Self Isolation Newsletter!

Friends! Patrons! Earthlings! 

Life be bonkers! What a time to be alive. We know the world is on lockdown so we are doing all we can to engage with you all and keep some joy going in these weird times! We thought to do a newsletter now with some recs and info in case anyone is looking for something to dig into and we’ll also still have our first of the month newsletter on April 1st! We cannot thank you enough for your support and engagement. We love and appreciate all of you. 

HRR Info/ RiD&D/ Livestream Updates

When we first recorded the D&D episodes in January, the plan was to do another Patreon drive to encourage more people to try out the show. But in the midst of this global pandemic, we didn't feel that was appropriate. Instead, we want to just release them all to our Clue Crew and Review Crew tiers. Hopefully this silly adventure can help distract you from our surreal reality and give you something to look forward to the next few weeks! The first episode will drop this Monday the 23rd, the second on March 30th, the third on April 6th and the fourth on April 13th! We’re giddy to share it with you all and hope you dig it! Story arc written by our DM Rush Howell. Editing by Casey ‘Audio Daddy’ Toney and new theme song by Arne Parrott: https://soundcloud.com/arne-parrott/hrrdnd2/ 

During this time of social isolation, we are going to be doing a lot more streams! If you want to hear about when the streams are happening, check out the announcement channel of the discord. If you aren't in the discord and need an invite, please send us a message! 

On Wednesday both Erin and Adal did bonus livestreams with their significant others and pets for the Clue Crew and Review Crew tiers so please check those out if you haven’t already!

Also today (Saturday the 21st) Adal will be doing another Mai Tai Livestream with Jemma, Fries, Brisket and puppet Adal at 3pm CST! We’ll post the link on the Patreon feed once we’re live!

We should also mention we had stockpiled episodes recently because Adal was going on a 2 week vacation, so we will continue to have new episodes of both the main feed and Patreon!

The April Review Crew is coming soon and as voted on by you we watched and talked about The Adventures of Mary Kate & Ashley: Case of The Volcano Myster and Case of the US Space Camp Mission! If you want to watch this before the episode; you can find them on YouTube here: 

Volcano Mystery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jq2oToB2TN8

Space Camp Mission: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGX9Dukh060

Dr. (Adal’s) Recommendations:

Jemma and I canceled our Japan trip that was set to start this Monday and I’m still convinced it’s the worst thing to happen this month. Waaa. Ok I’m over it. We’ve been watching a ton of tv, doing jigsaw puzzles, playing Switch and trying/failing to clean up the place since we now have the time. I ordered Animal Crossing awhile ago and it was supposed to arrive Friday but fuck me it got delayed so hopefully I’m playing that soon! If folks are interested I’ll give my code out on Patreon and you can come visit what’s sure to be a very shitty island!

Here’s everything I’ve consumed in the past couple weeks!

TV: 

1. Surivor season 40 has been a delight! It’s 20 past winners playing within a new system (there’s coins now?!)
2. DEVS on HULU is dark, weird and fucked up. It stars Nick Offerman but don’t be fooled, it’s got zero comedy going on. I think there’s 2 more eps left? But I am hooked. Also they do sort of monk/chant versions of pop songs on the show, spine-chillingly good. But again, be warned it’s very dark and maybe not what some people are in the mood for right now. 
3. The Circle: BRAZIL! I’m over the moon about this series. I loved The Circle which came out in January, but this version is even better. It’s a reality show where everyone is in the same apartment building but are isolated (topical) and can only chat through a social media device called The Circle. Please watch this and then let’s talk about it! Jemma and I’s favorite character comes in at episode 7 (that episode is truly one of the best episodes of reality tv ever created). It’s on Netflix and there’s 4 more episodes, including the finale, coming this Wednesday. 
4. Ughly Delicious Season 2 on Netflix. Just a great show about food by my favorite chef, David Chang. Full of passion, humor and food porn. The steak episode especially is a stand out. Watch season 1 as well if you haven’t already!
5. Better Call Saul Seasons 4 and 5. I really liked this show but fell off over a year ago after season 3. A friend convinced me to start back up and hot damn season 4 is fantastic and things are cooking. Season 4 is on netflix and 5 is on YouTube tv!
6. McMillions on HBO! Wild docu-series about the McDonalds Monopoly game scam that I didn’t know about. Takes a million wild turns and the folks involved are highly entertaining. We have one more episode left that we’re watching first thing tomorrow!
7. Miss Americana on Netflix. I like Taylor Swift! This was great! I know some people don’t like her and that’s ok! 
8. Lovesick on Netflix. Charming british show about dating and missed windows of opportunity. I watched it awhile ago but just recently was thinking about it and how I’d like to maybe go back and watch it again. 
9. Top Chef All Stars. Watched every season of this show. It never fails to comfort me. 
10. Dave on HULU. Goofy fun sitcom by rapper Lil Dickey. 
11. Love Is Blind Reunion episode. Seriously this show was the most insane shit. The reunion episode was so awkward and cringe inducing and exactly what I wanted it to be. 

BOOKS: 

1. Pastoralia by George Saunders. Short stories by one of my favorite authors. If you haven’t read Tenth of December, Lincoln In the Bardo or Fox 8, the guy can just flat out write like no other. 
2. Mister Miracle by Tom King. Same guy who wrote the Vision series I liked so much in Feb. I’d never heard of Mister Miracle as a superhero but this story was a wild ride and just so different from what I usually get from comics. Excited to read more of his work. Oh! Also Arne Parrott lent me his Batman series which is fantastic. Bruce Wayne is on a jury in a case against Batman and Bruce is the only one who WONT say Batman is not guilty in the case. Fascinating storyteller this Tom King. 
3. Ms. Marvel first 3 volumes. Big fan of these! Kamala Khan is the first muslim superhero I’ve read and this is a really wonderful take/intro. 
4. Jimmy Corrigan The Smartest Kid On Earth - JUST starting this today. I know it’s always ranked as one of the best graphic novels. Excited to see what the hype is about. 

OTHER; 

1. New album Superstar by Caroline Rose, one of my favorite current musicians.
2. The album Internet Arms by my friend, the annoyingly talented Diane Coffee
3. Dead Eyes Podcast on HeadGum! An improviser/actor got cut from the tv show Band of Brothers like 20 years ago because Tom Hanks told him he had ‘Dead Eyes’. No he’s slowly trying to piece everything together and get closure. So so good. 
4. On Cinema. One of my friends convinced me to start listening to this podcast by Tim Heidecker and then start watching the YouTube series. So dumb and funny. Can’t wait to binge more. 
5. I saw in one week: Sonic, Invisible Man, Birds of Prey, The Way Back and Onward. All better than I thought they would be. It was a week of surprise good content. 
6. Here’s The Situation and Pop Culture Happy Hour podcasts. Great content. You should listen to Here’s The Situation and then text your friends one of the hypothetical questions and boom! Interesting conversation started. 
7. The album Shake The Sheets by Ted Leo is what you need right now to cheer you up and make you dance. Repeat the last sentence but replace with all albums by Matt & Kim. 
8. Jemma and I are currently about a third of the way through this very cool puzzle: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0735349061/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
9. And we have this one we’re doing next that’s an Escape Room puzzle??!! Not sure how it works but I had to get it: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J67F81E/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
10. Still playing Hollow Knight! Jemma and I have played some Mario Kart 8 and Mario Party as well. I’m also going back into some levels of Cuphead cause I loooooves me some Cuphead. 

IMPORTANT: If nothing else….even if you’ve glossed over everything I just listed, please watch this video with the sound up. Guaranteed to make your day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Be8P2L5hiIc

Adal’s Gourmet Corner

1. Ritz Crips & Thins: Tobasco Flavored - just bought these the other day when I went to buy groceries to last 2 weeks and it was sliiiim pickins. I don’t typically get crakers or ritz thins or anything but I was in a bind. Let me tell you these things are HEAVEN SENT. Cripsy, salty, airy with the perfect amount of heat! Jemma and I literally grabbed at the bag to steal it away from one another (ok maybe I just stole it from her) they were that good. If you see these when you brave the outside world and go grocery shopping, please buy a bag and then send me a picture of you eating them. I will never not buy these from this day forward.
2. Chewy Chips Ahoy: Brownie Filled - I mean….name one word in that description that doesn’t make your mouth water (I should clarify I’m a nautical slut so ‘Ahoy’ really does it for me. Don’t get me started on ‘Matey’). Get these, pop them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds and goddamn if you’re not having a mouth party for one. 

If you have the means/interest I’d also direct you to the GoFundMe for iO’s staff as the theater is closed and the great people who make it run are out of work. I know this is a prevalent issue but iO theater is like a second home to me and I wanted to get the word out: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-io-theater-staff?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet

Everyone stay safe and healthy and let me know if I can be there for anyone who needs anything! I’m hoping to do a few livestreams a week and maybe making one of them a podcasting workshop if people are interested. 

In the comments please let US know any recommendations you have so we can add to our lists or other Patrons can enjoy! 

Love,

Adal ‘Zatarans’ Rifai

Erin Recommendations: 

Check out the graphic novel BlackSad! And watch the docu-series 7 up! 

JPC's recommendations:

Mariah and I have been watching LOST and we are so close to finished. We just started season 6 and we DO NOT RECOMMEND IT. If you are bored and looking for something to do during the day, I plan to start streaming Witcher 3 next week (My Twitch camera should arrive on Saturday) most days between the hours of 11am-1pm central, maybe longer if I'm really feeling it. You can follow me at twitch.tv/sharkbarkman. I'll also be doing some live streams in the morning for all of you early risers. I'm thinking of doing a cooking live-stream where I make omelettes. That's probably something people want, right!?

Favorite quarantine snacks: 

Oreos. Holy shit, have you all had these? Quick power ranking of the flavors:

1. Mint (put them in the freezer!)

2. Birthday cake (again, freezer)

3. Regular Double stuff (any time)

4. All other Oreos are fucking trash come at me

5. JPC, what about the specialty flavors?

6. All bad. Had them all. They all suck. 

7. Even Smores?

8. Yes, clown. Smores are trash.

9. Fuck you

10. No, buddy, fuck you

.....

Love, 

your Clue Crew

Adal, Erin and JPC