Connection Inflection
Connection. Technology has fundamentally and permanently altered the way we connect with others. It is not all good and not all bad, just different. One lead changer is Netflix. It has changed my relationship with my children, my spouse, and even my friends. While accessing shows through Netflix is efficient (no commercials), it inevitably increases the amount of television watched. I first saw it with my children, who would watch shows continuously and repeatedly. It eats much of their free time and isolates them from their friends (who they could otherwise hang out with); however, this generation connects over watching (binging) the same show. I find myself constantly engaging in conversations with friends about which shows they are watching and which shows they want to watch (be on the lookout for The Politician, Inside Bill's Brain, and The Spy). This has basically replaced mundane conversations about the weather. And lastly, how about my spouse who stays up til all hours watching Netflix. God forbid I begin to watch a show without her; it is tantamount to cheating!
Last weekend, I found myself unknowingly celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Friends. The celebration was at a movie theater. Rather than being a movie, it was 4 select or favorite episodes for full price admission! Let it be known that I could have watched these episodes from the comfort of my own home for free on Hulu or Netflix! The great irony of Friends is that it is a show about actual friends spending quality time together! If you want to step away from your screens, you can experience Friends in all its immersive glory at Friends, the Popup in SoHo. This week’s Loupe is about connecting, really connecting, with people, whether it is about television or not.
One Bite
App
Pizza is the perfect food. Slices are nice, but the whole pie is better. Dave “El Presidente” Portnoy from the irreverent site Bar Stools has been on a mission to try at least one bite of pizza every day. We all know an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but I'm not sure what a slice of pizza every day will presage! In the app, he shares his rating of the best pizza places, so before you go just anywhere for a slice, you should grab a friend and go to the best (rated). If you don't agree with Dave, you can add your own reviews. Thanks to fellow Louper Jeff J for this recommendation!
SIMBLY
Home
What better way to spend time with friends and/or loved ones than around a table. Yes, this means turning off your technology and turning on your active listening. Enter Simbly. This company designs modern, sustainable furniture products that are simple to assemble. This company was founded by Josh Dorfman, who wrote The Lazy Environmentalist and also happens to be a college classmate of mine … Hi Josh! He has created the next-generation of IKEA, but is direct to consumer. Their goal is to be not just sustainable, but also climate positive (Drawdown?). Translation: this means they use Eco-friendly materials, replace the wood they use by planting trees (one-for-one tree planting), use local labor (Asheville, NC), ship with eco-friendly packaging (recycled) and space-efficient (flat-pack) shipping, and insist on healthy indoor air quality (toxin-free materials). So, this is a way to buy a dining room table AND feel good about it!
STAVE PUZZLES
Activity
Now that you have a new Simbly table, you need something to do on it! My wife loves puzzles, particularly when we are not home. I presume it is a function of not having her Netflix on a large screen TV. So what will she do with all this found time … this summer it was a 5,000 piece puzzle. Sure, we have done 500 and 1,000 piece puzzles before, even 2500. Those take some time. But a 5,000 piece puzzle is insurmountable. Not only do you need the time, but you also need space. It easily took up a dining room table that accommodates 14 people. Thus, a better alternative are Stave puzzles. We first happened upon them at a resort we used to frequent in Vermont. This resort was the embodiment of spending time with friends. The Stave puzzles became a symbol of that time as we would work through the puzzles as a group. Quietly acknowledging great effort in building a section or finding a sought after piece. Each piece in these puzzles is meticulously and uniquely hand-cut in Vermont, and you don’t know what you are building until the very end (shapes vary, don't assume flat pieces for border). The puzzle reveals itself the way a good, patient relationship does. They are a bit pricey, so pool your money or rotate them with friends.
I suspect we have reached a connection inflection point, so reverse your priorities and spend quality time with friends and family. Consider One Bite, Simbly, and Stave Puzzles Found!