Snow Day State of Mind [Things to Do]

Here are a handful of things you could do to keep yourself occupied throughout this snow day. I mean, you could do most of these things any time, but for many today is a snow day and it is a Maine tradition for media to focus 100% of its attention on storms [cue the STORM CENTER theme] so that you can post stuff like, “It’s snow! We live in Maine! How is this news?”

This actually happened once, by the way: I was doing PR (press outreach) on behalf of a client or some event my company was hosting and I reached out to the various TV news stations. Upon reaching dispatch at one of the stations, I was told, “Oh, that sounds really great, but we’re probably going to be pretty focused on the storm today.”

HEAVYWEIGHT

You could listen to Jonathan Goldstein’s Heavyweight, a podcast about helping people lift psychic burdens. I finally listened to the first season and I loved every episode. My favorites include his first episode, in which Goldstein attempts to reunite his father and uncle. The uncle, Sheldon, reminds me of my father in almost every way, so I might be partial. Gregor, which is about a guy who introduced to Moby some of the source material the musician would use in some of his most recognized songs, is another great one. You could binge listen to the whole series in half of a day.

AN “I USED TO KNOW MOBY WAY BACK IN THE EARLY NINETEEN NINETIES” DOUBLE HEADER

Speaking of podcast episodes in which somebody knew Moby back when in the 90s, Will Arnett has a similar [though less dramatic and resentment-laced] story that he shared with Marc Maron a few weeks back.

PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR KIDS

If if have any and they also have the day off, put down your phone and pay attention to your kids to whatever extent your oppressive work situation will allow. They won’t be that age forever and sometime soon you’ll think, “Where did the time go?” and it will be a bummer if you realize the time went into playing/swiping/obsessing over [insert relevant fad app to indicate I know what the hell is going on in the world here].

THE PLATFORM PUKER

Oh! Speaking of relevant electronics, I downloaded this game Eggggg, which is a platform scroller game—think old school Mario or Sonic—only instead of an Italian plumber or a spiny mammal you inhabit the body of an adorable, wispy little boy propelled by a stream of your own bright green vomit. I know, I know, but it’s not as gross as it sounds and it’s super fun and awfully adorable.

EAT PHO

 

I moved to Westbrook a few weeks ago and have already eaten at the recently opened Bamboo Bistro 5 times. It’s well worth the visit, and some pho broth would warm your innards in a big way today, right? Please be careful on the snowy roads unless you are reading this on not-a-snow-day. I mean, in that case you should still be careful, I guess. And if you’re not into pho, get the vermicelli with pork and egg roll, fried chicken wings and hot tea.

WHEN THERE’S NO MORE ROOM IN HELL, THE DEAD WILL WALK THE EARTH

When was the last time you watched Dawn of the Dead? I watch old horror movies more often that the average person—an old friend and I get together weekly to do so—but I revisited Dawn of the Dead last night and was delighted by how it’s ultimately a movie about male friendship. It borders on bromance. I’d known about and appreciated its smart commentary for years. Zombies are our biggest threat; society is, right? And consumerism is embedded in us so deeply that even after death we return to the mall. But the friendship between Peter and Roger is actually lovely, and, when I really think about it, unmatched in any film regardless of genre.

 

MORE STORIES CONSTRUCTED FOR YOUR EARS 

I hope you’re into podcasts because evidently this list is about podcasts, pho, and movies about entrails and bromance. Finding Richard Simmons is about halfway through its first season and it is about exactly what its title suggests. The fitness guru went off radar a few years ago and a friend and customer sets out to find him. I enjoy it for a number of reasons, particularly based on its commitment to suspenseful storytelling and treatment of obsessions with popular culture and the real people behind it, but I also find it problematic for the same reasons outlined hereThe newest Reply All gives you good reason to fear for the future of the Internet. You Must Remember This‘s Dead Blondes season is upon us, and I only recently dived into the first episode. I am a huge fan of this show and have sung its praises here in the past. The first episode of this season is about Peg Entwistle who, among other things, made the Hollywood sign notorious by way of her suicide and has a connection to Maine by way of performance. Oh! Finally, my friends at Love + Radio just started a 3-part arc about a family of Columbian drug runners.

REAL FAKE DOORS 

Go down a Rick and Morty rabbit hole.

 

 

Alex Steed

About Alex Steed

Alex Steed has written about and engaged in politics since he was an insufferable teenager. He has run for the Statehouse and produced a successful web series. He now runs a content firm called Knack Factory with two guys who are a lot more talented than himself.