📺 Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (streaming on Disney+)
I really like the animation style! The colors and character designs are very inline with classic comic book art.
No spoilers, but it seems like this Peter Parker is in a different universe from Tom Holland’s Peter Parker. It’s interesting to watch out for differences.
I added a couple links to my postroll page. ✨
My February newsletter is out.
In this issue:
- Astronaut Food zine
- Lancaster Zine Fest
- More zine things
- What I’ve been watching
Finished reading: Crossover Vol. 1: Kids Love Chains by Donny Cates and Geoff Shaw 📚 I liked the premise, but I’m not sure I’ll read more of this series.
Updated my Now page. ✨
Friendly reminders
This has been a tough week, especially in the U.S., especially if you’re not a straight white male.
Here are some friendly reminders from me. It’s not much in the grand scheme of things, but I hope it helps.
You’re the only person who decides who you are.
No one gets to define your gender. The way you were raised doesn’t have to define your current beliefs. Your family and your friends don’t determine what kind of person you are. You decide who you are, and you can change whatever you want, whenever you want.
You are worthy exactly as you are.
Other people’s standards are other people’s standards. They don’t have to be a measure for you. Your value does not depend on how much you do (or don’t) work. It does not depend on how much you do (or don’t) rest. It does not depend on how, when, or if you meet stereotypical life milestones.
I support you.
Everyone deserves a life where they are happy, safe, loved, and cared for. I support freedom and equality for all people, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, nationality, disability, or religious beliefs.
If it feels too big, make it small.
Life can get overwhelming in a lot of ways, for a lot of reasons. When you have a lot to deal with, try to find ways to break down what you have to do. Focus on one task. Ask for help with one thing. Plan for one day. Taking small steps is totally fine. You got this.
Make a little something
I saw lots of posts this week with recommendations to make something as a way to help with feelings of sadness, frustration, disappointment, anger…but I didn’t set aside time to make something until today.
I made a collage on an index card. I used outer-space related imagery that was already on my desk, because of a zine I’m slowly working on.
It’s a small collage and it didn’t take much time, but yeah, it helped.
My January newsletter is out.
In this issue:
- Spaced Out zine
- Annual lists: books, movies, and zines
- Some thoughts on mainstream social media and having your own place on the web
A lot of my friends on Instagram are moving to Bluesky. I’m debating starting a Bluesky account vs. not starting an account but following friends through Micro.blog. 🤔
Even if I started a Bluesky account, I would be mostly cross-posting from Micro.blog. Same as I do with Mastodon now.
🍿 I watched First Man today.
Making a movie about real events can be difficult because the audience likely knows the outcome of the story. The movie felt boring to me most of the time. But despite that, I recognize the cast was great, and the filmmakers included a lot of details to make the movie authentic to real life.
Finished reading: How to Resist Amazon and Why: The Fight for Local Economics, Data Privacy, Fair Labor, Independent Bookstores, and a People-Powered Future! by Danny Caine 📚
Good overview of Amazon’s workplace conditions, unions (and union busting), data collection, and effects on the economy, small businesses, and politics. The book is written from the perspective of a bookstore owner, but a lot of his points apply to any kind of small business.
My favorite part of the book was the end, which encourages people to be pro-small business and engaged in your local community.
Movies I watched in 2024
Here’s the list of movies I watched in 2024. Titles with an asterisk after them (*) are ones I recommend.
My top 5, in no particular order
- Predestination *
- Deadpool & Wolverine *
- Spy Game *
- America’s Sweethearts *
- tick, tick…BOOM! *
Superheroes
- Deadpool (re-watch) *
- Madame Web
- Glass
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (re-watch) *
- Superman: Unbound
Documentaries
- Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV *
- Jim Henson: Idea Man
Prequels, sequels, and re-makes
- The Lost World: Jurassic Park
- Jurassic Park III
- Wonka
- Code 8, part 2
Sci-fi
- Jurassic Park (re-watch) *
- The Adjustment Bureau
- Uglies
- Somewhere in Time
- Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure
- The Lobster *
- Planet of the Apes (1968) *
Grab bag
- The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
- The Fall Guy
- Carry-On
- Inside Man *
- Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (re-watch) *
- American Splendor
- Kung Fu Panda *
If you’d like to see movies I’ve watched in the past, I have a list going back to 2015. 🍿
Books I read in 2024
I had a slow year for reading books in 2024.
Here are my favorite 2 from the year:
- Moonbound by Robin Sloan (sci-fi and fantasy)
- Paved Paradise by Henry Grabar (non-fiction)
And the other 3 I read:
- Principles for Newsletters by CJ Chilvers (non-fiction)
- Things are what you make of them by Adam J. Kurtz (non-fiction)
- This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone (sci-fi)
I have a whole bookshelf of unread books, so here’s to more reading in 2025.
If you’d like to see books I’ve read in the past, I have a whole list going back to 2011. 📚
Perks of living in the snack belt. Potentially unnecessary flavors, but fun to try. 🤭
📺 Doctor Who Christmas special - “Joy to the World”
The acting was great, and the concepts were interesting. Plot was a bit messy, and the last few minutes got really sappy. That made the episode feel flat to me. 3/5 ⭐️
My December newsletter is out. A little zine preview, some links to share, and what I’ve been watching.
Does anyone have strong opinions about moving a company/business site from WordPress to Webflow? (Specifically from a marketing perspective, because I would not be doing the development or design work.)