his fashion. I don’t know much about sewing, but when I think about sewing, I think about Alexander McQueen. I am putting an image of one of my favorite books.

I also think about Nicole McLaughlin, an artist I really love. Her early work on Instagram is really creative, and her more recent collaborations with big established brands showcase her incredible talent. There are many projects similar to the ones she does that I would love to be able to create, but I am unwilling to put in the time to learn how to sew. Here is some of her work below, with her instagram linked if you click the image.

The next thing is a little different. Skateboarding. I wish I could skateboard. Skateboarding tricks are absolutely incredible. Watching people do amazing tricks looks like witchcraft. The way they jump up and control a board with their feet is mesmerizing. The number of attempts required to master a skateboarding trick is all the more impressive when you think about how much pain has to be endured. There is a lot of perseverance required. Skateboarding is just cool. While I don't have enough passion for it to dedicate the required effort, I still wish I could skateboard. I once was talking to a high school friend about this great skateboarder I’d discovered on YouTube. He was a skateboarder and knew a lot about the culture/sport, whereas I did not, though I had great admiration for it. “Yo, Rodney Mullen is really good,” I said, shocked at how he did tricks utilizing both the bottom and the top of the skateboard. “Yeah,” he laughed, “He invented the kickflip.” You don’t have to know much about skateboarding to know the inventor of the kickflip is a big deal. Here’s a clip of his that made me lose my mind. I’ll never be able to do any skateboarding trick, and I’ll never not be in awe of how impressive they are. Here’s a highlight video from youtube. I’m sure it’s not the best one. I had to find it quickly, it’s been a while since I’ve watched him. Oh yeah and people who are really into skateboarding, they’re jaded to Rodney Mullen, they like other stuff that is incredible but doesn’t hit me the same way as when I watch this guy. Enjoy.

A magical subway moment.

Today on the subway, I needed to rearrange some items I was holding, so I picked up my bag and put it on the seat next to me. I inadvertently placed it close to a guy I hadn’t initially seen.

"Oh, I’m sorry," I gesture, making space. He silently gestures back, indicating it’s alright. Though I had stood up to make the adjustments, I still had a few stops left on the subway. As a gesture of gratitude for his understanding, I nod at him. Then, unexpectedly, he begins gesturing things at me, initiating a silent conversation that lasts about seven minutes. While we don’t grasp everything, it feels like a magical moment.

The guy sits calmly, sipping a Red Bull. He gestures towards his drink and points to his heart, indicating that it causes discomfort and irregular heartbeats. I point to his drink and jokingly ask, "Does it give you wings?" referencing Red Bull’s iconic marketing slogan. He shakes his head somewhat ambiguously. So, I ask, "Does it give you wings first and then hurt your heart?" He gestures that it mostly hurts his heart.

I mimic a running motion and point to myself. He explains he doesn’t run due to an injury. Pointing to my imaginary watch, I mention being late and the risk of injury when running. He reiterates that he doesn’t run, pointing to the subway seat as if it were a couch, and gesturing towards his drink, explaining, "This is what I do." I had to exit at the next stop.

My phone battery is critically low, at 4%, and I have an old, unreliable battery. Despite the low battery warning, I’ve been streaming music wirelessly to my headphones the entire time. Mentally, my battery feels depleted. I wish my phone had enough power to capture a picture of the guy. Then it hits me—I’m still listening to music! Throughout our entire conversation, Lil Wayne has been playing in my ears, seamlessly blending into our interaction. Hastily, I ask him if I can take a photo, repeating myself for him to understand. I wait a few seconds before snapping the picture, then hurriedly exit, exchanging a significant goodbye. It’s a beautiful moment, unspoken.

Of course, I can’t resist the urge to document it for a potential blog post. I can’t help but feel conflicted about commodifying this intimate encounter. However, considering the current state of the New York City subway—sluggish, frequently delayed, and unkempt—it feels like a rare bright spot amidst the chaos. While it's true that the subway feels less safe than it used to, it’s not as dire as some media portray. Yet, it’s undeniably transformed, resembling a militarized zone. Despite its flaws, this encounter is a small, uplifting incident that I feel compelled to share, even if it means turning it into content. After all, it’s a beautiful moment, despite not a single word being exchanged.

My friend and his Red Bull. Before snapping the photo I was wondering how I’d have described him. I was going to say a Mike Ehrmantraut type. (Breaking Bad actor: Jonathan Banks)

Flyers in New York City

Often in New York City, you're interrupted by someone wanting something from you. It could be money, or a canvasser wanting to sell you on their cause and get you to sign up for their subscription.

These are fun moments, dodging and weaving a canvasser. I've just gotten accustomed to saying, "ahh I'm so sorry, I'm an asshole." It usually gets them to laugh. One time a guy said, "hey, at least you're being honest," which I thought was very funny.

Anyways, one uniquely New York thing is being handed a flyer. The flyer is usually from a small business or sometimes a corporate chain paying someone to distribute their advertisement. It's rarely a business you're interested in, as it's a numbers game: hand it out to x number of people, and y will be enticed by the information.

Most people walk by without taking the flyer. I always stop and say, "I don't want the flyer, but I do want to tell you a joke. Have you heard of Mitch Hedburg?" I tell them all about Mitch's legacy and share this joke.

The last lady I told said, "that's a good joke." "Hey, I'll throw one of these out for you," I respond. Rest in Peace Mitch.

New York City Subway Joke

I have a subway joke that I love doing so much. It has been so long since I’ve had the opportunity to execute this joke.

The joke his very circumstantial. It requires a jam packed subway. It has to be unpleasantly crowded. Lots of people standing, cramped standing room at that. This joke is best told during subway rides where every crevice of space counts. In these cases I love to barge in at the last second, just catching a train. I extend a hand out towards the closing doors, and they close on my arm, preventing them from closing. I look up, the conductor sees me, and the doors pop open, I enter the train; suddenly I’m headed to uptown in Manhattan. I step in with my gigantic backpack and begin to take it off to conserve space. Of course, initially this act takes up much more space and involves requiring others to move and monitor the precision of my flailing arms.

As I remove the backpack and hold it in front of me, sensing an abundance of watching annoying eyes, I ask, 'this train is going downtown, right?'

Instantly everyone looks mad. They’re thinking, 'This dumbass oblivious tourist just made us have to be in an incredibly crowded train with yet another human of New York and his huge backpack and his dumb ass rolled up yoga and its mat bag. I hope he fucking dies a slow death. Making the door pop back open, I’m late to work. Tourist ass fuck.' Then I say... nah, I’m just kidding." Instantly, a look of glee on everyone’s faces. Instantly, all love me. He’s the best passenger I’ve ever encountered. What a funny guy, he really brightened my day, made it, in fact, I wonder if he’d let me suck his dick.

Anyways, yeah, I love this joke and it’s been a while since I’ve done it due to the subways rarely being as crowded post Covid, and since a lot of my travel time is off peak and my work remote is largely remote, I can’t wait to do it again. If you enjoyed this joke, I have another one I’ll soon tell, not a subway, but a joke i tell consistently in a specific circumstance. That one I still get to deploy often. I did it to my dad the other day.

A good name.

I’m not very superstitious, and I don’t believe in luck much. But I did have a very interesting occurrence today that I loved.

Angel numbers are numbers like 111, 222, etcetera. They’re believed to convey messages or guidance from spiritual beings or the universe.

Many people claim to notice angel numbers or numbers of significance every time they see a clock or something similar. This phenomenon seemed to occur frequently after September 11th. Everyone would be like, "Every time I look at the clock it’s 9:11." In reality, when the time is 4:16, you don’t mentally register it because it doesn’t hold significance. But when you see 9:11, it sticks in your memory.

Anyway, nobody says, "I never see this time or anything like that," until my friend did. He's a heroic individual who taught himself to speak Burmese in order to live in Myanmar and engage in revolutionary work. He's quite an anomaly. Before his sudden departure from America, we used to always message each other angel numbers at specific times, like 333 at 3:33 pm, and so on. He mentioned this the other day.

Today, something remarkable happened. I spontaneously decided to hike through the city because it was such a gloriously sunny day. It was the type of day that restored your faith in the joy of New York City after an unpleasant, rainy, and somewhat cold winter. I say "cold-ish" because it hasn’t been truly cold in ages. Winter used to be freezing all the time, forcing you indoors for five straight months. Even wearing scanty Halloween outfits required commitment and sacrifice. Anyway, it was warm, so I biked around.

Feeling nostalgic, I passed by a food co-op that my favorite ex-girlfriend and I used to visit. It was in Manhattan, and we’d make the trip from Brooklyn on weekends. She always worked there for a specific shift and received a discount for doing so. Today I go inside.

This co-op is really cute and doesn’t provide packaging for most goods. It's a zero-waste business with a fantastic selection, and I'm a huge fan. I had no need for any food, but I looked around and carefully selected three bananas and two pears. I chatted with the lady working there about how it had been years since I’d been there, explaining the context. It had actually been 9 years, which is crazy. She asked if I lived around here, as I sounded like I moved out of state, but I’ve just never been back because it’s not all that cheap or close. It's very cute and high-quality.

A mediocre video showing the high quality goods at the co-op.

I paid with cash, so I got a three percent discount. My total was 2 dollars and some change, but I only had two-dollar bills and no change. I apologized, saying I had no quarters, so I’d have to break a big bill. She kindly said, “Oh, you can just take some of this,” gesturing at a little dish where customers could take or leave change. There appeared to be exactly 23 cents. Feeling nostalgic and warm about this co-op, I said, “No, you know what? I’ll leave money instead,” and handed her a ten-dollar bill. “Seven seventy-seven is your change,” she announced. 777. I thought this was very special. I told her I wouldn’t leave money after all because I felt the sum shouldn’t be broken up; I was feeling very sentimental about it. The lady was so nice and warm but in a really chill way, it wasn’t Trader Joe’s effort status, though those people are cool too. Seven is the lucky one too! Also, the pears and bananas were priced by weight…

Oh. Also. This week I met a lady waiting for the subway named 7. I asked her if she’d seen the Seinfeld episode then I said… “what am I talking about, you’re named is 7” Well, it seems like it’s definitely time to catch up with my friend.

My Bike at the co-op.

Taxes, Filing an Extension, the Simpsons.

Every year I do my taxes on April 15th. That is, of course, unless the taxes are due on April 17th. I always do them at the last minute. I don't think there has ever been a single day where I did my taxes one day in advance.

This year, I have to file an extension for the first time. That is also why this blog post is going to be so short, and for the third night in a row, be a technicality blog post buzzer beater. I think about my relationship with time a lot. I have often done everything at the last minute. My relationship with time needs to improve, as this is a very stressful way to live. I always go to my yoga studio at the very last minute. I am usually setting up my mat 1 minute after the class start time when the teacher is talking to the students. This happens because I'm usually doing as much as I can where I am before I need to leave for the subway to make class. Then I usually have to sprint to the subway because I have left way later than the Google Maps calculated departure time. "6 Minute walk," ha, I think to myself. I don't have to leave at 4:21. I usually leave considerably after I am advised to, and have to sprint the whole way. Going up the subway stairs to the platform is often frantic, with me fumbling for my phone, paying my way through the turnstile, and jogging up the stairs as I hear the arriving subway. It is not enough to make the train, given how late I am - I need to be on the correct car. This would be the third car from the front. If I exit through the left side on the second door of the third car, when I arrive at the subway stop that my yoga studio is at, I will be at the perfect location to leave the station, at the exit nearest to my yoga studio.

If I am several cars down, I will get stuck behind the traffic of people slowly exiting the station. Anyways, I've gotten sidetracked, but let's be honest, I needed the length, the numbers, the padding.

Anyways, my relationship with time often leaves me frantic and unable to do things in a calm, cool, collected manner. Today, while paying my taxes, I was reminded of an iconic Simpsons scene - Homer and his taxes.

This was certainly me today. One thing though that I'd like to add is that it is ridiculous that filing a tax extension does not let you pay late. What is the point then? If you file an extension and do not pay the taxes you owe, you are still responsible for penalties when you do pay. Anyways, I have 28 minutes to figure this out. These blogs this week are gonna skyrocket in quality. This I promise.

Emojis

I really like emojis. They have grown on me. I do not recall how i felt the first time i came across them but it was not super positive. I probably thought it was a dumb internet thing, the same way I did with cats before I had to become an obigatory fan. Anyways emojis are really cool. I didn’t think I liked them at first but they’re really a unique modern form of expression. They do not depend on understanding a specific language, they are universal like musical notes or math symbols. This makes them quite interesting in today’s globally connected world. Anyways, i like to send unique combinations of emojis that have meaning together. There are a few that I use and some of them are definitely interesting but today I am going to go with a simple one i send to my friends when I miss them and don’t know what’s up with their lives lately. I say . Let’s 🍅 🔨. Does anyone get it? Anyone get what that means? This lady didn’t.

Anyways, I enjoy unique combos of emojis that communicate stories. I think I’m often an effective sender of emojis. I also use the Imessage effects very well. Using 3 emojis and having them send with a screen echo is fantastic. I also like making the word “confetti” echo .

It seems like it should be confetti falling. It’s perfect. Emojis are the modern day hieroglyphics. I am sure that this has been said before or commented on. But it is a friend’s quote that made me think of it. He said that yolo was the modern day carpe diem. It’s true. Well emojis are today’s hieroglyphics and I'm glad to have them as part of my digital vocabulary.