Listen Up, Nerds: 33 For 33

Listen Up, Nerds: 33 For 33

33 Things for turning 33.

I’m 33 today. It’s not a big deal but it’s my deal so I can make it a big deal if I want to. Here’s a list of 33 things I’ve found a lot of joy in, either recently or for my whole life. This is a gratitude journal by way of a recommendation-based newsletter. Some of it is music, most of it is not. Some of it is replicable but I encourage you to find something you love as much as I love these things. If you want to get me a gift of any sort: Free Palestine. Donate to a local homelessness assistance charity in your area. Lay in the sun. Listen to Give. Eat a big sandwich.

Here’s 33 things I love:

The 15-25 minutes I spend with my cat after turning off my alarm and before I get out of bed to get cleaned up for the day

The new Cindy Lee record, Diamond Jubilee, especially the song “All I Want Is You”

A quote I found in a Steve Albini interview with Eugene Robinson from Oxbow where Albini mentions Roger Ebert saying in a speech to his university, “Never second-guess a belly laugh or a hard-on.”

“Black Ice” by Goodie Mob, the song that was playing in the background for my first kiss for some reason

The cover of the Blacklisted 7” that quotes Benjamin Franklin out of context saying, “Soon, I must quit the scene.” Just a very funny thing to do.

Not knowing if the cactus I’m growing is dead or not. He looks fine, I have no idea if he is. I’ve been watering him. I’m better off not knowing.

The Kurt Vonnegut quote about being on earth to fart around. He’s right. That’s pretty much what we’re here for. 

Replying, “Very carefully,” when someone asks how you do something.

Hitting a hook shot over someone taller when I’m playing basketball. 

Late-’90s Sportswear

When a band has a song named after the band and it’s on an album named after the band. Bonus points for yelling your band’s name in the song.

Primer by Matthew Craven. It’s a book of collages based on anthropology. It’s a cool thing to flip through when I’m bored. The cover of mine is mis...embossed? I wanted to say misprinted but that’s not the case because it’s not printed. At any rate, it’s off-center. The Amazon reviews of it are really funny because people are mad that it can’t be a coffee table book because of this.

Jerry Hsu’s photography

“Orange Over” by Lil Ugly Mane. Travis’ music has been a constant in my life for what feels like forever. His shift to alt-pop singer-songwriter has been fascinating and impressive.

New Balance 990v4s

Uhh Yeah Dude, the greatest podcast of all time. The platonic ideal of “two guys shooting the shit”

Seeing my friends post their weekly 3x3 album grids on Friday. I love knowing what everyone else is listening to.

Night coffee

Navigating a stressful situation

When my cat taps three times urgently on my thigh to get my attention like he accidentally pressed the launch codes for a nuke but he just wants a pat on the head

Yellow Rose in NYC.

The smell of petrichor but not the rain that comes with it

The idea of outsider art

Ashley Bickerton’s sculptures

Koyaanisqatsi (1982)

Martha Rosler’s art

The Componibili I bought last year

Walking past a place you used to live

Tape loops

Fear Of Life by Creative Adult

The “Jordan Never Did That Move!” guy

"IBN" by Playa Fly

When someone says it’s their “Jordan Year” or the number of some other famous basketball player because it reminds me of the post where some girl said it was her “Marcus Morris Year” because she turned 31 and a guy responding that you can’t just do that with any NBA player 

Thanks for reading. Big things coming soon. Not really, but, you know.

Jay Papandreas

Jay Papandreas

writer, podcaster, content creator, based in denver
Denver, CO