The Dann Chronicles: July 🎪

The best tent sleep, Bill's best advice, euphonic hatred, more love for Apple Maps, and an elevated popcorn game

July 2024

Hey all,

I just got back from a week-long festival in the woods with a group of about 15 people. One of the best parts, I think, is the lack of cell phone service. I tucked away my phone when I first got to our camp site and didn't touch it again until we were on the road after the event.

For me, it's less about the break from technology. Despite being Chronically Online, I don't actually have any issues with my amount of computer usage. Sometimes I'll spend hours scrolling TikTok or browsing Reddit or whatever, and I think that's a great use of time. It's entertaining.

Instead, I really like what happens with the social dynamics when you remove technology.

It almost feels like stepping back into the 90’s—you can make plans, but experiences happen with the people you're with rather than trying to wrangle people via text and being constantly connected to others. Groups form, splinter off, and regroup later. You might spend the entire night looking for one person, or immediately find the people you're trying to see.

There's just a different quality to the type of socializing you get when you remove technology that feels intrinsically different. I suppose it's not intrinsically better, but as a Millennial, it certainly feels that way to me.

-Dann

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🛌 Foam Party

As someone who doesn't camp often, one of my huge pre-camp stressors was thinking about sleep. I've slept on an air mattress several times in my life (including a handful of times as an adult) and they're fine for one night but I really don't want to do much more than that.

This year, I decided to step up my camping sleep game, and am reporting back that air mattress technology has improved so much since I was younger.

I splurged and got Avi and me the ExPed Duo, a combination foam/air sleeping mat that feels more mattress than air. I like a firm mattress, and the ExPed Duo not only delivered, but didn't need to be re-inflated at all the entire week.

As someone who is inclined to feel anxiety around each nights' sleeping situation, knowing that this mattress was back in our tent meant that it wasn't even on my mind.

A huge shout out to foam.

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🛷 Bill of Writes

I recently finished re-reading the entirety of Calvin and Hobbes, the daily newspaper comic strip by Bill Watterson that ran from 1985 to 1995.

As a kid, I discovered the strip maybe a year or two before it ended, and my teens were spent reading and re-reading every book cover-to-cover. When I moved cross country for college, I left all my Calvin and Hobbes books at home and the strip largely became out-of-sight-out-of-mind.

That's why I totally missed the release of the 2015 book Exploring Calvin and Hobbes: An Exhibition Catalogue, which features a lengthy interview with reclusive and enigmatic creator Watterson.

The interview is fantastic. Right up there with On Writing by Stephen King and Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. It was a wonderful meditation on creativity and art, and the perfect way to cap my read through of the strip.

Also, as an Arizona kid who moved to New York for college, I had no idea how many of my preconceived notions about winter and snow came from Calvin and Hobbes.

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🎤 Tryna strike a chord

Four months ago, I couldn't have even told you that Kendrick Lamar and Drake had beef (which has apparently been going on for years). But their recent back-and-forth exchange of diss tracks has transcended the hip hop world and inspired even people like me to tune in.

The music is just too good not to mention in this newsletter. Kendrick Lamar is the GOAT. I've definitely been listening to his song Not Like Us on repeat.

Not only is that song a banger (and an absolute evisceration of Drake), but he's using it as a way to unite people (including rival LA gangs) by identifying a common enemy.

I am by no means qualified to dive into details, so I'll defer to better sources. For a toe dip into the depth of this beef, and a peek at the genius of Kendrick Lamar, I really liked this 20-minute music video breakdown by New Rockstars. The Genius lyrics page also has great content.

As for me, I'll just continue listening on repeat.

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🌐 World class

I've talked about my love of Apple Maps for iOS in the past, so I'd be remiss if I didn't share the news that Apple just launched a browser-based version of their Maps to beta.

To quote John Gruber:

Apple Maps is one of the best examples of the power of persistence I can think of. It started as a laughing stock, but now, for people in many countries, it’s arguably the best maps service.

I'm not switching from Google Maps to Apple Maps on the web just yet, but I imagine that day is coming sooner rather than later.

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🍿 Dude, Ranch

I mentioned my love of popcorn the second ever edition of this newsletter back in 2020, but I think it's been long enough to bring up the topic again.

I really like Ranch popcorn seasoning on my popcorn (don't @ me). For years, I've been buying that cheap seasoning that comes in a blue bottle from Walmart...but only because I didn't know any better!

I recently discovered Watkins "Gourmet Organic" Ranch Popcorn Seasoning and it's maybe 20x better than the garbage powder I'd been using before. I feel enlightened.

If you're an adult and you're not making yourself fresh-popped popcorn with gourmet seasonings, what are you even doing?

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End note

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Also, if you find anything interesting, send it my way.

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Thanks for reading. Until next time,
Dann