things i think about while powerwashing 63

Hello! Hope you all had a merry week.

I am unfortunately a little under the weather so I'll keep it brief this week with a few trip reports from me and anonymous subscribers!

anonymous subscriber news

This is the part everyone actually reads and cares about so I'll put this first. Submit your own at the link! https://forms.gle/Ykw1CLmiWccaSwEc7

• anonymous subscriber is getting a new car
• anon is tired of not being engaged but also doesn't want to be engaged rn
• anonymous subscriber is a lifelong San Jose Sharks fan (yes they are depressed) and recommends anon who is going to an ice hockey game to get into it when the crowd chants and watch how the players move to keep track of where the puck is since usually new fans have the most trouble seeing the puck. Hopefully they see some grown men punch each other (if they're into that sort of thing)
• anonymous subscriber is readin Yolk by Mary H. K. Choi
• it's bbq time (???)

trip report: mill valley

Esteemed subscriber Connie Liou and I got bored so we went to a far away place in Marin County called Mill Valley. Nestled into the foothills of Mt. Tamalpais, the public library is protected by a healthy wall of redwood trees, shielding the library-goers from any outside interference.

The town itself is what Connie would repeated describe as "rural east coast." The architecture is decidedly woodsy and cute (besides the many millionaire house lining the curved roads up the mountain) with the main town area having a nice square with a bookshop and a Ritual Coffee with barely enough seating for a few people.

Though it may not be the most walkable town, walking from the town center to the French bistro/bakery did give a slight of feel of the prelude to a nice hike through the mossy undergrowth of the redwood forests. The light rail landing meters above culminated in rain surging through gutters that lined the topography, ending a yard or two to our right as we walked on the sidewalk.

So check out Mill Valley! A nice break from the hustle and bustle of the city, with nothing but the sound of water hitting the ground and the smell of the rain in the air. Great on a day with or without rain.

trip report: anonymous subscriber goes to a hockey game

During the week, I figured out who the anonymous subscriber who was going to a hockey game was and they honored me with a little trip report! And no I usually do not try to suss you out (unless it's so obvious @ serena).

The game in question was the $3 Beer Night/Starwars Matchup/Mashup between the Texas Stars and the Coachella Valley Firebirds. Yeah, like the one where Blackpink performed last year. And if you follow the NHL and are wondering when THAT Coachella Valley got a hockey team you aren't crazy. This was a minor league game, and a bit of a let down.

"The first period was where most of the goals happened," anon said in a direct message, referring to the rest of the game as a "disappointment." "I was promised there would be fighting but unfortunately no fights broke out."

As someone who had little to no hockey experience, anon was fairly fascinated with rules fans of the puck sport may find fairly common place — the biggest offender being the penalities.

"[A] defender gets sent into a little box for a timeout for two minutes," anon said. "So it becomes a 4v5 game, which is incredibly arbitrary."

Other highlights anon listed at the game include:

• Refs having no fear while being in constant danger of getting hit by the puck and the players
• The lightsaber duel
• The group of men yelling “MURDER HIM” at the players which was totally acceptable
• Zamboni

Did you like this trip report, recently went on a trip, and want to share about it? If so, please contact me! We can do it anonymously or not anonymously.

animal of the week

Switching it up we have an eight-legged friend from esteemed subscriber Fiara Llaguno! And no, it's not a spider, it's an octopus!

"He (octopus) hails from the California Science Center in LA," Llaguno said in a text message. "He was quite friendly and very showy."

Have an animal to submit? Please email a picture and a short description to me at ryanjchen2@gmail.com!