Patreon Newsletter #9: July 2022

From Arnie:

Insanely busy this month. By day, working hard on a game called Nonsenory for this fall’s Jackbox Party Pack 9. I pitched it for Pack 7, I think under the name Very Very, and then tinkered with the concept more and it got greenlit for Pack 9. We’re definitely in the part of the process that is more work than fun but it’s exciting to see it start to look like the game that (hopefully) people will play in the fall. Maybe I’ll try to set up something to play with Patreon supporters after it comes out. I also sit in on meetings to give notes on the other games (besides managing the editorial team in general) and it’s shaping up to be a really great Pack.

Besides full-time Jackbox work, and of course, a lot of Magic Tavern stuff that I’m excited for you all to hear, I’ve been pretty consumed with trying to sell my place (apparently it’s the only home in the country not setting off a crazed buying frenzy) and finalizing buying a new place I’ll move into with the kiddo later this summer. New school and hopefully more neighborhood kids to play with. All exciting, but I’m exhausted.

I couldn’t squeeze much fun time into my schedule but I did go to a BBQ at Martin Wilson’s (Blemish), and played a fun yard game called Coop. And I hung out with Adal and JPC and played Quacks of Quendlinberg for the first time, which I really liked.

TV – The tv I watched this month from favorite to less favorite. All of it really strong.

1. Hacks s2
2. Barry s3
3. The Bear - only watched a couple episodes so far but it’s great.
4. Taskmaster s10
5. Stranger Things s4 pt1
6. Frogger - Better than Floor is Lava?

Movies – Same deal: best to… least best. (Most were pretty decent.)

1. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande - This is a challenging movie to recommend because it’s essentially two actors in more or less one location the whole time… and, you know, it’s very adult content (a widow hires a sex worker to help her try out all the things she missed out on)... but it’s fantastic. Both leads are great, especially Emma Thompson.
2. Drag Me to Hell
3. Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain
4. The Card Counter
5. Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness - Didn’t love it, BUT… the last 20 minutes when it goes full Sam Raimi are pretty incredible and one of the rare Marvel movies where the last 20 minutes are… actually good?

Music - My daughter came home from camp and said, “Dad, have you ever heard of Spice Girls? You’ve gotta check them out.”

Some stuff I’ve especially enjoyed lately

• MUNA
• Haim
• Warren Zevon
• Mitski
• Lyle Lovett

One Last Thing – In the comments share your favorite summer drink or snack.

Arnie

From Matt:

Gearing up for a couple of trips over the summer. Trying to make sure that everything Tavern is moving along before I go. I’ll have more info and fun stuff to share when I’m back. Seeing some shows and visiting some places in the world I’ve never seen before.

I served as an election judge for the Illinois primary election on June 28th. This is the second time I’ve done this, and here are my thoughts:

1.  Go vote.

2.  Get registered early.

3.  Go ahead and go to your polling place if you didn’t register and vote (if your state has same day registration) but bring ID with your current address and signature.

4.  If you need to sign a form, sign your full name and not just your initials. Please.

5.  Go vote. Seriously.

Books (all audio again):

Finished listening to The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin, and jumped into the second in the series, The Broken Kingdoms. So, so, so good. I’m going to read (re: listen to) all of her books eventually, I suspect.

Video Games:

Spider-Man on PS5, I’m about 50% through the main story. Also started Ratchet and Clank and downloaded Ni No Kuni 2. I messed around a bit with Astro’s Playroom. It’s good! It’s all good. My Switch won’t be abandoned though, as I just got Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes.

Music:

I promised a listener for some music recommendations. So, what do I listen to? At work, I tend to put on lo-fi stuff in the background on YouTube. LoFi Girl is the channel I default to. If I’m up for something different, a lot of times I will pull up a Glen Hansard or Spoon or The Decemberists. I may not be the best source for new, new music. Give me some recs!

Food:

My favorite sushi restaurant in Chicago closed. Not from a lack of me ordering from there. Very disappointing. Anyone got some sushi they love in Chi-town?

MY

From Adal:

June flew by but it’s been fun. Jemma and I had a wonderful time in LA and it was an absolute fucking blast to do two Hey Riddle Riddle shows at Dynasty Typewriter and meet so many of you! Thank you for being so kind and lovely! A few of us did an escape room in LA that I’d highly recommend called Stash House. It’s one of the better escape room experiences i’ve had. Other highlights from the trip include Erin taking me to The Cantiki and the RoseBowl flea market and a delish meal at La Pergoletta with the Big Grande guys.

Also got to swing by Toronto for a wedding, but to be honest the travel portion was so horrific it wasn’t worth going. But I still love Toronto’s vibe.

Jemma and I are fostering 3 kittens! There’s Coco, Emilio and Tumbles and they’re 17 weeks old. Jemma made them (and Fries and Brisket) a Tik Tok account the other day if you want to meet them: @kittiesandkittens

Oh last month someone asked us what music we’re in to! Here’s a list of stuff I love. Next month I’ll see if I can put together a playlist of some of it to post here:

Radiohead, The White Stripes, Neutral Milk Hotel, Fiona Apple, The Beatles, Howlin Wolf, The Mountain Goats, Jeff Buckley, Yeasayer, AJJ, Why?, Mistki, Ted Leo, Menomena, Patsy Cline, Tom Waits, Talking Heads, The Pixies, Oasis, Mirah, The Libertines, Hop Along, Caroline Rose, Super Furry Animals, Taylor Swift, Okkervil River, Arctic Monkeys, The New Pornographers, Chromeo, My Morning Jacket, The Thermals, Diane Coffee, Joanna Newsom, The Decemberists, Aimee Mann, Sujan Stevens, Ween, TV on the Radio, Explosions in the Sky, Yuck,

Here’s what I consumed in June:

TV:

• The One That Got Away - Erin introduced this reality show to me tonight and we had an absolute blast enjoying how rough it is.
• The Old Man
• The Boys Season 3
• EVIL Season 1
• The Bear - really well done dark comedy about chefs and restaurants. Some of the pace of the show gets stressful but I really dug it overall
• Prehistoric Planet - recommended by Casey Toney. Episode 1 already blew my mind as I didn’t know T-Rex’s were ‘incredible swimmers’!!!???!!!!?
• Only Murders in the Building Season 2
• Peaky (Fuckin’) Blinders Season 6
• Players - funny mockumentary about competitive video gaming by the team that did American Vandal.
• They Call Me Magic

Movies:

• Old Henry - surprisingly good western movie with a fun twist
• RoadRunner
• The Quick and the Dead
• Robin Hood: Men in Tights
• Rise

Other Stuffs:

• Played 2 more games of the legacy version of CLANK with a friend group and I’m hooked.
• Reading and enjoying chef David Chang’s autobiography Eat A Peach

Please let me know what you’ve been enjoying so I can check it out!

Love

Adal

7:17pm