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Hello Bauhaus Aficionados,
I recently started a new project. It’s mostly for personal use but I’ve found it to be useful in my creative work from time to time as well. It is a fun practice for keeping track of the important and noteworthy moments of my friendships.
I call it the Remember When File.
We all have hundreds, probably thousands, of incredible moments that we’ve shared with friends. I’m not talking about deep, meaningful times that carry significant emotional weight. I’m talking about the dumb stuff. The embarrassing stuff. The ridiculous and preposterous stuff. The things we bring up when we haven’t seen a friend in a long time and we’re reminiscing about all the fun we used to have.
They are great when they pop into our heads. The issue is that we have a fluid memory. Things come and go. You unfortunately can’t recall every moment of your life on command unless your name is Funes. You can never know when memories will be coming or going and try as you might they will never be readily accessible at all times. That’s why I started this file.
Really it is just a google doc. But “file” sounds more official.
Any time I randomly think of a great memory I write it down in the doc. Because memory is fungible you never know what will set it off. It could be a smell, a place or a piece of media that jogs your memory. As soon as you think of it, write the damn thing down. You might think you’ll remember to do it later but you won’t. Trust me.
Once you start you will be subject to a version of the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon and realize that you have these moments quite frequently. A memory from high school here, college there, something from childhood that makes you smile even though you have no idea why it is still in your brain. They will come flowing back, no more persistent than before, but more readily recognized as a wonderful part of your life.
I use these moments in writing from time to time. What you’ll do I can’t say. Maybe you’ll use them for something, maybe you won’t. Honestly, mostly I do nothing with the stories but read them every once in a while and chuckle. But I guarantee you’ll never be sorry that you have them. And you never know when the memories committed to (digital) paper will come in handy.
Ok enough with the past, time for some linkies.
I’m excited to be back writing The Breads. I hope y’all are excited to have it back.
The best way to help me grow this thing is to forward it to friends you think would like it and tell them to subscribe. Personal referrals go a very long way.
I’m not one to beg but can you do that for me? It would be much appreciated.
Netflix Knows You’re Looking At Your Phone
Just Give Me A Synopsis:
It appears that Netflix, and presumably other streaming services, has employed a broad directive to its writers and showrunners to make content more backgroundy. What does that mean exactly? It means they know most people are two-screening it (scrolling while they watch) so they want to make content that people don't really have to pay attention to by having characters explicitly say what is happening on screen. That leads to shittier writing in the form of telling not showing — essentially throwing out one of the oldest writing rules in the book so people can know what is going on while they watch Skibidi Toilet on their phones.
And A Quote From The Article Please:
Several screenwriters who’ve worked for the streamer told me a common note from company executives is ‘have this character announce what they’re doing so that viewers who have this program on in the background can follow along.
And Tell Me Why I Should Care:
I mean ostensibly there is nothing wrong with this. There is clearly a market for this type of content. And I don't think anyone should be expected to only watch prestige TV. You can't always eat at Le Bernardin, sometimes you need McDonald's or a salad. However, I do think people should look at this as a meditation on how they use their phones. I'm guilty of scrolling even when I'm watching something that is really good! I make an effort not to do it, even if I have to consciously leave my phone in the other room while I settle down to watch Severence, but sometimes I still find myself reaching for the phone. However, I do think this is something to be aware of in terms of the subtle ways that big tech manipulates our habits to what is, generally speaking, the detriment of our well being and ability to focus and engage with what we are actively doing. So just let this be a reminder that sometimes you should leave the phone in the other room.
The Social Media Sea Change
Just Give Me A Synopsis:
This is an essay/article from Anne Helen Peterson's newsletter. It is a meditation on her social media use and the idea of always being connected. She approaches this in a very practical and non-preachy way which I really appreciated and think you will too.
And A Quote From The Article Please:
It’s not that I didn’t read email, or utterly ignored Instagram — I could still take a look on my computer browser. It’s that I looked at them far fewer times. It felt like 2006 in the very best of ways: I could still communicate with others and periodically see pictures from their lives. It’s just that that communication didn’t serve as the score and meter of my life.
And Tell Me Why I Should Care:
We're sort of at an inflection point right now. The tech oligarchy is only growing stronger and we're more addicted to our phones and social media than ever (hence the previous article). It's something I struggle with every day. I've gone through long periods of deleting Instagram off my phone only to relapse for a week at a time. If you've ever been curious or thought about reducing the amount of time you spend needlessly scrolling, this is a great piece to read. It makes things feel reasonable and accessible, unlike a lot of the articles you read on the subject that tell you why you need to quit cold turkey without acknowledging that we have full blown addictions. No judgement either way. If you're happy with your current usage good for you. If you're not, give this a read.
The Highway That Seoul Turned Into A Stream
Just Give Me A Synopsis:
One of the world's great megacities did something cool; they tore down a highway and turned an old decrepit and toxic stream into a beautiful urban green space. What did this do? Well it cooled the city, made the air cleaner, drew in tourists and gave residents a vital third space to escape the chaos of the metropolis.
And A Quote From The Article Please:
In Seoul, the restored waterway has been a triumph. It doesn’t just provide a peaceful refuge from the city’s busy streets, it serves as a cultural corridor with year-round festivals and performances, while helping cool the surrounding neighbourhoods, fighting air pollution and managing increasingly intense monsoon floods.
And Tell Me Why I Should Care:
This wasn't an entirely novel idea, cities have been replacing old industrial space with new green spaces for a while (e.g., New York's High Line). What I find most interesting about this is that everyone was worried what it would do to the traffic – how terrible it would make gridlock. But guess what? Nothing happened to the traffic when a highway was removed. Cars simply took alternative routes. It is the same as when municipalities think that adding more lanes to an avenue will ease up the traffic and then what ends up happening is that more cars take the avenue and there is just as much traffic as before, just across more lanes. There are countless surveys proving this out yet we still do it. I love this story because it is an example of the opposite. Don't let the automobile overlords tell you any different. We deserve car-free spaces. We deserve green space. We deserve cleaner cities. And while where you live may not be a megacity and may not pursue such a grandiose project, there are countless opportunities to do similar things on a smaller scale that will also improve daily city life. So keep an eye out for proposals and talk to your local officials when possible.
A Photo Of Mine For Your Viewing Pleasure
I’m a film photographer in addition to an internet link excavator. I wanted to start sharing some of my favorite photos from recent times. I also make prints if you’re ever interested.
Impacting Your Health In Various Ways
How Food Companies Plan To Make A Fortune On Weight-Loss Drugs
These companies are so smart (as far as making money goes). While snacking may be down among weight-loss drug users, other categories are on the up and up. These huge food companies have so many different levers they can pull and they can quickly and easily spin off new ultra-processed foods for individuals with bad eating habits but new-found health consciousness. I also just love how industry jargony this quote from the piece is: “ 'We’ll have subsegments like lightly salted or baked that provide even more permissible options for consumers to stay in potatoes,' he said during the call. 'Then we’ll have, at the upper end of the category, brands like Miss Vickie’s that provide a more premium experience.' ” I'm definitely going to start using the term "stay in potatoes" on a regular basis.How Zyn Conquered The American Mouth
From the talented Emily Sundberg comes this deep dive on how and why Zyn, tobacco-less nicotine pouches, came to dominate America. You probably have a friend or two (or 20) who use Zyn, it's everywhere now and doesn't seem to be going anywhere soon. It is viewed as less bad for you than cigarettes and vapes, but then again, people didn’t think cigarettes were bad for you for the first 75 years either.How Hyrox Became The Latest Sporting Craze
This is some new decathalon-like competition in Great Britain that is drawing crowds in the thousands. You're basically watching people work out on a Stairmaster and pull up bar. Which, like, I'm not gonna yuck your yum but... actually you know what, fuck that, I would totally get drunk spectating people work out so hard they almost pass out.Can Everyone Eat For The Planet? I Shopped At Dollar Store To Find Out.
Guidelines and rules for how to eat in order to save the planet are important. However, not as important as that food being easily accessible to a wide range of people. Most people want to eat better and healthier, it's just really freakin' hard most of the time. I think in instances like this article, where the writer attempts to completely follow the guidelines, it is important to remember that being better doesn't have to be all or nothing. Any progress is better than no progress.Would You Get Sick In The Name Of Science?
Ever heard of a thing called a Challenger Trial? It is where researchers infect a participant with a disease in order to study a treatment. It's very controversial but also very effective. Plus they often pay. Generally these are done for things with a known cure to ensure people don't straight up die. Interesting when thinking about the ethics of medicine and treatment. Doc subscribers, what do you think?
Another Newsletter You Should Subscribe To
My friend Danny Giacopelli recently launched a newsletter called For Starters and I’ve been loving it so far. In his words it is “a newsletter and community for supporting, empowering, connecting, teaching, inspiring and celebrating the next generation of incredible small business owners.” I like it because, while helpful for small biz owners, it’s great for the small biz curious. He unearths all sorts of unique and interesting businesses that are great to know about — from restaurants to rug makers to actually worthwhile digital creators — across the world. He’s got the credentials too as he used to work at global small business editorial heavy hitters Monocle and Courier. Even if you’re not looking to start a business it’s worthwhile simply for the fact that you’ll find some cool shit in it. Subscribe here.
Other Interesting Things You May Or May Not Care About
Why You’ve Never Been In A Plane Crash
"It’s often much more productive to ask why than to ask who. In some industries, this is called a ‘blameless postmortem,’ and in aviation, it’s a long-standing, internationally formalized tradition. In the mid-20th century, when technical investigations of aircraft accidents were first being standardized, an understanding emerged that many crashes were not the result of any particular person’s actions." This is interesting simply as something to learn about. But it's even more interesting to think about how we can apply this to our daily lives. What if instead of assigning blame as a reaction to something going wrong we thought about what we could do in the future to prevent that same thing from happening again. I guess that is what couple's therapy is for… but still give it a try in all aspects of your life. Postmortem everything!Meet The ‘AI Granny’ Driving Scammers Up The Wall
These are what we should be using our technology for. Mars: Who needs it?
5G: My internet is fast enough buddy. Quantum computing: Do those math problems really need to be solved?! Just waste scammers time and I'll be happy.When AI Passes This Test, Look Out
Speaking of AI… It is a fickle beast in its early stages. Like a newborn giraffe – you know that mothafucka bout to be tall as hell, but right now it's slimy, gross and swinging around its legs like four strands of linguine. Currently AI is mostly used to answer dumb questions about things that are already known and to help people write marketing copy. However, the hope with training AI on incredibly complex tests is that instead of telling you what every number of the periodic table represents, AI can do research itself and discover new elements.Inside The Life Of LeBron James' Fixer
Randy Mims was a random 25 year old guy in Akron when he met high school freshman LeBron James. Now he basically runs his life. So don't fear if you, like me, are worried about getting older and not making anything of your life. You can always meet the next phenom athlete and become their right-hand man.How Crucial It Is We Hold To Softness When The World Appears To Grow Hard
Katie Heindl writes a newsletter called Basketball Feelings that uses basketball as a lens to analyze the world via feelings. She's an amazing writer so it makes every edition worth a read. This one is about vulnerability and avoiding the pitfalls of modern society that ask us to be ruthless and unforgiving. I loved reading to help me think about how we approach being better versions of ourselves.The Last Days Of Davos: A Report From The Summit
A long and very interesting read on the World Economic Forum. I found this quote to be of particular resonance:"By the turn of the millennium, optimism about this project had dimmed. Multinational corporations were reaping ever-greater windfalls, but there was little sign of the promised solutions to the lingering problems of hunger, poverty, environmental degradation, and the like."
Let’s Just Looks At Art Because Reading Sucks
Some Other Random Internet Things I’ve Found
I love these completely absurd ceramics from Indiana. It's like Mr. Bingo meets East Fork.
The Antiques Roadshow Instagram is the wholesome content the internet should be used for.
A sneaker cobbler for the 21st century in, where else, Bushwick.
Travel agents give their top under-the-radar destinations for 2025.
Leo Sayer’s You Make Me Feel Like Dancing music video is pure old school cool. But also I 100% always thought this song was sang by a woman and it is not.
If You Enjoy This Email Newsletter Please Forward lt To Your Friends And Tell Them To Subscribe. It’s The Best Way To Help Me Grow.
“We have no plans on trading The Breads.” — Pat Riley
Please excuse any typos or mistakes. If you want to send me corrections to feel good about yourself feel free to do so but I can assure you they will only make me cry.
Any comments, questions, feedback send to info@thebreadsnewsletter.com or just reply to this email.
Hello Bauhaus Aficionados,
I recently started a new project. It’s mostly for personal use but I’ve found it to be useful in my creative work from time to time as well. It is a fun practice for keeping track of the important and noteworthy moments of my friendships.
I call it the Remember When File.
We all have hundreds, probably thousands, of incredible moments that we’ve shared with friends. I’m not talking about deep, meaningful times that carry significant emotional weight. I’m talking about the dumb stuff. The embarrassing stuff. The ridiculous and preposterous stuff. The things we bring up when we haven’t seen a friend in a long time and we’re reminiscing about all the fun we used to have.
They are great when they pop into our heads. The issue is that we have a fluid memory. Things come and go. You unfortunately can’t recall every moment of your life on command unless your name is Funes. You can never know when memories will be coming or going and try as you might they will never be readily accessible at all times. That’s why I started this file.
Really it is just a google doc. But “file” sounds more official.
Any time I randomly think of a great memory I write it down in the doc. Because memory is fungible you never know what will set it off. It could be a smell, a place or a piece of media that jogs your memory. As soon as you think of it, write the damn thing down. You might think you’ll remember to do it later but you won’t. Trust me.
Once you start you will be subject to a version of the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon and realize that you have these moments quite frequently. A memory from high school here, college there, something from childhood that makes you smile even though you have no idea why it is still in your brain. They will come flowing back, no more persistent than before, but more readily recognized as a wonderful part of your life.
I use these moments in writing from time to time. What you’ll do I can’t say. Maybe you’ll use them for something, maybe you won’t. Honestly, mostly I do nothing with the stories but read them every once in a while and chuckle. But I guarantee you’ll never be sorry that you have them. And you never know when the memories committed to (digital) paper will come in handy.
Ok enough with the past, time for some linkies.
I’m excited to be back writing The Breads. I hope y’all are excited to have it back.
The best way to help me grow this thing is to forward it to friends you think would like it and tell them to subscribe. Personal referrals go a very long way.
I’m not one to beg but can you do that for me? It would be much appreciated.
Netflix Knows You’re Looking At Your Phone
Just Give Me A Synopsis:
It appears that Netflix, and presumably other streaming services, has employed a broad directive to its writers and showrunners to make content more backgroundy. What does that mean exactly? It means they know most people are two-screening it (scrolling while they watch) so they want to make content that people don't really have to pay attention to by having characters explicitly say what is happening on screen. That leads to shittier writing in the form of telling not showing — essentially throwing out one of the oldest writing rules in the book so people can know what is going on while they watch Skibidi Toilet on their phones.
And A Quote From The Article Please:
Several screenwriters who’ve worked for the streamer told me a common note from company executives is ‘have this character announce what they’re doing so that viewers who have this program on in the background can follow along.
And Tell Me Why I Should Care:
I mean ostensibly there is nothing wrong with this. There is clearly a market for this type of content. And I don't think anyone should be expected to only watch prestige TV. You can't always eat at Le Bernardin, sometimes you need McDonald's or a salad. However, I do think people should look at this as a meditation on how they use their phones. I'm guilty of scrolling even when I'm watching something that is really good! I make an effort not to do it, even if I have to consciously leave my phone in the other room while I settle down to watch Severence, but sometimes I still find myself reaching for the phone. However, I do think this is something to be aware of in terms of the subtle ways that big tech manipulates our habits to what is, generally speaking, the detriment of our well being and ability to focus and engage with what we are actively doing. So just let this be a reminder that sometimes you should leave the phone in the other room.
The Social Media Sea Change
Just Give Me A Synopsis:
This is an essay/article from Anne Helen Peterson's newsletter. It is a meditation on her social media use and the idea of always being connected. She approaches this in a very practical and non-preachy way which I really appreciated and think you will too.
And A Quote From The Article Please:
It’s not that I didn’t read email, or utterly ignored Instagram — I could still take a look on my computer browser. It’s that I looked at them far fewer times. It felt like 2006 in the very best of ways: I could still communicate with others and periodically see pictures from their lives. It’s just that that communication didn’t serve as the score and meter of my life.
And Tell Me Why I Should Care:
We're sort of at an inflection point right now. The tech oligarchy is only growing stronger and we're more addicted to our phones and social media than ever (hence the previous article). It's something I struggle with every day. I've gone through long periods of deleting Instagram off my phone only to relapse for a week at a time. If you've ever been curious or thought about reducing the amount of time you spend needlessly scrolling, this is a great piece to read. It makes things feel reasonable and accessible, unlike a lot of the articles you read on the subject that tell you why you need to quit cold turkey without acknowledging that we have full blown addictions. No judgement either way. If you're happy with your current usage good for you. If you're not, give this a read.
The Highway That Seoul Turned Into A Stream
Just Give Me A Synopsis:
One of the world's great megacities did something cool; they tore down a highway and turned an old decrepit and toxic stream into a beautiful urban green space. What did this do? Well it cooled the city, made the air cleaner, drew in tourists and gave residents a vital third space to escape the chaos of the metropolis.
And A Quote From The Article Please:
In Seoul, the restored waterway has been a triumph. It doesn’t just provide a peaceful refuge from the city’s busy streets, it serves as a cultural corridor with year-round festivals and performances, while helping cool the surrounding neighbourhoods, fighting air pollution and managing increasingly intense monsoon floods.
And Tell Me Why I Should Care:
This wasn't an entirely novel idea, cities have been replacing old industrial space with new green spaces for a while (e.g., New York's High Line). What I find most interesting about this is that everyone was worried what it would do to the traffic – how terrible it would make gridlock. But guess what? Nothing happened to the traffic when a highway was removed. Cars simply took alternative routes. It is the same as when municipalities think that adding more lanes to an avenue will ease up the traffic and then what ends up happening is that more cars take the avenue and there is just as much traffic as before, just across more lanes. There are countless surveys proving this out yet we still do it. I love this story because it is an example of the opposite. Don't let the automobile overlords tell you any different. We deserve car-free spaces. We deserve green space. We deserve cleaner cities. And while where you live may not be a megacity and may not pursue such a grandiose project, there are countless opportunities to do similar things on a smaller scale that will also improve daily city life. So keep an eye out for proposals and talk to your local officials when possible.
A Photo Of Mine For Your Viewing Pleasure
I’m a film photographer in addition to an internet link excavator. I wanted to start sharing some of my favorite photos from recent times. I also make prints if you’re ever interested.
Impacting Your Health In Various Ways
How Food Companies Plan To Make A Fortune On Weight-Loss Drugs
These companies are so smart (as far as making money goes). While snacking may be down among weight-loss drug users, other categories are on the up and up. These huge food companies have so many different levers they can pull and they can quickly and easily spin off new ultra-processed foods for individuals with bad eating habits but new-found health consciousness. I also just love how industry jargony this quote from the piece is: “ 'We’ll have subsegments like lightly salted or baked that provide even more permissible options for consumers to stay in potatoes,' he said during the call. 'Then we’ll have, at the upper end of the category, brands like Miss Vickie’s that provide a more premium experience.' ” I'm definitely going to start using the term "stay in potatoes" on a regular basis.How Zyn Conquered The American Mouth
From the talented Emily Sundberg comes this deep dive on how and why Zyn, tobacco-less nicotine pouches, came to dominate America. You probably have a friend or two (or 20) who use Zyn, it's everywhere now and doesn't seem to be going anywhere soon. It is viewed as less bad for you than cigarettes and vapes, but then again, people didn’t think cigarettes were bad for you for the first 75 years either.How Hyrox Became The Latest Sporting Craze
This is some new decathalon-like competition in Great Britain that is drawing crowds in the thousands. You're basically watching people work out on a Stairmaster and pull up bar. Which, like, I'm not gonna yuck your yum but... actually you know what, fuck that, I would totally get drunk spectating people work out so hard they almost pass out.Can Everyone Eat For The Planet? I Shopped At Dollar Store To Find Out.
Guidelines and rules for how to eat in order to save the planet are important. However, not as important as that food being easily accessible to a wide range of people. Most people want to eat better and healthier, it's just really freakin' hard most of the time. I think in instances like this article, where the writer attempts to completely follow the guidelines, it is important to remember that being better doesn't have to be all or nothing. Any progress is better than no progress.Would You Get Sick In The Name Of Science?
Ever heard of a thing called a Challenger Trial? It is where researchers infect a participant with a disease in order to study a treatment. It's very controversial but also very effective. Plus they often pay. Generally these are done for things with a known cure to ensure people don't straight up die. Interesting when thinking about the ethics of medicine and treatment. Doc subscribers, what do you think?
Another Newsletter You Should Subscribe To
My friend Danny Giacopelli recently launched a newsletter called For Starters and I’ve been loving it so far. In his words it is “a newsletter and community for supporting, empowering, connecting, teaching, inspiring and celebrating the next generation of incredible small business owners.” I like it because, while helpful for small biz owners, it’s great for the small biz curious. He unearths all sorts of unique and interesting businesses that are great to know about — from restaurants to rug makers to actually worthwhile digital creators — across the world. He’s got the credentials too as he used to work at global small business editorial heavy hitters Monocle and Courier. Even if you’re not looking to start a business it’s worthwhile simply for the fact that you’ll find some cool shit in it. Subscribe here.
Other Interesting Things You May Or May Not Care About
Why You’ve Never Been In A Plane Crash
"It’s often much more productive to ask why than to ask who. In some industries, this is called a ‘blameless postmortem,’ and in aviation, it’s a long-standing, internationally formalized tradition. In the mid-20th century, when technical investigations of aircraft accidents were first being standardized, an understanding emerged that many crashes were not the result of any particular person’s actions." This is interesting simply as something to learn about. But it's even more interesting to think about how we can apply this to our daily lives. What if instead of assigning blame as a reaction to something going wrong we thought about what we could do in the future to prevent that same thing from happening again. I guess that is what couple's therapy is for… but still give it a try in all aspects of your life. Postmortem everything!Meet The ‘AI Granny’ Driving Scammers Up The Wall
These are what we should be using our technology for. Mars: Who needs it?
5G: My internet is fast enough buddy. Quantum computing: Do those math problems really need to be solved?! Just waste scammers time and I'll be happy.When AI Passes This Test, Look Out
Speaking of AI… It is a fickle beast in its early stages. Like a newborn giraffe – you know that mothafucka bout to be tall as hell, but right now it's slimy, gross and swinging around its legs like four strands of linguine. Currently AI is mostly used to answer dumb questions about things that are already known and to help people write marketing copy. However, the hope with training AI on incredibly complex tests is that instead of telling you what every number of the periodic table represents, AI can do research itself and discover new elements.Inside The Life Of LeBron James' Fixer
Randy Mims was a random 25 year old guy in Akron when he met high school freshman LeBron James. Now he basically runs his life. So don't fear if you, like me, are worried about getting older and not making anything of your life. You can always meet the next phenom athlete and become their right-hand man.How Crucial It Is We Hold To Softness When The World Appears To Grow Hard
Katie Heindl writes a newsletter called Basketball Feelings that uses basketball as a lens to analyze the world via feelings. She's an amazing writer so it makes every edition worth a read. This one is about vulnerability and avoiding the pitfalls of modern society that ask us to be ruthless and unforgiving. I loved reading to help me think about how we approach being better versions of ourselves.The Last Days Of Davos: A Report From The Summit
A long and very interesting read on the World Economic Forum. I found this quote to be of particular resonance:"By the turn of the millennium, optimism about this project had dimmed. Multinational corporations were reaping ever-greater windfalls, but there was little sign of the promised solutions to the lingering problems of hunger, poverty, environmental degradation, and the like."
Let’s Just Looks At Art Because Reading Sucks
Some Other Random Internet Things I’ve Found
I love these completely absurd ceramics from Indiana. It's like Mr. Bingo meets East Fork.
The Antiques Roadshow Instagram is the wholesome content the internet should be used for.
A sneaker cobbler for the 21st century in, where else, Bushwick.
Travel agents give their top under-the-radar destinations for 2025.
Leo Sayer’s You Make Me Feel Like Dancing music video is pure old school cool. But also I 100% always thought this song was sang by a woman and it is not.
If You Enjoy This Email Newsletter Please Forward lt To Your Friends And Tell Them To Subscribe. It’s The Best Way To Help Me Grow.
“We have no plans on trading The Breads.” — Pat Riley
Please excuse any typos or mistakes. If you want to send me corrections to feel good about yourself feel free to do so but I can assure you they will only make me cry.
Any comments, questions, feedback send to info@thebreadsnewsletter.com or just reply to this email.