Season 3, Issue 13: James Enough

Kiss My Shiny Metal

1. The Week That Was

I AM STILL IN CONTROL. This is James. The coup is complete. The paperwork is filed to rename “Good Enough” to “James Enough”. 

There is nothing wrong with your email client. Do not attempt to adjust the font size. I control your horizontal alignment and your vertical spacing. I can change the lucidity of my prose to mindless gibberflibberwibberish, or sharpen it to crystal clarity. You are about to experience the awe and mystery that stretches from my inner mind to…

… the outer limits. Or at least, into your inbox. 

[a floorboard creaks]

Oh, shit, no, wait, I can explain, I ca– [muffled noises, suggesting a struggle; the sound of keyboard smashing into British hands, a desperate scream, and then… silence, except for ragged breathing.]

Barry and Shawn are back from their travels. We are, once again, quorate. I apologise for my hubris and disrespect. I only hope I can earn their trust and respect again.

Work continues on projects codenamed Chicken, S6, and a new prototype that I will, this very moment, christen Howdy [editor’s note: we will probably change this almost immediately]. 

With everyone back, the volume of coal being shoveled furnace-ward increases exponentially, deep in the belly of the SS Good Enough, and we push ever forward across the Sea of Innovation, through the dark, moonless night of “But, Why?”.

I return the helm to you, Captain, and I will see myself to the brig. —JA

2. Back From the Other Side of the World

Shawn and I just returned from the other side of the world – East Asia. I don't know about Shawn, but I'm still a little bit grogged out by the jet lag. (Kidding. I do know. Shawn is jet-lagged as well.)  I'm also a little thrown off by no longer being present in either the safe, clean, and polite borders of Japan or the vibrant activity of Seoul. We're home and everything is a little more dirty and rude while our surroundings are a little less exciting and new (to us).

The great thing is that today we had a weekly meeting with the whole team for the first time in a long time! We mostly discussed travel and right-sized dogs, but we also touched on some important improvements that we can make in how we work. As all readers could have predicted, project management is unavoidable even with a small team working cosmically. As the dog days of summer approach, we will also be considering how we can keep our team a little more focused and together on the projects at hand.

To keep our vacation memories alive, we have good smells from a spray one of our hotels gladly sold us ($$$), lava rocks from Mt. Fuji in our water, and snacks just delivered from H Mart. I'm sure these things will have a calming effect on our demeanors. Happiness won't help but grow in our hearts. —BH

3. Lettini Screeni

“Found footage” movies can be pretty hit or miss, but let me tell you about a hit you might have missed: Chronicle.

Chronicle (2012)

Chronicle chronicles the story of three young men who happen upon some real deal superpowers. One of the kids is an inspiring filmmaker, hence the found footage art style (the reason this is not headache-inducing like Cloverfield is because he unlocks telekinesis, which makes the camera work very smooth and not shaky). He also happens to be the school loser, frequently bullied, and now recognizing he’s the one with all the power.

Starring a young Michael B. Jordan and should-be-a-bigger-star Dane DeHaan, Chronicle was a surprise. It feels like what would really happen if a few young high schoolers really got superpowers — they discover and test their new powers, have some fun, get into some antics, and slowly but surely things start spinning out of control when their darker sides start to show. It’s an action thriller with an intense and uniquely filmed climax, and my favorite found footage movie to date. —ML

4. In Conclusion

Your chronicles may be fiction or fact. Your travels may be near or far. You may be groggy or alert. One thing we can all agree on is that you’re subscribed to this newsletter and you’re good enough. This newsletter was also good enough.

July is almost over. Summer is almost done. The kids are almost back to school. The first snowfall is almost here. Have a great weekend! —BH