Random Notes
I read the first issue of X-O Man of War Unconquered and really enjoyed it. I haven’t picked up a Valiant book in years, and with Valiant on the verge of going under, it probably wasn’t the best time to start a series but the cover art got me.
I’ve begun working on a side blog that I will use to track my fitness. It’s more or less, a place for me to just keep myself motivated. I went on a hunt for more fitness sites like mine, but sadly, like most blogs, it’s full of “coaches” and self-proclaimed experts telling you how to do this or that. It was difficult to find folks actually on a journey and struggling. The two blogs I found, both have been abandoned for a few months, but I reached out to both bloggers to check on their progress.
My on-again, off-again experience with the Fediverse has left me irritated once more. Pixelfed is still a barren place of landscape, flowers, and insect photos, while Mastodon still falls into the same problems as all other social media: the users. The self-righteousness, egos, and need to scream into the void is exhausting. I have three people I’m following right now, and I stick to my timeline that just shows their posts.
With that being said, I’m really impressed with the Ice Cubes app. It’s quite nifty.
I was really disappointed with last week’s Mandalorian episode, but this week’s was fantastic. I ended up watching Ted Lasso, The Mandalorian, and then saw El Hijo de Vikingo vs. Kenny Omega on AEW Dynamite and what a great Wednesday night of television that was.
Through a blog, I discovered Andy’s Man Club, a British peer-to-peer mental health support group for men. It seems like there are several of these sort of groups in the UK and it’s frustrating that we have nothing like this at all in the US. All of our groups are leadership based, usually cost money, or a cult-like. I’ll be writing more on this at a later date.
My buddy Mickey has recently started a newsletter called Making Men. It’s geared toward teens and young men who maybe don’t have positive male guidance in their life. I love this idea because I know I spent a lot of my younger days (and hey, who am I kidding, I still do) looking to fill the gaps my father left.
Interesting Links
The Benefits of Personal Blogs Over Social Media Platforms
I had already written my little blurb above before I saw LD’s post and it was nice to see someone else was on the same page as I. The more and more I distance myself from social media, the less and less I enjoy it. Even the Fediverse. I just don’t need that much noise in my life.
Song of the Week
Enemy in Me by Vaines of Jenna
Book of the Week
The Suicide Squad: Trial by Fire by John Ostrander
Site News
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New Posts from Middle-Aged Fat Kids
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Thanks for featuring the Making Men Newsletter here. It’s something I believe a who lot of men in this world needs, both young and old. We’ve got to encourage, inspire, and facilitate the knowledge of one another. And whether you know it or not, you do a lot of inspiring as well by sharing your ups and downs in life here on Brandon Writes. Thanks for that too.
Well thanks Mickey. I appreciate you saying that!