I was in Cabo a week ago (site visit for work). Stayed at a few different places (The Cape, Chileno Bay, Le Blanc, and Viceroy). Had amazing dinners at Manta (The Cape), Seared (One & Only Palmilla) and Don Manuel (Pedregal; El Farallon was closed due to rain). We're doing a big event down there in February (65 people). My job is to do recon and scout out the resorts. Anyway... here's a clip from The Cape. House is a hugely popular genre of EDM (Electronic Dance Music). This is club music, folks. Meant to free your body (and mind). Born in Chicago (back in the 80s), but since found everywhere from South Beach to Ibiza. There are tons of styles, from Afro to Disco to Tropical (all good). I listen to it when I work out (along with Techno). Such a great anthology series on Amazon Prime. Each episode is based on a real-life essay from the New York Times "Modern Love" column. Season 2 just launched. I've come to realize one thing during this pandemic... god I hate politics. I used to consider myself a moderate. Fiscally conservative and socially liberal. I've voted for both parties. Friends used to say that was a cop out ["Choose a side"], but I really believed that each side had some good arguments, policy wise. That said, I usually vote for the candidate in the end. Meaning who they are as a person. I don't really care if I agree with them on all issues, but god... I need to respect the individual.
I will never vote for another Republican, if only because I can't support that madness. There are decent people like Mitt Romney and Adam Kinzinger, but no... can't do it. It's not that I think Democrats are all that (I don't). It's because the GOP is now ruled by ignorant, hateful Trumpers who care more about defeating Democrats (and ignoring our common enemies... Covid, Russian interference, gun violence, etc.; take your pick) than protecting American democracy (and lives). Party means more to them than country. All they can do is blame Democrats. They can't own up to their own shit. They spin everything to fit their lies. It all comes down to owning the libs. Ever since Trump became President (wish we could all forget), the GOP has inched closer and closer to fascism (and an incredibly laughable hypocrisy). So many conspiracy freaks, my lord. The Republican Party has become so hyper-partisan. It's disgusting, really. People like Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham, Ron DeSantis, Jim Jordan, Matt Gaetz and (the devil incarnate) Marjorie Taylor Greene deserve a punch to the face... and to be knocked the fuck out (but especially... voted out). To keep my stress level down, I try to avoid any mention of them.
I haven't traveled anywhere since February of 2020... which was to Los Cabos. As fate would have it, I'm headed right back down there next week for 4 nights. While I'm not exactly thrilled with traveling during a pandemic, I am looking forward to seeing these resorts. I'm also having a dinner at one of my bucket list places.
Here's a Spotify playlist I'll be listening to while I'm there. See below. Ok, so... I'm a sucker for old musicals. I also love Keegan-Michael Key (of Key and Peele fame). This is a new series on Apple TV+ and it's absolutely delightful (did I just use that word?). The songs are catchy. It's funny as hell. A magical fantasy. I'm definitely a gadget freak... especially when it comes to headphones. As you know, I love my music. I'm also a bit noise sensitive (landscapers, screaming kids), so noise cancellation is an extremely important feature to me. Over the past few years, I've purchased a number of headphones... both wired and wireless (mainly wireless). In most cases, I used bonus money from work to buy them... so I didn't pay much.
This post is going to tell you which ones to buy (and why).... under $300. If you're paying more than $300, you're an idiot. First, let's get this out of the way. Unless you're a serious audiophile, skip wired headphones/earbuds. Wireless has come a long way... so there's no reason to deal with wires anymore. Also, you probably won't notice the difference. I've tried most of the over-ear headphones (Bose, Sony, Sennheiser, etc.), as well as all of the earbuds that are out there (kind of a little hobby of mine). Wired headphones lead to fatigue. They're also a pain in the ass. I'm an Apple guy all the way, but I'm sorry... I hate AirPods Pro. Yes, I know... the Spatial Audio thing is interesting (not a fan, though it is an improvement). They're also the best when it comes to call quality (when making phone calls; hands down)... and they're very light. Oh, and... they easily switch between Apple devices. They suck, though, when it comes to listening to music and the noise cancellation? Please. They also look like tampons. Come on... you know they do. I used to say Bose was in a league of their own when it comes to noise cancellation, but... that's no longer the case (although, spoiler... I still prefer Bose; more on that in a minute). Sony has upped their game. While I don't like the fit of their over-ear cans, I love the new WF-1000XM4 earbuds (come on, Sony... get more creative with your names). Your music will sound incredible. The noise cancellation is right up there with the Bose QC Earbuds. Great battery life. Smaller case. That said, they're not as easy to get in your ear (whereas the Bose are super silky with their silicone tips). Which sounds best? The Sony's... hands down. Richer. More bass-heavy. Which look best? Again... the Sony's. Smaller footprint. The Bose are big. Which fit best? AirPods, though the Bose are easier to get in than the Sony's. Which has the best noise cancellation? Bose, but the Sony's are close. Sony & Bose only sync with one device at a time... which is a pain, but oh well. Just means that if I want to use them on my phone, I have to unsync from my MacBook. Still, all devices immediately find them. The Sony's allow for more customization. At the end of the day... I prefer the Bose. So... if Sony sounds (and looks) best and I said the noise cancellation is about the same, why do I recommend the Bose? Don't know. On paper, the Sony's win. I just know that when I want to listen to something, I gravitate to the Bose. They're easier to fit in my ears (and feel better). The audio quality is good. The noise cancellation is, of course, the best in the industry. Yeah, the case is bulky (and they look bigger than the Sony's)... but there are two final things that settled it for me. First... the Bose allow for volume control (swipe up on the right earbud to turn your music up and swipe down to, well... turn it down). Second... when I want to turn off noise cancellation and listen to someone, it's much quicker with Bose. Not sure why, but the Sony's take a few seconds before it switches from NC to Ambient (meaning you can hear your surroundings). It's only a few seconds, but it can be frustrating. To be fair, I still use them both (Bose most of the time, but Sony's on the road). Regardless, you should buy one of these two... not the AirPods Pro. If you don't want to spend this much, go with the Jabra Elite Active 75-t. A much better value. She's Norwegian singer-songwriter Marie Ulven... and she's incredible. I'll post a couple of my favorite tracks, but here's my Spotify playlist devoted to her. This is absolutely the best show you're probably not watching. Black Mirror (Netflix) owes a lot to The Twilight Zone, but even though it's relatively new... this dystopian British anthology series has been hugely influential across its 5 seasons. Everyone has their favorite episodes, but mine are Hang the DJ, San Junipero, USS Callister, and The Entire History of You. You can't go wrong with any of them. Love how this guy remixes old classics (he's done a lot of Disney stuff). Careful, though. You're going to spend all day listening to his YouTube channel. I'm going to spotlight some great TV shows and movies that I think everyone needs to be watching. First up... Love, Death + Robots on Netflix. These are short stories that have been adapted into animated films. ADULT animated films. It's the brainchild of Tim Miller (Deadpool) and David Fincher (Fight Club). There's something here for everyone (Sci-Fi, romance, horror, extreme violence, nudity, comedy, etc.)... and there's nothing like it. Don't expect any connective tissue. They're standalone gems. One of my guilty pleasures. I watch these at night to relax (especially winter camping). There's something about fire pits and falling snow. My favorite channels are Drew Simms, Go4x4, TrailRecon, and Matthew Posa. Oh, and... I'm definitely getting this tent. |
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